Hamilton has approved an agreement that would allow Copps Coliseum to become the future home of the NHL's Nashville Predators.

And a ticket drive is being launched this morning to show support for the team in southern Ontario.

But it's being described as a "contingency plan" by a representative of the prospective buyer, BlackBerry billionaire Jim Balsillie, and the deal doesn't make Hamilton the exclusive destination for the team.

At a hastily-called press conference at City Hall, his lawyer Richard Rodier repeatedly stressed that there's still a lease in place in Nashville and the Hamilton agreement is a "contingency plan.

"The City of Hamilton has been kind enough to throw its hat in the ring," said Rodier.

But when asked if the deal rules out Kitchener-Waterloo as a potential relocation site, Rodier said no.

"If a relocation application is put forward, the league would like us to look at all reasonable alternatives," said Rodier. "Our preliminary indication is that Hamilton would be ahead of the pack."

Hamilton mayor Fred Eisenberger is confident that the city has adequately protected its future prospects.

"The language in the agreement prevents us from being used as a tool to go somewhere else," said Eisenberger.

Council voted 15-1 in favour of extending a lease option to Balsillie if he is successful in purchasing the team and decides to relocate the franchise.

Russ Powers was the only councillor to vote against the proposal.

The agreement released late last night was a stripped down version of the lease plan that was released publicly last month. It contained no financial information about lease payments or planned improvements to other HECFI entertainment facilities that have been included in the agreement.

The motion approved last night by councillors said that an attached management agreement "contains technical, commercial, financial or labour relations information, supplied to the city in confidence" which could affect the competitive position of the city or Balsillie.

Balsillie, co-CEO of Waterloo-based Research in Motion, has reportedly reached a tentative agreement to purchase the Predators from Wisconsin businessman Craig Leopold for $238 million US.

He submitted a formal purchase application to NHL Tuesday but the sale of the team has to be approved by the league's board of governors.

Rodier said Balsillie's planned purchase of the team will not be put in front of the NHL's board for several months.

Nashville's government argues that the Predators wouldn't be allowed to leave the city until 2009 at the earliest.

sbuist@thespec.com

905-526-3226