- Steve Donner
Steve Donner is an American sports organiser in the field of professional sports. He is part of the ownership group of
Carolina RailHawks F.C. Donner is a minority owner of the
Rochester Americans of theAmerican Hockey League .The
Rochester, New York native is also a minority owner of theNational Lacrosse League ’sRochester Knighthawks .Donner’s Rochester Sports Group has been mired in debt and legal troubles. He and his partners were forced to sell the Rhinos soccer team. The city of Rochester fears his creditors will go after his stake in the Amerks and Knighthawks.
Rochester Mayor Robert Duffy and city Corporation Counsel Tom Richards are taking aggressive steps to remove Donner from a position of power with the Amerks and Knighthawks.
They say neither team will get an arena lease until Donner is nothing more than a minority owner.
The basis for the city's stance is lawsuits by creditors, a history of late payments and, perhaps most importantly, Donner's personal liability with his former partners (Frank DuRoss and Chris Economides). Donner, Frank DuRoss and Chris Economides were sued in January for defaulting on $10.6 million in loans to NBT Bank. LeChase Construction of Gates also sued in February for $580,000 in owed money and a few other smaller lawsuits also have been filed.
A ruling could be made on NBT Bank's lawsuit against three former principal owners of the Rochester Rhinos soccer team at a May 2 hearing in Chenango County Supreme Court.
Justice Elizabeth Garry will hear arguments on NBT's motion for summary judgment
While criticized for his business practices with vendors and sponsors of his professional sports teams, Donner was the driving force behind changing the Rochester sports landscape in the 1990’s and into the 2000’s. He helped bring pro soccer and lacrosse back to his hometown. He was also instrumental in the development of the National Lacrosse League (formerly the Major Indoor Lacrosse League) and the construction of two of Rochester’s most significant sports facilities; the ESL Sports Centre and Paetec Park.
Teams he has owned or managed have won championships in the AHL, the A-League and the NLL.
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