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Eugene Melnyk will forever be linked as a man from Ottawa, despite stepping foot in this community for only about six years in his lifetime.

Ironically enough, when the word spread the Ottawa Renegades were about to fold one more time a few years back, a lot of people were hoping the white knight to save the CFL franchise would be Melnyk himself. After purchasing the Ottawa Senators and saving them from being moved or filing for bankruptcy, he helped stabilize the Senators team during a time when the dollar was trading at about 65 cents and the term "small market" was introduced in the NHL vocabulary. Whether or not it was just shedding all the previous debt, the rebound of the Canadian dollar or waiting it out until the owner-friendly new CBA came to pass, the point is Ottawa sports fans hold Melnyk in high regard for keeping the NHL in this city. The guy knew how to make money, and seem to have an unlimited supply of it. What's the cost of two years of Dany Heatley's contract to Melnyk to keep the Renegades going?

He quickly quashed any rumours, while flattered, that he would step in to save the CFL franchise.

Melnyk boldly went on the record that he's "betting $50 million", the cost of a new Major League Soccer franchise, that the sport that will be around Ottawa in 25 years will be soccer, not football. There is no chance that a new football team could share a facility with the soccer team, field logistics and competition between the two ownership groups being the two problems. And on top of this, the city has already stated they can't afford both ventures as both of these proposals requires financial aid from government.

The city probably doesn't have an answer either on which could fare better; it's a real crapshoot guessing which one of these sports could survive. Or if both could. Most would probably say nothing outside of hockey has a chance to succeed.

I thought that the competition for an MLS franchise would be too much for Ottawa to be considered, no matter how good the presentation Melnyk's group to the MLS would be, thus football would be back by default. But their commissioner, Don Garber, has all but guaranteed a franchise for Ottawa so long as a stadium is built.

As I've stated recently, I'm for whatever gets downtown rejuvenated. I want to see Frank Clair Stadium modernized and the Jeff Hunt-led group, who turned around the Ottawa 67s, definitely has legs. The CFL have already given them a conditional franchise if they can get a newly renovated stadium approved by the city.

The city will likely just choose whatever is cheapest, and whomever can provide the best assurances we don't have another Ottawa Lynx on our hands. Whatever is decided, I hope we don't see another team fail. It will be a tough task to get sports fans here excited for another sports team, sick of being burned far too long by previous empty promises. But if anyone has a shot of making is work, it's Eugene Melnyk and Jeff Hunt. And I for one will support and give a chance to the ownership group that gets to bring their product to Ottawa, and hopefully many will follow suit.