Quinte News broke word over the weekend that the Wellington Dukes were in the process of being sold from businessman Ken Clement, to Andrew Gunning, the owner of Farnsworth Construction and Oak Hills Golf Club.
The OJHL and OHA have approved the deal, however, the final details are being worked out in the board room.
After we released the story, we contacted Clement and asked for his perspective on his time with the team and his view on the deal.
He contacted us while on business in Hong Kong.
He spoke very candidly and tells us it was not easy to sell the team.
“The relationship with the community is extremely sour. I feel like I put a product on the ice for years, that won every year and was successful every year, on the ice. Some years more successful than the other. I spent hundreds of thousands of dollars out of my pocket to have a team in the community. And to be treated like I’ve been in the community, how my daughter’s been treated in the community, how some of my staff members have been treated in the community, leaves me very bitter.”
“I could have sold this team years ago, and it wouldn’t be in the community. The only reason this team is still in the community, is I’m holding a mortgage. There’s business terms that I wasn’t paid completely for this team. I will be paid, but over the next three years. So, I provided an interest-free loan for three years, so this team could stay in the county. I could have sold this team at a higher rate, and it left the county.”
“I am extremely unhappy about providing the community with a team to watch that’s been successful, and paid nothing but money out. Today the team owes not a cent. The team’s in the community because I’m carrying the money for three years. I don’t know why I deserve to be the villain in the community.”
“I did not want to sell the team, I had no interest in it but, but the timing, I couldn’t keep coming up with the money. This week, I get an offer sheet from a bank in New York and an offer sheet from a bank in Hong Kong to take my startup company public. The valuation that they’re talking about is $2 billion.”
The OJHL and OHA has approved the sale to Quinte area businessman Andrew Gunning.
“Along comes Andrew, who owns a golf course (Oak Hills Golf Club) and it’s because he owns the golf course and he’s in construction (Farnsworth Construction) in the county, I think it’s a perfect fit. Finally, someone from the area wants to buy the team. I’ve found the right guy that will keep the team long term in the county.”
We did ask him about the highlights of his time as owner.
“The fondest memories of the time with the Dukes has been seeing the young men move through the organization, off into university, whether it’s been college in the U.S. or Canada, and then connect me on LinkedIn. Just see these guys have an opportunity that they earned on their own through junior hockey, to become contributing members of society.”
We are being told the deal is expected to be finalized over the next few weeks.
(Photo: OJHL Images)
