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Ryan Reynolds’ group is out of the running for the Ottawa Senators — and it’s not a negotiating ploy.
The 46-year-old actor emerged as the fan favorite after he joined the Remington Group’s effort to acquire the Senators. Sources told Front Office Sports his withdrawal wasn’t for lack of money or interest.
ESPN and The Athletic reported Thursday that the Remington Group was bowing out after it was unable to obtain an exclusive 30-day window to negotiate a deal to acquire land in downtown Ottawa for a new arena. The request, if granted, would have put the whole bidding process on hold.
It was a big ask, and one source told FOS that it just didn’t fly, as there were enough other credible contenders ahead of Monday’s final bid deadline.
The Remington Group — which had real estate mogul Christopher Bratty as its major financial backer — will not submit a surprise bid, a source confirmed to FOS.
The Senators, who went on the market in November, are expected to fetch around $1 billion, setting a record price for an NHL franchise.
That leaves six groups in play, including those of rapper Snoop Dogg and Sacramento Kings owner Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé.
Canadian businessman Steve Apostolopoulos’ bid for the team is also in much better shape than his attempt to purchase the Washington Commanders, something a source attributed to the Sens going for about $5 billion less.
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