7/30/2019 Letter from Eagle Street Grille to NHL Commissioner

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174West7thStreet,SaintPaul,MN55102|651-225-1382

November28,2012

GaryBettmanNHLCommissioner1251AvenueoftheAmericas47thFloorNewYork,NY1002-1104

DearCommissionerBettman,Itiswithgreatdisappointmentonbehalfofmycompany,EagleStreetGrilleandmyemployees,thatIwritetoyoutodayofthedifficultdecisionsthatIvemadeduringthecurrentNHLlockout.IvehadthegreatopportunitytoownandoperatetheEagleStreetGrilleinSt.Paul,Minnesotaforthelasttenyears.EagleStreethasbenefitedfromthestrongfansupportoftheMinnesotaWildandthemanyworld-classeventsthathavebeenheldtheXcelEnergyCenter.TheEagleStreetGrilleislocateddirectlyacrossthestreet

fromtheXcelEnergyCenterandthehockeyseasoniscrucialtothesuccessofouroperation.MinnesotaWildgamenightsaccountforover50%ofourgrossrevenueannuallyandareadrivingfactorinourstrategicbusinessdecisions.Imonitorthenegotiationsbetweentheleagueandtheplayersuniondailyandhavebeenforcedtomakesometoughchoicesthispastweek.Ihadtolook32outof48employeesintheeyesandinformthemthatInolongercanaffordtokeepthemonstaff.HockeyinMinnesotaispartofourcultureandwewillalwayslovethissportthatplaysanimportantpartofourchildhoodmemories.Unfortunately,thelongerthis

lockoutcontinues,Minnesotanswillbereluctanttoreturntolevelsofeconomicsupportthattheyhaveconsistentlyshownovertheyears.Ifearthatcorporatesponsorshipsandseasonticketholderswillnotreturnwiththesamefinancialinterest.

7/30/2019 Letter from Eagle Street Grille to NHL Commissioner

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174West7thStreet,SaintPaul,MN55102|651-225-1382

EverysummerEagleStreetGrillesponsorsagolftournamentforSection108acharityeventcommittedtoraisingmoneyforMinnesotaSpecialHockey.Wevebeenabletoraise$11,000annuallyforthisgreatcauseoverthepast5years.Itisgoingtobedifficulttoreachthisgoalin2013asmycorporatesponsorswillnotbebenefitingfromthe2012-2013hockeyseason.Ultimately,thekidsloseandit

breaksmyheart.WhileEagleStreetisonebusiness,therearedozensofrestaurantsthatsurroundthearena;theytoohavebeenforcedtomakedifficultfinancialdecisionsduetothelockout.Theimpactonourlivesisimmeasurable.Onecitysdevastationmaynotseemlikeapowerfulincentivetoendthelockout;butIknowthisishappeninginothercitiesaroundthenation.Together,potentiallythousandsoffamiliesandbusinessesarebeingaffected.Iurgeyoutofindanimmediatewinnablesolutionforthefans,ourstaff,andthesmallbusinessownersthatsupporttheNHL.

Sincerely,

JoeKasel,EagleStreetGrilleCC:DonaldFehr,ExecutiveDirector,NHLPlayersAssociation