It looks like the Fresno Falcons story is going to end with a whimper rather than a bang.
When we lasted visited them in late December, the Falcons were a defunct ECHL hockey franchise and City Hall was up in arms.
Fresno Hockey Club LLC, the Falcons' owner, on Dec. 22 had suddenly ceased operations. It was early in the 2008-09 season, but Fresno Hockey Club partners Chris Cummings and Brian Glover said the team was losing too much money. Operations had to cease immediately, they said.
The Falcons' death cost the city about $3.5 million in lost rent over the life of the team's 20-year lease at Selland Arena. The city had also invested millions of dollars in upgrading Selland largely with the expectation that the Falcons would play there for at least two decades.
City Attorney James Sanchez on Dec. 23 said his office was taking the first steps toward possibly suing Fresno Hockey Club for breach of contract.
But earlier this week, Sanchez said there will be no lawsuit. He said the Falcons have no assets, so the expense of going to court makes no sense.
"You don't want to throw good money after bad," Sanchez said.
Sanchez said the law gives the city four years to file a lawsuit. So, he added, City Hall will never say never when it comes to legal action against the Falcons.
"We're aren't going to do an official write-off," Sanchez said. "We're going to keep all options open."
The Falcons leave behind other debts. For example, according to a document at the Fresno County Hall of Records, the team owes $2,006.02 to the county in unpaid property taxes and penalties. The tax is on supplies, equipment and uniforms, according to the document.
And city officials said this week that they have released possession of Falcons equipment for return to the ECHL. The equipment had been in the city's possession at Selland.
City Manager Andy Souza said the equipment had small value, and the city didn't want to get into a legal squabble over it with the ECHL, especially since the league may someday return to Fresno.
Cummings said he had no intention of liquidating the Falcons through a bankruptcy proceeding, and hopes no creditor will force that action on the partners: "There's no tactical advantage to doing that."
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