HOCKEY: IHL President Doug Moss will be in Las Vegas
next week "trying to find another arena in town that might
be interested in hosting Thunder games" for the '99-2000
season. The Thunder are leaving the Thomas & Mack Center.
Moss: "I look at the West as being our number one priority
(for expansion). That's what makes keeping IHL hockey in
Las Vegas so important" (LAS VEGAS SUN, 2/11)....In Miami,
Barry Jackson reports that ECHL Miami Matadors co-Owners Bob
Snyder and Victor Levy "are considering selling majority
interest" in the team, but it is "too early to tell whether
any of the ownership groups would keep the team" in South
FL. Sources said that Miami officials have "spoken" to the
NPSL ThunderCats about moving their home games from the
National Car Rental Arena to Miami Arena for next season as
a replacement (MIAMI HERALD, 2/12)....Lightning head coach &
GM Jacques Demers responded to owner Art Williams' comments
"telling him to turn the team around ... or risk losing his
job." Demers: "I thought our relationship was closer than
that. I admit I was a bit surprised to read some of the
things he said" (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 2/12).
MLB: MLBPA Associate General Counsel Gene Orza said
that under terms of the CBA, the Reds can't "enforce their
no-facial hair ban" on newly-acquired LF Greg Vaughn.
Vaughn: "It's not fair for me to be 33 years old and for
someone to say, 'You must shave your goatee.' It's not like
I've done something wrong. I'm not out getting DUIs or
robbing people" (CINCINNATI POST, 2/11)....Expos GM Jim
Beattie, on the future of the Expos: "My expectation is that
during the early part of the season, we'll be successful in
Montreal with getting a new stadium or we'll be sold and
moved. I don't envision playing in Montreal in 2000 unless
something gets settled" (Montreal GAZETTE, 2/12).
NOTES: Palace Sports & Entertainment's "Game Day"
business retreat allows companies to "tailor the day's
activities to best meet their needs." Businesses may choose
Pistons coach Alvin Gentry, Shock coach & GM Nancy
Lieberman-Cline or Shock VP/Basketball Ops Rick Sund to be a
keynote speaker for the retreat (DETROIT NEWS, 2/11)....Mavs
Owner Ross Perot, Jr. has "restructured" his holdings into
eight divisions under the Hillwood Development Corp. banner.
The Mavs are now part of the Hillwood Sports division (FT.
WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 2/12)....Washington Soccer has retained
Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin to manage the sale of
operating rights to DC United (DC United).
