Avs owner has special offer for those interested in buying team

PALMER — Mark Lee has an offer he hopes a local hockey fan can’t refuse.

Last month, Lee, the owner of the Alaska Avalanche, officially announced his intent to sell the Palmer-based North American Hockey League Junior A hockey franchise.

And in an effort to help ensure the team stays in the Mat-Su Valley, Lee has added an incentive for a local individual or group interested in taking over the franchise.

The base fee for the franchise is $300,000, Lee said. Lee, who has been with the team for seven years, said he is willing to allow a new owner or group to run the team for a year without having to play the franchise fee up front.

“I would waive that for someone who’d like to try to run the team for a year to make it work,” Lee said Monday. “I’d still hold the franchise. They’d have to be completely liable for the team for a year, cover all expenses. After that, they can see if they can make it or not.”

A new owner would have to file an intent to purchase the franchise with the NAHL.

Lee said he hopes this could provide a smooth transition to a new ownership group. Lee, who also announced last month that he has been diagnosed with cancer, has said he can’t continue to run the franchise, but hopes the team can survive in the Valley.

“I really do want to have the team stay here,” Lee said. “It means a lot to me.”

Lee and the Avalanche are facing a hard deadline. If a new owner or group does not file an intent to purchase the franchise before 48 hours after the Avs final game, including postseason, all of the talent on the current roster will be released by the league and declared free agents.

Last month, the NAHL allowed seven teams, including the Alaska Avalanche, to declare dormancy for the 2012-13 season. This gives teams permission to skip a season, but still remain an NAHL franchise. Dormant teams cannot hold players on the roster.

Lee said he has had conversations with people interested in purchasing a franchise, but is concerned about finding the right suitor before the deadline.

“We need to put a letter of intent with the league,” Lee said.

Lee said he is willing to do what it takes to facilitate a transition to a new owner.

“I’m happy to sit down with a group who would like to look at this,” Lee said. “I would help them with the books. I’d be here to help in any way I could.”

Lee said anyone interested can contact him at (907) 354-4430.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.