Canes majority owner Peter Karmanos Jr. said today the search for investors in the team continues but that he hopes to have a deal in place later in the fall or early winter.
"There's a lot of interest. We've talked to a bunch of people," Karmanos said in an interview.
Karmanos said it was likely the sale would involve a group of investors rather than any one person, with each putting in a varying amount of money. He said he remained hopeful that group would include local partnership.
In May, Karmanos said he had hired Allen & Co., a New York investment firm, to help sell the 49 percent share of the team owned by the late Thomas Thewes, Karmanos' longtime friend and business partner in Compuware. Allen & Co. still is handling the negotiations with potential investors, Karmanos said.
The Canes said they would trim their player payroll to about $45 million this season, all the better to attract investors. Karmanos said even with the reduced payroll, "I think we'll have a really good hockey team."
A Raleigh native, Chip has worked at the N&O since 1979 and is the Canes beat writer. He can be reached at