There have been plenty of rumors for weeks that the new Preds ownership group is not enamored of executive vice president of business affairs Steve Violetta, who is reportedly heading to the Detroit Red Wings. A hardcore hockey veteran who helped launch the Ottawa Senators and spent time with the Pittsburgh Penguins and baseball’s San Diego Padres, Violetta hasn’t made a lot of friends in the city’s business community.

The writing has been on the wall for a while that Violetta was likely to be fired if the local ownership group moved forward with its purchase of the team, but it’s easy to make one person a scapegoat for what have been lackluster, at best, ticket sales for the franchise. I think Violetta is an intelligent and experienced guy who isn’t necessarily the most personable fellow in town, and his skills may be better suited for more traditional hockey circles and cooler climates. Detroit is probably a much better fit for the Central Michigan University graduate.

Paul Nicholson hinted at this change in leadership a week ago. The early response in Michigan appears to be mixed, and hopefully it will be a successful shift in direction for both franchises.

Speaking of Nashville’s unique character, there’s an interesting conversation taking place right now on food media site Chowhound about restaurants that haven’t survived in Nashville. Recent departures such as The Sutler, Belle Meade Buffet and Vandyland are mentioned alongside older disappearances Shakey’s Pizza, B&W Cafeteria, Ireland’s and Seven Hills Drug. Restaurants that have relocated but stayed in business, including Jimmy Kelly’s and Gerst Haus, are on the list, too, and I’m sure happy they are only included as honorable mentions. Those are two places I would hate to lose.

Swati Hasbe is in the midst of moving from Raleigh, N.C., to Seattle with his wife. Hasbe described the couple’s stop in Nashville last Friday on his blog:

The drive was good with perfect late fall colors. The smoky mountains were so beautiful with deep red leafs. We went to Broadway street in downtown Nashville and I was amazed at the music scene there. Every bar had different music which could be heard walking down the street itself. Music city to the core. We went to Robert’s western world and there was this band playing country music. Every song of his made us tap our feet on the floor, truly amazing. We went to BB Kings next. You almost could sense the history and Nashville’s rich music heritage inside these bars.

David Briley mentioned frequently during his campaign for mayor this summer that the New York Times and visitors to Nashville tend to flock to the unique elements of our city that give it its rich character. I don’t spend a lot of time on Lower Broadway (though certainly more than I ever would have 20 years ago, prior to its revitalization), but the area is one of our best local treasures that showcases what you can find in Nashville that you can’t find anywhere else. I’m sure glad it and all the others are here.

The Hotel Preston, a boutique hotel near Nashville’s airport, has entered the local blogosphere. Sabrina, a member of the hotel’s front desk staff, has been blogging on the venue’s behalf since late September about entertainment and other happenings in town.

I’m not sure how Sabrina’s Super Bowl prediction will pan out for the Titans after Monday’s thumping by the Denver Broncos, and she is definitely confused when she reported earlier this week that the Preds are headed to Canada as a result of the team’s impending ownership change. Sorry, Sabrina, hopefully they’re here for the long run, and at least three to five more years.

Nonetheless, it’s notable to me to see a local business supporting a local blog and sticking with it. The Internet is littered with Web sites and blogs that are out of date or feature one or two initial posts bursting with optimism about producing content, and I’m pleased to see that the Hotel Preston’s blog isn’t one of them.

The state stopped offering free golf to its former governors, and I think it should do the same when it comes to free rides for past top executives. Providing transportation to official events and when safety considerations require an escort is fine. Otherwise, this is an unnecessary expense for taxpayers and, as noted in the paper, at least the appearance of cronyism. The Tennessee Highway Patrol has more than its share of such appearances already, though more is being done to address that in recent years than ever before.