NEW ORLEANS -- The owners of the Charlotte Hornets, who have
spent their days talking about opportunities for their team and
their nights enjoying the city's restaurants, music and clubs, said
they see no reason the team should not relocate here.
"I have thought about this for months, over the last 2½ years
actually," said co-owner Ray Wooldridge, when asked what would
prevent the move. "And I can't think of a single thing."
Wooldridge was joined by fellow owner George Shinn on Thursday.
The pair continued their discussions with city and state leaders
and politicians, and toured possible sites for training facilities.
"They'll be here as long as long as they want to enjoy the
great city we have," said Doug Thornton, manager of the Superdome
and the neighboring arena where the team would play. "Because
they've been eating and drinking their way through the city for the
last three or four days."
In Charlotte, two major banks and a utility on Monday said they
would pay $100 million in a deal to build a new arena.
"We firmly believe that the city of Charlotte is still the best
place for the Hornets and the facts prove that," Mayor Pat McCrory
said.
The city, which would have to match the money through its
hotel/motel tax and provide the land and infrastructure, has a
deadline of Feb. 11 to accept or reject the offer. The arena would
not be completed until 2004.
"The proposal, if there is one, has not been presented to us,"
Wooldridge said. "That is a negotiation between the City Council
and the business leaders and the press. We had made a proposal last
year of what would be acceptable to us and what was acceptable to
the city. It was turned down in a referendum. That's the last
communication we've had with the city of Charlotte regarding a new
coliseum for the Hornets in the city of Charlotte."
Louisville is also hoping to lure the team, but Wooldridge and
Shinn said New Orleans is at "the top of the list."
"I don't know that we've ruled out anybody at this particular
point, but everything is very, very positive here," Shinn said.
New Orleans is the only city with an arena ready for the
Hornets, who currently play in the outdated Charlotte Coliseum.
Wooldridge has contended that the Hornets need luxury suites to
stop estimated losses of $1 million a month. The Coliseum has 12
suites and the New Orleans arena has 44 with room to add possibly
20 more.
Louisville and Norfolk, Va., are trying to formulate proposals
to build the Hornets a new arena.
"We happen to have an advantage because we have an NBA-ready
facility with some minor modifications," Thornton said. "Norfolk
is still a contender. Then you've got St. Louis, you've got Anaheim
and Louisville, the usual suspects. Who's to say who's the leading
contender, but we're concentrating on what we have to do here."
New Orleans learned how to put together a package in their
failed attempt to convince the owner of the Grizzlies to move the
team to the city last year.
At that time the city guaranteed a sellout of the New Orleans
Arena's 41 luxury suites for three years, listed 11,000 committed
season ticket buyers, and came up with $6 million to build a
practice facility next to the arena and $6 million for improvements
to the arena, such as adding locker rooms, luxury boxes and
high-end club seats.
The deal for the Hornets is thought to be comparable. If so, it
would ensure the Hornets a profit next year, even if they did not
draw well. That compares with an expected loss of between $25
million and $30 million in their first two seasons if they moved to
Norfolk, where they would have to play at the 10,258-seat arena
while awaiting the construction of a new arena.
"It looks like it's doable," Gov. Mike Foster said. "We have
reasonable negotiations in place."
The city and state are committed to landing the franchise, said
Sen. Mitch Landrieu, D-New Orleans. The opportunity is rare, he
pointed out. The Grizzlies' move to Memphis last year was the first
NBA franchise to relocate since the Clippers moved from San Diego
to Los Angeles in 1984.
"I have absolutely no doubt that we are going to be able to put
this deal together from the state perspective," Landrieu said.
"From the metropolitan area of New Orleans, all the legislators
and senators are going to be able to work together to find the
resources that are necessary to finance the kind of agreement we'd
like to have."
NBA Commissioner David Stern has previously said his first
choice is to keep the team in Charlotte with a new arena and the
Hornets need the league's permission to move.
"We have kept the league abreast of every step, every
negotiation, every meeting and we have the concurrence of the
league that we are following the proper process," Wooldridge said.
"We have a great deal of confidence in our ability."
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