From the moment Sam Fingold's interest in purchasing the Penguins became public, it generally was accepted that, if circumstances permitted, he would transplant the franchise to Kansas City.

Which meant, basically, that if the team's current owners accepted Fingold's offer and Isle of Capri isn't awarded the license to operate a slots parlor here -- and thus is freed from its pledge to put $290 million into a new arena -- the club would be gone after its lease at Mellon Arena expires next summer.

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Suddenly, none of that seems quite so certain.

In an e-mail interview yesterday, Fingold suggested that a Plan B put forth by elected officials if Isle of Capri doesn't get the slots license might be a viable way to finance a new facility and keep the franchise here.

At the very least, he seems receptive to discussing the idea with state and local politicians.

"In light of exploring some new options for Plan B ... a meeting with political officials could prove positive and very productive, now that there is a certain sense of urgency," Fingold said. "I have learned the best deals are made when time is of the essence.

"I believe in the last few weeks that the state and political officials have finally begun to understand the severity of the situation that the team is facing ... the potential of other offers being presented by other cities.

"With that in mind, I believe we may start to see some movement on the state's [part]. I believe it could change the dynamics of all bids submitted to this point."

In an interview with the Post-Gazette last month, Fingold echoed a criticism that has been levied by some team executives -- that elected officials had not offered enough information about Plan B for interested parties to determine if it was a workable solution.

"It's the politicians who are not stepping up to the plate," he said then. "If the Isle of Capri happens, fantastic. If not, there's some fuzzy Plan B. As a businessman, what happens if Isle of Capri doesn't happen?"

Representatives of the group headed by Andrew Murstein, who has repeatedly expressed his intention to keep the Penguins here under any circumstances, are expected to discuss Plan B with Gov. Ed Rendell this week.

Fingold, a Hartford businessman, is pursuing a purchase of the franchise as a family venture with his father and brother. He said he expects to submit his group's final bid to the New York firm brokering the sale, Allen and Co., "no later than this week."

"The financing and equity is in place," Fingold said. "And now it is just coming up with a final value [of the offer]."

Fingold added that, while "I cannot comment on when the bidding process will come to a end," he believes "it should be in the very near future."