Council may pay rent for Taipans
CAIRNS ratepayers are set to play a major part in the bid to save the Taipans, with the council likely to pick up the tab for rent at the convention centre if the club continues in the "new NBL".
The push for community ownership of the club continues to creep towards reality, with 84 foundation memberships confirmed by last night.
At least 100 foundation members are needed by tomorrow for Cairns Basketball officials to push ahead with negotiations with Taipans liquidator KPMG to buy the club's National Basketball League licence.
Chairwoman of the sport, arts cultural and community services committee, Margaret Cochrane, said while the council had not committed to participate in a new lease deal with the centre, there was in-principle support to help the Taipans survive.
At a general meeting on January 22, the council agreed "in principle to support the retention of the Cairns Taipans for the Cairns community".
Discussions with any new owner will be held once expressions of interest for the sale of the club close with administrators on February 9.
Cr Cochrane said while nothing had been confirmed, discussions had centred around contribution to rent at the convention centre, for a period of three years.
A season ticket-holder since the Taipans began, Cr Cochrane was among the first individuals to agree to foundation membership and is one of three councillors - along with Mayor Val Schier and Cr Linda Cooper - to make a $5000 commitment to help the club become a community-owned asset.
Politicians at all levels continue to get behind the Taipans, with Federal Leichhardt MP Jim Turnour taking the team's fight for survival to Parliament on Tuesday night.
"It is a team worth supporting and I am encouraging the local community to get behind an effort led by Cairns Basketball president Denis Donaghy and general manager Mike Scott to establish the Taipans as a community owned team," Mr Turnour said.
World Trail mountain-bike course design co-founder Dylan Jeffries and 4CA FM Morning Zoo announcer Tammy Barker maintained the grassroots push when they formed another syndicate with friends by last night.
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High hopes: 4CA FM's Tammy Barker and part of the new syndicate yesterday.
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