Cape Breton Highlanders basketball team seeks $1M

The franchise ownership group for the Cape Breton Highlanders professional basketball team should be in place in about two weeks, according to club president Tyrone Levingston.

"We're about 95 per centfinished," he said.

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Levingston said the ownership group is anchored by local entrepreneurs Marty Chernin and Parker Rudderham, who have helped bring others into the fold.

The goal is to raise $1 millionto cover operating expenses for the first two seasons in the National Basketball League of Canada, he said.

Head coach secured

Once the ownership group is officially announced, Levingston, 33, will reveal who has been selected as head coach.

"We have a contract in place," he said, adding the franchise player the team will be built aroundwill also be announced at the same time.

Levingston has alsoinvited some former Cape Breton University players Meshack Lufile and Kelson Devereaux to come to training camp and try out for the team.

The Highlanders'venue for home games will be Centre 200 in Sydney.

"We still have to work out a lease agreement," said Centre 200 manager Paul MacDonald, who is waiting for the ownership team to officially complete the business of forming an NBL franchise.

"We don't anticipate any problems," he said.

'We would have stumbled'

The Highlanders gained approval last year to join the National Basketball League of Canada, butLevingstonsaid he didn't want to rush into business before all details were inplace.

"We had the funds to get started, but we would have stumbled," he said.

The success of the team in Halifax, the Hurricanes, who are in the league championship final series is great news as far as Levingston is concerned.

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"It lets people know that pro basketball can survive here in Nova Scotia," he said.

The Cape Breton team is scheduled to play its first game at Centre 200 on Dec. 26.