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Hickenlooper's Avs-Wild Wager Goes Green
CBS 4 News
April 10, 2008
Instead of betting buffalo burgers, Rocky Mountain oysters or Coors beer, Denver's mayor is making a "green wager" on the Colorado Avalanche's current playoff series against the Minnesota Wild.
Mayor John Hickenlooper will plant a tree in front of the Pepsi Center prior to the Democratic National Convention, while wearing a Wild jersey, if Minnesota wins. If the Avs win, Saint Paul Mayor Chris Coleman will plant a tree in front of the Xcel Energy Center before the Republican National Convention wearing an Avs jersey.
"If Colorado thinks the Avs are going to find the Stanley Cup by going through Saint Paul, they are 'barking up the wrong tree,'" Mayor Coleman said in a news release.
"Our championship roots run deep in the State of Hockey, and when the Wild win the series, we will be more than happy to share a little of our state with the wonderful hockey fans and Mayor Hickenlooper in Denver. If the unthinkable happens, I will add an Avs jersey to my collection and will honor our commitment to the environment - and our wagers - by planting a Colorado Blue Spruce in downtown Saint Paul."
Mayor Hickenlooper begs to differ with Coleman's assessment of the series.
"We know our two-time Stanley Cup Champion Colorado Avalanche will have no problems triggering a landslide over the Wild, but if necessary, we would be honored to plant a Northwoods Red Maple in front of the Pepsi Center before we host the greenest convention ever this August," Hickenlooper said in a news release.
The mayor went on, "Tree planting is a major part of our Greenprint Denver sustainability efforts and goes hand in hand with our goal of putting on an environmentally friendly convention. Planting a tree would be a pleasure, it's wearing a Wild jersey that would be hard!"
The Avs won the first game of the series 3-2 in overtime Wednesday night.
Denver will host the Democratic National Convention, August 25-28 at the Pepsi Center.
Saint Paul hosts the Republican National Convention, Sept. 1-4 at the Xcel Energy Center.
Article URL: http://cbs4denver.com/sports/avalanche.bet.hickenlooper.2.697075.html
