Halifax Professional Basketball Club to form local pro team

There's no name, no coach or player list yet but a new National Basketball League team will be playing in Halifax this season.

Halifax Professional Basketball Club which will own and operate the franchise was announced Thursday by investors from Halifax's business community.

"We are excited to see professional basketball return to Halifax and give the city a new team to support and cheer for," said Don Mills of Corporate Research Associates Inc. who has led the effort to resurrect a NBL team.

Mills was a member of the former Halifax Rainmen's advisory board. The company that owned Halifax Rainmen filed forbankruptcyin July,two monthsafter forfeiting a championship game and being fined thousands of dollars by the National Basketball League of Canada.

Halifax insurance executive MikeBrienis the interimCEO of the new company and willmanage day-to-day operations while former Rainmen ownerAndreLevingstonhas been appointed as the general manager of basketball operations.

Team could be on court by late December

The club still needs to work out anagreement with Trade Centre Limited. If that is successful, the team should be able to begin playing bylate December 2015.

Other members of the Halifax Professional Basketball Clubinclude:Lee Bragg of Eastlink, Mike Brien of MacDonald Chisholm Trask Insurance, Saeed El-Darahali, of SimplyCast, Jim Mills of Office Interiors Inc. and John Carruthers with Grant Thornton.

"With a fully funded business model, proper management practices and leadership, as well as support from both the community and the corporate sector, we believe that professional basketball can be successful in Halifax," Mills said.

There will be further announcements regarding the team name, the appointment of the coaching staff and the success of initial player recruitment efforts by the end of September, the club said.

The group has a three-year business plan, developed after assessing "the market for professional basketball in Halifax, understanding the capital requirements for such an operation andevaluating the stability of the league."

Mayor Savage happy with development

"We recognize that significant effort is required to rebuild a fan base and corporate sponsorship after the disappointment of professional basketball in Halifax last season," said Mills.

"We are committed to working hard to earn the support of basketball fans in the city and putting a winning team on the court."

Mayor Mike Savage says he is on board with the club's efforts.

"I would like to congratulate all those responsible for their efforts to ensure that professional basketball will continue in Halifax. I believe that having a professional basketball team is a real asset to our city, particularly the downtown core, and helps make Halifax a more interesting and attractive place to live."

Basketball fans and corporate sponsors can expect season tickets to be available for purchase within the next month, the club said, adding it hasa target of 1,000 season ticket holders over the first three seasons.