Thursday, March 27, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
Like a runaway child with no clear direction, the NHL team has decided to flee the city even though it has no place to go, figuring it will find a more bearable environment elsewhere.
Team owner Peter Karmanos and Gov. John G. Rowland announced during separate news conferences Wednesday that the Whalers would be looking for a new home at the end of the season.
After two months of negotiations, they said they remained far apart on several issues, with the main sticking points linked to a new arena deal. The team has agreed to pay a $20.5 million penalty to leave at the end of the season, a year before its four-year commitment expires.
Nashville, Tenn., St. Paul, Minn., and Columbus, Ohio, have been frequently mentioned as sites jockeying for the Whalers. Karmanos said he would like to have a new home by the end of June.
The team rejected the state's offer to build a $147.5 million arena and to guarantee the club projected revenues of $50 million a year.
The team wanted to play at the arena rent-free and refused to sign a lease longer than 10 years.
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