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Lemieux: New Arena 'A Long Time Coming'

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Aug 11, 2008 8:54 pm US/Eastern

Lemieux: New Arena 'A Long Time Coming'

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― When the city of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County and the Pittsburgh Penguins break ground on the new multi-purpose arena on Thursday, Penguins' owner Mario Lemieux says the ceremony will signal the end of the bickering and the start of a new era.

Following seven years of frustration and thinly-veiled anger, Lemieux says the groundbreaking means the Penguins are here to stay .

The ground was actually broken several months ago and site preparation for the new $290 million arena is in full swing. The Penguins hope it will be completed in time for their 2010-2011 hockey season.

In between tee-shots at his golf tournament, Lemieux paused to reflect on the happy ending to the bitter years of struggle leading up to the new arena, including threats to move the team to Kansas City where an already constructed arena awaited them.

Construction at the arena site continues despite the lack of activity on the North Side slots casino which is supposed to fund about one-third of the cost of arena construction.

Coincidentally, the Pa. Gaming Control Board meets Thursday in Harrisburg to decide if new investor Neil Bluhm and his Walton Street Capital Fund can take over the lion's share of the project from financially-strapped Don Barden.

Mayor Luke Ravenstahl says he'll skip the Harrisburg meeting and stay in town for the groundbreaking, but says Bluhm should get the go-ahead if he has the money and keeps his commitments.

Regardless, the arena is guaranteed funding despite any casino delays.

(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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