Elway

Denver Post sports columnist Woody Paige said a group similar to one that bid unsuccessfully for the teams and arena several months ago is seriously considering another effort to buy the Denver Nuggets, the Colorado Avalanche and the Pepsi Center from Ascent Entertainment Group, Inc.

Paige, who cited three unidentified sources, said preliminary negotiations could begin within a week. He said Elway, who retired this year after leading the Broncos to two straight Super Bowl wins and is Denver's top sports idol, would head up the ownership group.

"They are taking a look at it," he quoted one source as saying. "If they can get the deal done quickly and without a lot of hassle from the mayor and Ascent, and if the price is right, it can be done. And John Elway would run the whole operation."

A phone call to the office of Elway's business manager, Jeff Sperbeck, was not immediately returned.

The potential ownership group apparently includes Elway, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen, ski-resort mogul George Gillett and mutual-fund entrepreneur Bjorn Borgen, the report said. Other investors could also be brought in, Paige said.

Denver billionaire Donald Sturm agreed last summer to buy the teams and arena from Ascent for $461 million, but the deal collapsed last month when Sturm and the city of Denver could not resolve their differences over the details of a promise that the teams would remain in Denver for at least 25 years.

A $513 million merger between Ascent and Liberty Media Group was contingent on its sale of the teams and arena, and Ascent sad Liberty called off the merger after the Sturm deal fell through.

A deal earlier this year to sell the Nuggets, Avalanche and the Pepsi Center to Bill and Nancy Laurie also fell apart.

Last month, when the city and Sturm were still negotiating on the 25-year issue, Denver Mayor Wellington Webb suggested that an investment group headed by Borgen had offered to buy the teams and arena if the sale to Sturm were to fall through.

"In the event that an agreement with Donald Sturm is not reached, they are willing to step up," Webb said at the time. Webb did not specify whether the group included Elway and Gillett, who along with Borgen reportedly bid to buy the properties for $438 million in July but were outbid by Sturm.

Webb's spokesman, Andrew Hudson, reiterated Wednesday that the city had been approached by a person who said he represented a group led by Borgen, and that city officials assumed it was the same group that had been outbid by Sturm.

But he said that the group had not contacted city officials since the Sturm deal collapsed.

"At this point they are not in touch with the city. They may be in touch with Ascent," Hudson said.