What about Turek?
I might not be able to post anything earth-shattering this week, given the Thanksgiving holiday and all, but I'll try to put up some snippets when I can, including this post ...
Friday's Monroe County Supreme Court hearing regarding Randall Latona's attempt to immediately remove Steve Donner from control of the Amerks and send the company into receivership was, to say the least, a blockbuster event, given all the dirty laundry that was aired.
However, I'm wondering how it all affects Walter Turek, the third Amerks co-owner who is also named as a defendant in Latona's first lawsuit. From what I recall, Turek's name didn't come up at all during the hearing, and he was barely mentioned in the D&C's (and my) coverage of the hearing.
To me, Turek's involvement in all this is almost the most intriguing aspect of the case, largely because he's somewhat of an unknown quantity. Of course, he's a VP at Paychex, but what has been his role in the management of the Amerks and Knighthawks, and how has Friday's hearing affected his role in the case?
According to Latona's lawsuit, in 2006 Latona and Turek formed a company called T&L Funding and provided Donner and the teams — which were in financial trouble at the time — with a $2.1-million financing package. It remains unclear how Turek hooked up with Latona, a Massachusetts resident who owns a multi-billion-dollar medical transport firm in Florida.
It also remains unclear what, exactly, Turek's role in the subsequent management of the teams has been. However, Latona's lawsuit charges that Turek colluded with Donner to shut Latona out from the management of the teams.
I also think it's funny that Turek, as a high-ranking Paychex exec, is good buddies with Paychex founder and Sabres owner Tom Golisano. It's especially funny now that Golisano's Sabres apparently want to buy the Amerks, a team already co-owned by Turek, one of Golisano's Paychex execs.
Anyway, I'd love to know where Turek currently fits into all of this. Unfortunately, Turek's attorney, Peter Durant in August told me, rather rudely, that he doesn't speak to reporters. So, I guess, the mystery of Walter Turek will remain.
Friday's Monroe County Supreme Court hearing regarding Randall Latona's attempt to immediately remove Steve Donner from control of the Amerks and send the company into receivership was, to say the least, a blockbuster event, given all the dirty laundry that was aired.
However, I'm wondering how it all affects Walter Turek, the third Amerks co-owner who is also named as a defendant in Latona's first lawsuit. From what I recall, Turek's name didn't come up at all during the hearing, and he was barely mentioned in the D&C's (and my) coverage of the hearing.
To me, Turek's involvement in all this is almost the most intriguing aspect of the case, largely because he's somewhat of an unknown quantity. Of course, he's a VP at Paychex, but what has been his role in the management of the Amerks and Knighthawks, and how has Friday's hearing affected his role in the case?
According to Latona's lawsuit, in 2006 Latona and Turek formed a company called T&L Funding and provided Donner and the teams — which were in financial trouble at the time — with a $2.1-million financing package. It remains unclear how Turek hooked up with Latona, a Massachusetts resident who owns a multi-billion-dollar medical transport firm in Florida.
It also remains unclear what, exactly, Turek's role in the subsequent management of the teams has been. However, Latona's lawsuit charges that Turek colluded with Donner to shut Latona out from the management of the teams.
I also think it's funny that Turek, as a high-ranking Paychex exec, is good buddies with Paychex founder and Sabres owner Tom Golisano. It's especially funny now that Golisano's Sabres apparently want to buy the Amerks, a team already co-owned by Turek, one of Golisano's Paychex execs.
Anyway, I'd love to know where Turek currently fits into all of this. Unfortunately, Turek's attorney, Peter Durant in August told me, rather rudely, that he doesn't speak to reporters. So, I guess, the mystery of Walter Turek will remain.
posted by Ryan Whirty at
8:04 PM
2 Comments:
I'll bet Donner is squirmin' with Durant as Turek's lawyer...he's no slouch. Should be interesting to see what civil suits come out of this mess soon.
By
rick from west webster, at 4:14 AM
OK, let me toss in my latest brain cramp. It fits in the "what if ..." construct.
What if, behind the scenes, the AHL, Sabres and Panthers decide to pull off a scenario like this.
The parent teams notify Donner that as of January 1st or some other date, they are no longer going to honor their working agreement because of the payment and management issues.
They then work out agreemnts with other AHL teams to take two or three players each. It strengths the rosters of the other AHL teams at a time when rosters start to be depleated and strengthening play-off rosters moves tothe front burner.
This happened in Salt Lake City a few years ago so it is not without precedent or impossible.
The Rochester Sports Group then has no team to put on the ice. Very doubtful anyone else would come forward and bail them out in mid-season with a roster full of players.
The AHL then suspends the Rochester francise and Donner is forced to sell to Golisano or the Panthers.
I don't see Donner leaving on his own unless something like this forces him out.
OK so I have watched Slap Shot way too many times ...
Ryan, on a historical note, before The Detroit Red Wings moved from Adirondak to Grand Rapids, there was a story that MIke Illich wanted to move the franchise here but the terms were that he would run the franchise due to suspicion about finances back then.
Another possibility ... can anyone check to see if the Sabres are still paying on their old Buffalo Bison AHL francise or the previous Cincinnati Sword AHL franchise they once had? Any chance they could reactiviate one of those for next season? It would allow them to work out a deal with the city and put a teamin here and leave Donner with no option? What does an AHL franchise go for these days? It is probably small change to Golisano if he really wants to move in and force Donner out. Any of this scenario would do it.
If Donner is smart he will fold his cards and get out before he is left with nothing but an indoor lacrosse team who will possibly have to negotitaion terms with Mr. Golisano if he does work out a deal to operate the Blue Cross Arena.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that with basketball and football also competing for dates at Blue Cross any Amerk team under Donner's direction will be in a very precarious position when it comes to booking prime dates.
Are there any local broadcast media ready to ask Mr. Donner some of these tough questions "live" or do an in-depth report? Will Mr. Penalty Box ask Donner to come on the air for some "honest" interview time? I know I am dreaning ...
I am also wondering, will we be invited to a "Town Meeting" with Jody and Steve trying to twist all this in a favorible way to what is unfortunatley, an increasingly dwindling number of Amerk fans?
Has it dawned on the Amerk office that they are also beginning to get some serious competion form RIT hockey with its TV coverage?
It is also obvious that mismanagment is taking its toll on the Rhinos franchise that was once viewed as a among the best in the U.S.
This is all too sad.
By
Anonymous, at 12:31 PM
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