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CTV 1/1/2010( E$ d! [/ ^) `3 I: y8 i" u! w
CALGARY -- The manager of an upscale Calgary restaurant is furious, claiming that Edmonton Oilers players refused to cover the full cost of a nearly $17,000 tab during a New Year's Eve night out for team members.- s& R+ I6 X0 O' t
4 `/ _+ g4 B3 ~, m3 }! T, l$ t: M, hMaurizio 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 $12,381.45." W2 E8 _9 V% J- y$ F# \
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Terrigno said about half of the bill was for alcohol totalling $8,248, including dozens of shots of tequila and bottles of expensive wine and $1,000 champagne.
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+ r# v& X' d+ [$ W* p+ W2 @"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.
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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. o1 t% Y& X/ a* T( E( N
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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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Oilers spokesman Allan Watt said the restaurant was recommended by some Calgary friends of the players and they had a prearranged meal and menu.
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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."0 W8 j: _% q) g: [ G
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Watt said the players paid the adjusted bill and added a $1,900 tip and left the restaurant.- `: T, Q1 y- _+ L
) w2 ~' {% u8 o8 S7 CTerrigno said the group, which included team captain Ethan Moreau, attempted to negotiate a discount on the bill." X8 T9 K8 S, S4 G$ z5 r
; x. _) T8 r' O- W* D, A% PHe 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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The restaurant tried to charge for a bottle of an imported expensive brandy after one of the players took a swig straight from it.2 c- d; h u& w4 {
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"They refused to pay for the whole bottle because they didn't consume the whole bottle," said Terrigno.0 k ?4 u( |+ Y( n: N; s
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He said there's no way the restaurant will serve other clients from the same bottle.# {2 n) {7 d9 q# u/ W
! W9 D1 \' D8 y4 O! yTerrigno said at one point he threatened to phone police.
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1 f* n6 `8 I, h"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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