Three months since the Rockets reportedly ended private
negotiations to get out of their lease at The Summit in an
attempt to build a new downtown arena, the team went "public with
their plea" for the first time yesterday, according to John
Williams of the HOUSTON CHRONICLE. In a release, the Rockets
said IHL Aeros Owner Chuck Watson, who owns The Summit's lease,
should let them out of the lease before it expires in 2003 so a
new facility can be built and the team can remain competitive.
Williams notes that "many believe" Rockets Owner Leslie Alexander
purposely waited until after last week's Astros ballpark
referendum before resuming what has been described as a "bitter
and personal feud" between himself and Watson (HOUSTON CHRONICLE,
11/12).
LES IS MORE? Commenting on his bid for an NHL expansion
team, competing against the Aeros' Watson, Alexander said a
Houston team has a better chance of being successful with him
being dual owners of the Rockets and an NHL team: "Instead of
competing with the other, you've got a situation where you're
helping each other. If I'm competing with the NHL with the
Rockets, I'm going to try to bury them" (Neil Hohlfeld, HOUSTON
CHRONICLE, 11/12).
OIL WELL: The Oilers are expecting "another good crowd" at
the Astrodome Sunday. As of Monday afternoon, 33,387 tickets
were sold (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 11/12).
