The Hornets will reduce capacity at the Charlotte
Coliseum to about 19,500 this season "by blocking out
several thousand of the less attractive seats in the
building," according to Rick Bonnell of the CHARLOTTE
OBSERVER. The arena's capacity of 23,799 was second in the
NBA behind the 34,215 capacity at the Alamodome. In
reducing capacity, Hornets co-Owner Ray Wooldridge "wants to
duplicate the capacity of a proposed uptown arena." But
Wooldridge also acknowledged that the move responds to the
teams "inability to sell out the Coliseum regularly."
Wooldridge: "We obviously want the place to be more intimate
-- more noise, more atmosphere. This building is just a
cave. We're not selling out there anymore, and want to
bring the people in to the action." Once the team curtains
off the "least attractive seats," it doesn't "plan to open
up those seats once the rest of the building sells out" for
a particular game. The reduction in seats won't impact the
team's ticket prices. Bonnell notes the Hornets sold out
three of their 41 regular season home games last season and
averaged 17,874 in attendance (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 9/12).
CAN WOOLDRIDGE MAKE DEAL? Meanwhile, Economic
Development Committee Chair Lynn Wheeler said that she is
concerned that the city and Wooldridge could come to an
agreement on a new arena "only to have" Hornets co-Owner
George Shinn "veto the deal. Bonnell reports that Shinn
"pulled out of arena negotiations three years ago,
frustrating some city officials and local business leaders."
Wheeler, on Wooldridge: "If he has absolute authority, then
he needs to prove that in some concrete manner. A verbal
statement is not enough." City Manager Pam Syfert has
requested a document confirming Wooldridge's authority to
make a deal, and said that she will need confirmation of
such power "before making a deal" (CHAR. OBSERVER, 9/12).
