We go to Murph’s Turph to explain what it all means

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>> IN RALEIGH, SHAUN GALLAGHER, WRAL NEWS, THANK YOU, SEAN. TOM DUNDON, THE OWNER OF THE CAROLINA HURRICANES IS NOW THE OWNER OF THE PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS, DIFFERENT SPORT. >> DIFFERENT CITY. WEIRDLY, THE SAME COLORS MAYBE GOT TO THINK FOR A RED AND BLACK. I’M NOT SURE WHO KNOWS DONE DONE, THOUGH, IS BUYING THE TRAIL BLAZERS FOR 4 BILLION DOLLARS ON TOP OF THE BILLIONS. HE’S ALREADY SPENT SPENDING OR TRYING TO SPEND HERE. HE’S FUNDING DEVELOPMENT IN AND AROUND THE LENOVO CENTER. HE ALSO WANTS TO BRING MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TO DOWN. CAN HE DO IT ALL? I BROUGHT THESE QUESTIONS TO WR INVESTIGATIVE SPORTS REPORTER BRIAN MURPHY WITH A TRIP TO MERCED TURF. AND HERE WE GET A BASKETBALL TEAM. I’M KIDDING. BUT YOU KNOW, NOT ONE OF THE DEVELOPMENT HERE. SO THE OWNER OF THE CAROLINA HURRICANES >> IS GOING TO BUY THE NBA TEAM, THE PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS. MY MIND IS GOING ALL OVER THE PLACE WITH SPECULATION ON THIS. SO GIVE ME SOME FOCUS BECAUSE I THINK THE FIRST THING IS THE PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS ARE NOT GOING TO BECOME THE RALLY TRAIL BLAZERS. VERY UNLIKELY THAT THAT HE MOVES ALL THE REPORTING IS THAT THEY WILL STAY IN PORTLAND. THE SECOND THING THAT MY MIND GOES TO IS TOM DUNDON IS VERY INVESTED IN RALEIGH. HE’S ANNOUNCED PLANS TO INVEST A BILLION DOLLARS IN THE AREA AROUND THE LENOVO CENTER. >> WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT IN THAT AGREEMENT HAS BEEN SIGNED. THE AREA HAS BEEN REZONED. I THINK THE HURRICANES AND TOM DONE TO MOVE FORWARD ON THAT AND THEN LASTLY, DOESN’T US. AND VERY PUBLICLY HE WANTS TO BRING A MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL FRANCHISE TO NORTH CAROLINA AND MAYBE MORE SPECIFICALLY THE TRIANGLE. WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT OF CONTINUING HIS COMMITMENT HERE. SOME PEOPLE WONDER WHY THE TRAIL BLAZERS. >> PART OF ME THINKS IT’S SUCH AN EXCLUSIVE CLUB. ANYTIME YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO OWN ANY PROFESSIONAL TEAM. IF YOU HAVE THAT OPENING, YOU’RE GONNA TRY FOR IT. YEAH. TOM DUNDON US FROM DALLAS WHEN THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUY A HOCKEY TEAM IN RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, HE TOOK HE BOUGHT THE TEAM IN 2019. IT’S, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER TO WAIT FOR THE DALLAS STARS. BUT THESE FRANCHISES DON’T COME OPEN OFTEN AND THEY DON’T COME OPEN NECESSARILY AT THE RIGHT TIME IS. SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE DREAM OF OF BASEBALL BEING HERE HE HAS A A PRETTY BIG PORTFOLIO IN A LOT OF MONEY. BUT AT THE SAME TIME DOING ALL OF THIS AT ONCE SEEMS IT SEEMS MORE DIFFICULT NOW THAT HE STARTED TO DIVERSIFY AND OTHER SPORTS. I MEAN, MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL THERE. THERE’S NOT A FRANCHISE AVAILABLE TO MOVE TO RALLY AT THE MOMENT. THERE ARE SOME FRANCHISES FOR SALE. MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TRYING TO KEEP THEM IN THEIR MARKETS, INCLUDING THE TAMPA BAY RAYS WHICH JUST SOLD. I’VE BEEN TOLD BY SOMEONE HIGH UP IN THE HURRICANES THAT TOM DUNDON HAS. HIS POSITION HAS NOT CHANGED. HE STILL WANTS TO BRING A MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL FRANCHISE TO NORTH CAROLINA. THE PURCHASE OF THE BLAZERS DOES NOT, IN FACT THAT AT ALL, WHAT ABOUT SOME OF THE WORK THAT THEY PLANNED, THIS HUGE RENOVATIONS DOWN BY THE ARENA. THAT’S BEEN A REAL US SOMETHING. PEOPLE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT. THOSE CONTINUE. I HOPE. YEAH. THERE’S A 300 MILLION DOLLAR RENOVATION TAKING PLACE RIGHT NOW INSIDE THE ARENA. AND THEN THERE’S A 1 BILLION DOLLAR EXPANSION OR REDEVELOPMENT OUTSIDE OF THE ARENA. THAT’S GOING TO START IN DECEMBER. THAT WILL COME IN PHASES. BUT YOU’LL START TO SEE PARKING DECKS GO A LITTLE BIT. SO THEY’LL BE A HOTEL APARTMENTS, REP, BARS AND RESTAURANTS. THEY REALLY WANT TO TURN THAT AREA AROUND INOVA CENTER INTO A DESTINATION. OKAY. THANKS, MURPHY. THANK YOU.