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CTV 1/1/20102 \% G: e* Y$ O. f G7 c! L
CALGARY -- The manager of an upscale Calgary restaurant is furious, claiming that Edmonton Oilers players refused to cover the full cost of a nearly $17,000 tab during a New Year's Eve night out for team members.
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Maurizio Terrigno of Osteria de Medici, the restaurant where former U.S. president George W. Bush dined when he was in Calgary last year, said the team and staff owed $16,796.39 but wanted a break on the bill and paid $12,381.45.
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# o, x b9 M7 s& Q5 ^2 yTerrigno said about half of the bill was for alcohol totalling $8,248, including dozens of shots of tequila and bottles of expensive wine and $1,000 champagne.9 ^ `# U: y& ^; l1 T
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"These guys came in, they enjoyed our hospitality and when the bill came ... they went ballistic to the point where they started threatening, denigrating my staff, saying, `We're the Edmonton Oilers, we expect a 50 per cent discount,' " said Terrigno.; w" I5 v5 D' E( ]/ S
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Terrigno said 45 people ordered off the menu and their total bill came to $14,234.23, including $677.98 for GST. The restaurant usually adds an automatic 18 per cent gratuity for a large group, which would bring the total to $16,796.39. `, O, }+ e$ G j. L( I ^% T
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The Oilers had lost by a score of 2-1 earlier in the night against the Calgary Flames.
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2 u8 z1 R1 a" J+ POilers spokesman Allan Watt said the restaurant was recommended by some Calgary friends of the players and they had a prearranged meal and menu.4 t8 }. a4 @! ~( |% k
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"They received the bill which they felt was outrageous," said Watt.
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"They inquired about it and they were unhappy about it and were unhappy with some of the charges. The restaurant adjusted it by $7,000."6 U& |, E E. C+ M7 J5 q3 R' y' ?
) p: y* h& ~% V1 d$ d; b9 vWatt said the players paid the adjusted bill and added a $1,900 tip and left the restaurant.. e9 k& j. p$ h% b- y
4 f3 Z! {; k9 n, q$ iTerrigno said the group, which included team captain Ethan Moreau, attempted to negotiate a discount on the bill.: X0 ]4 _7 h2 k5 C6 }
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He said the players argued they should pay by the bottle for dozens of shooters purchased during the bash, but the restaurant charged them for each one individually.
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& I( V6 V* b) H. Q) W$ I" R# @, VThe restaurant tried to charge for a bottle of an imported expensive brandy after one of the players took a swig straight from it.
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"They refused to pay for the whole bottle because they didn't consume the whole bottle," said Terrigno.& G8 n) X3 \/ s9 d) G
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He said there's no way the restaurant will serve other clients from the same bottle.# n4 v1 h8 v7 M
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Terrigno said at one point he threatened to phone police.
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& q/ _0 Y% Y9 {3 r8 f" s"It's the first time during the 37 years of business have I ever experienced something like this," he said. "What's more upsetting is we know who they are."
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Terrigno said because he was infuriated by what happened he plans on donating the money the players paid the restaurant to charity. |
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