The Rockets filed a legal challenge yesterday to their
operating lease at The Summit, claiming they want to be
released from their contract to pursue a deal on a new
downtown arena, according to George Flynn of the HOUSTON
CHRONICLE. The lawsuit comes after seven months of
"unsuccessful" negotiations by Rockets Owner Les Alexander's
partnership, Rocket Ball Inc., to buy out its lease with The
Summit's landlord, Arena Operating Co (AOC). Houston Mayor
Bob Lanier a "framework" for a deal on a new arena is being
discussed, but he does not want the team freed from their
Summit lease until there is a binding agreement committing
the Rockets to a new arena. Lanier: "We don't want the
lease to be terminated first and then try to reach an
agreement -- the taxpayers have already bought that (Summit)
lease through the year 2000. I don't want to have a period
where we don't have the Rockets bound to The Summit and we
don't have a deal downtown" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 12/17).
WHAT'S AT STAKE: In the suit, Rockets attorney Michael
Goldberg asks for a court determination of the amount of
monetary damages facing the team if they broke the lease
with a move before 2003. The suit also seeks a ruling on
the legality of a contract provision that permits AOC to
enjoin the team from any alleged breach of the agreement.
Contract terms allow AOC "to block a move without having to
meet the legal burden of showing irreparable harm" (HOUSTON
CHRONICLE, 12/17). In Houston, columnist Dale Robertson:
"The plot thickens. And, frankly, sickens. The
consequences of Leslie Alexander's latest salvo in his
dollar-driven war with Chuck Watson over the Rockets' Summit
lease could be grave" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 12/17).