Hockey stars are beginning to pour into Winnipeg, to fill the roster of the Winnipeg Jets in advance of the new NHL in advance of the new team’s on-ice debut this fall.
But first, the players – most of whom earn 6 or 7 figure salaries – have to find a place to live in the city. Global News spoke with players and real estate agents Thursday about the trouble some hockey stars are having finding a place to live.
“I’m still living out of a hotel, looking for a place to live right now, so it’ll be nice when I get into a place,” says Jet Bryan Little. “I think for me I was a little too picky at the start: the perfect location and the price: now I’m kinda getting desperate.”
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He’s not alone in his struggle with an unexpected opponent: Winnipeg’s rental housing market.
“It was a long day finding a place, I think I went to 13 different places,” says Jet Evander Kane.
Experts say the upscale rental market in Winnipeg is very limited, in the eyes of wealthy players accustomed to larger cities like Atlanta, where many Jets have come from.
“Winnipeggers tend to own their own properties so there’s very few high end luxury condos that are on the market at any given time,” says Karen Tereck of Century 21.
Still, some players have already found a place to settle – including a luxury building in Fort Rouge four Jets are already calling home.
“We’ve had several Jets players coming in and one is considering taking this particular unit,” says Marc Meyers of Monopoly as he gave Global News a tour of one unit. The 2700 square feet condo boasts vaulted ceilings and granite counter tops and a high-end rental cost: $3200 per month.
Many Jets are already in the city practicing; the team’s first regular season game is October 9th at Winnipeg’s MTS Centre, against the Montreal Canadiens.
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