Hamilton city council has approved an agreement that would allow Copps Coliseum to become the future home of the Nashville Predators.

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

Jim Balsillie is trying to buy the Predators for $220 million US.
(Carolyn Kaster/Canadian Press)

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 media conference at Hamilton's City Hall, Balsillie's lawyer Richard Rodier repeatedly stressed that there is 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," Rodier said.

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," Rodier said. "Our preliminary indication is that Hamilton would be ahead of the pack."

Mayor Fred Eisenberger is confident that Hamilton has adequately protected its future prospects.

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