The hockey club’s costs will go up by 84 percent next season.

PORTLAND (AP) – The Portland Pirates signed a new lease with the Cumberland County Civic Center but they’re not happy about it.

Brian Petrovek, owner of the hockey club, said Friday he was given a “take it or leave it” proposal that boosts his costs by 84 percent next season and 92 percent the following season. There’s also an option for a third year.

Neal Pratt, the lead negotiator for the building’s trustees, said his goal was for a lease in which the Cumberland County Civic Center breaks even and taxpayers don’t subsidize the professional hockey team.

Petrovek said his proposals had been either for a smaller increase in the lease costs or for the Pirates to take over management of the civic center, assuming the liability for deficits. Both were rejected.

Another source of frustration for Petrovek is the slow pace of planning for a replacement for the 27-year-old civic center.

Petrovek has cited problems with a lack of seating, luxury suites, concessions and bathrooms. He supports building a 10,000-seat arena as a way to increase revenues with luxury suites and club seats.

If the trustees don’t act within two to three years, he said he’ll seek his own backers and begin looking to build a facility.

“Anything beyond that would be economic suicide for us,” he said.

AP-ES-11-07-03 1508EST

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