JUDGE RULES CONTRACTS CAN KEEP TEAMS IN SUMMIT UNTIL 2003

          TX State District Judge Mark Davidson ruled Monday that
     four of Richard Rainwater's companies, owners of Greenway
     Plaza, which provides air conditioning and parking for The
     Summit, "have the legal right to enforce a lease to keep"
     the Rockets in The Summit until November 2003, according to
     John Williams in the HOUSTON CHRONICLE.  As a result of the
     ruling, "even if Rockets owner Les Alexander and [IHL] Aeros
     owner Chuck Watson were to strike a deal for a downtown
     arena, Rainwater's companies could force the Rockets to
     remain in The Summit until the lease expires."  Lawyers for
     the companies owned by Rainwater, a part-owner of the MLB
     Rangers, argued that Greenway "should be able to make sure
     the lease is enforced to protect its air conditioning and
     parking contracts."  Williams notes "speculation" that
     Rainwater "might use the ruling" to spur talks on a new
     Greenway Plaza arena.  Rockets VP John Thomas called the
     ruling "no big news" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 7/16).