Charlotte businessman Felix Sabates withdrew his bid
for an NHL expansion team in Raleigh yesterday, "accusing
arena authority leaders of using him as a pawn and city
officials of not cooperating," according to Alexander &
Williams in the Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER. Sabates, who said
he had spent nearly $700,000 in pursuing a franchise, had
contended the hockey effort was used as a "ploy" to complete
the funding for the new arena and give the N.C. State Univ.
basketball team a new home. Sabates, in a faxed letter to
the Centennial Authority: "We frankly question your motives
for initially inviting our ownership group into the
process." Raleigh Mayor Tom Fetzer: "The people of Raleigh
should be proud that it's the one place in the U.S. that
stood up to a pro sports owner and said 'No, we won't build
you a $150M arena, let you run it and take all the profits
from it'" (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 2/18).
SHINN'S GAIN? Hornets Owner George Shinn thinks
Sabates' action "increases his chances of winning a team for
Norfolk, VA," according to Rick Bonnell in the CHARLOTTE
OBSERVER. Shinn: "That's one less city vying for a
franchise, and it's the closest one to us. Raleigh was
Shinn's first choice as a city for the NHL. Shinn: "What
happened to him is exactly what I feared -- that they kept
putting me off on a lease" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 2/18).