PITTSBURGH -- There are more concerns Friday about Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's controversial golf outing in June.

Who paid for Ravenstahl to play in the Mario Lemieux Celebrity Invitational at Laurel Valley Golf Club?

When Ravenstahl's office said the city's ethics code had a charity exemption that allowed the mayor to accept the golf outing, it noted that he was the guest of the Pittsburgh Penguins, as well as the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

As it turns out, that was an acknowledgement that the hockey organization was a paying host, separately covering $4,500 of the $9,000 two-day admission to play.

Both the Pens and UPMC picked up Ravenstahl's tab when he golfed for two days as part of their $27,000 threesomes.

"I'm confident that I did nothing wrong, and at the end of the ethics board hearing meeting and after their deliberations, I'm confident that they will find the same exact thing," Ravenstahl said, adding that he is open to testifying under oath if the ethics board requests it.

Ravenstahl played a role in the $290 million deal for a new Penguins arena, but he said he doesn't think the corporate favors have any effect on the decisions he makes.

"None," he said. "No different than if UPMC or the Penguins were sitting in this office having the same discussion."

Penguins co-owner Ron Burkle flew the mayor to New York for dinner on his private Boeing 757 jet after he signed the arena deal.

The mayor said that outing was political, and his campaign later reimbursed Burkle.

Ravenstahl said he doesn't think he owes the Penguins or UPMC anything by accepting the golf outing from them.

"I never had that feeling," he said. "I realize that's perhaps what's being alleged, but that's not the case."

Ravenstahl said he was doing city business on and off the golf course at the celebrity charity event.

UPMC does business with and is regulated by the city.

"I had the opportunity to speak with UPMC. I had the opportunity to speak with the Penguins. I had the opportunity to speak with business leaders from throughout Pittsburgh. Absolutely, unequivocally, there was a tremendous amount of business done on both of those days," he said.

Ravenstahl said he wasn't aware of the value of a threesome at the two-day celebrity charity golf outing when he accepted the invitation.

He will appear before the ethics board to answer questions in August.

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