from the Edmonton Journal,

In an angry letter addressed to Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel, Daryl Katz, the chairman of the Katz Group, says neither he nor anyone from the Katz Group will appear before city council on Wednesday to discuss the stalled negotiations over the proposed new downtown arena.

“I fear the City has approached this negotiation based on narrow political considerations rather than a genuine desire to strike a deal that is fair and makes economic sense for both sides,” reads the letter, which is dated Oct. 16, 2012.

Last month, Mandel had given the Katz Group a deadline of Oct. 17 to come before council, in an open session, to discuss the outstanding details of the arena deal.

The letter, which is sharply critical of Mandel and city council, would seem to put the future of the arena project itself at risk.

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