The owners of the Newfoundland Growlers have formally filed a notice of default with the courts against St. John’s Sports and Entertainment.

It’s the first legal step toward claiming damages for the city’s decision to evict the hockey team owned by Deacon Sports and Entertainment and St. John’s businessman Dean MacDonald, just a week before opening night at the renamed Mary Brown’s Centre.

In a statement issued late Saturday afternoon, Deacon Sports questioned the motives of St. John’s Sports and Entertainment and council, suggesting the city pulled the plug because they weren’t prepared for the start of the season.

“Deacon Sports has reason to believe that the outstanding operational deficiencies would have prevented SJSEL to fulfill the obligations of opening night for the Growlers on November 5, 2021,” reads the statement to media.

It goes on to say that based on the actions of SJSEL and St. John’s City Council, irreparable financial, operational and reputational harm has been caused to DSE.

“Undoubtedly, there will be a significant direct and indirect cost to taxpayers, employees, and downtown business by this suspension.”

Deacon Sports says it expects its damages to be in the millions of dollars.

The city has suggested staff were subjected to undue treatment in some form by staff of Deacon Sports, commencing an investigation into the matter. Details of the allegations have not been made public.

DSE, meanwhile, says it has been penalized without procedural fairness.

“DSE unequivocally denies any breach of the safe workplace agreement There was simply no legal mechanism for SJSEL to suspend the current lease agreement and bar DSE from Mary Brown’s Centre.”

Read the Notice of Default here:

https://res.cloudinary.com/echl-production/image/upload/v1635617541/echlnewfoundland-prod/assets/Notice_of_Default__Redacted.pdf?mc_cid=47d9f5c1da&mc_eid=ce9f511738