Negotiations between the Harris County-Houston Sports
Authority and the Rockets over a new arena "ended" last
night after both sides were "unable to resolve site location
and other critical issues," according to John Williams of
the HOUSTON CHRONICLE. Now there is "virtually no chance" a
referendum can be put in front of voters on the November 2
ballot "unless Mayor Lee Brown intervenes immediately and
vigorously." A Harris County-Houston Sports Authority
member, after four hours of discussions with Rockets Owner
Les Alexander: "The deal is dead, real dead. It's been the
most surreal situation I have seen." Rockets COO George
Postolos, who said that he and Alexander "are extremely
disappointed": "Houston lost a chance to get $100 million
from the team for a new arena which would make sure the
Houston Rockets and Houston Comets stay in this city for the
next 30 years." One of the sticking points in the
negotiations was the Authority's refusal to "back down" from
its offer to provide the team with as much as $60M for the
$160M arena. But Alexander was "unwilling to accept the
deal" because the arena "must be placed" either north or
south of the George R. Brown Convention Center. It's still
possible an agreement could be reached for a referendum in
November 2000 "and still satisfy the Rockets' desire to have
an arena open by December 2003" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 8/25).
