Louisville city leaders "got their first critical look"
on Friday at the feasibility of the city supporting an NBA
team, as "only about" 40% of the invited state legislators,
city alderman and county commissioners gathered for a
presentation from PricewaterhouseCoopers, according to Chris
Poynter of the Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL. The report
"concluded that Louisville can support an NBA franchise but
would have to overcome some obstacles." Greater Louisville
Inc., the metro Chamber of Commerce, paid $40,000 for the
independent study that is available at www.courier-
journal.com (COURIER-JOURNAL, 5/27). Meanwhile, a report in
Sunday's Houston Chronicle stated that the Rockets and the
Harris County-Houston Sports Authority had come close to a
deal to build a downtown arena. Negotiations between the
two sides are to resume this week (COURIER-JOURNAL, 5/29).
WAITING FOR WOOLDRIDGE? In Charlotte, Rick Bonnell
wrote on the Hornets: "Sooner or later, it's build or move,
and I just don't see how the Hornets and government will
ever get together if things continue on their current
course." The state "appropriately is preoccupied with flood
relief. The county appropriately is preoccupied with
schools. ... The end game, sooner or later, will be a
potential move, I assume to New Orleans." Bonnell called on
Hornets co-Owner Ray Wooldridge to "appeal to the local
business community" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 5/28). In N.Y.,
Mike Wise detailed Wooldridge's plan to pay about 25% of the
proposed arena's cost: "Isn't it time the league took a
harder look at luring more financially solvent businessmen
into the fold, instead of people who ask their ticket gouged
fans to subsidize new buildings?" (N.Y. TIMES, 5/28).
