Reuters – Hedge fund managers could play a key role in jump starting the ailing U.S. economy if Washington offers them appropriate tax breaks, a prominent hedge fund industry lawyer said on Tuesday.

Sitting on billions of dollars in cash, dozens of hedge funds are looking for investments at the same time cash- strapped small and mid-sized companies search for new money to help them stay in business.

Together these unlikely partners could find a way to escape a debilitating liquidity crisis that threatens to push the country further into its deepest financial crisis since the Great Depression, Perrie Weiner, a partner at law firm DLA Piper told Reuters in an interview.

"There is a way out, but the answer lies not with the current government rescue plan, but rather with hedge funds," Weiner, who advises dozens of hedge funds as international co-chair of DLA Piper’s Securities Litigation group said one day before speaking about the topic at an industry conference.

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Metro Canada – A company that will play a key role in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games ended rampant speculation about its financial well-being Thursday by completing a deal to refinance a $1.7-billion loan – just hours before deadline.

Intrawest ULC owns and operates major tourism venues across the country but is best known for its Whistler-Blackcomb ski resort, one of the main venues for the Winter Games.

The destination-resort company received unanimous support from its existing lender group Thursday to refinance.

Intrawest CEO Bill Jensen said he’s pleased to have reached an agreement with Fortress Investment Group LLC (NYSE:FIG), "particularly given the challenges of the global credit markets."

"The support Fortress and our lenders have shown underscores their confidence in Intrawest and will enable us to continue to execute our long-term strategic plans," Jensen said in a statement.

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