The issue of the team owners in the gambling business
"has become an issue -- or non-issue -- again as the Maloof
family pushes for greater prominence in the hotel/gambling
industry" in Las Vegas, according to Scott Howard-Cooper of
the SACRAMENTO BEE. The Maloofs are selling the Fiesta, but
"construction is underway" on the Palms, a $265M facility
set to open in late 2001. But NBA Deputy Commissioner Russ
Granik said the league is "not at all" worried about the
family's involvement in gaming. Granik: "We very clearly
made the decision a long time ago that our issue was betting
on our games, not gambling in general. It's not for us to
try and make this a moral issue." The league has mandated
that a Maloof-owned casino could not accept any wagering on
pro basketball. Kings co-Owner Joe Maloof: "The only issue
was to make sure we wouldn't allow NBA betting at our
casino. That's the only demand that they put on us, and
.... it didn't bother us" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 11/24).
LES IS MORE? Rockets Owner Les Alexander acknowledged
the team's drop in ticket sales, but said that it "could be
reversed now that the organization doesn't have to
concentrate on an arena campaign." Alexander: "Hopefully,
we can correct that next year." In Houston, Jonathan Feigen
reports that the team's ticket sales "are among the least"
in the NBA, while the tickets are the "fourth-most
expensive" in the league. But Alexander said the city's new
downtown arena "secures the future of the franchise."
Alexander: "You've got to remember that I'm one person as
the owner of the team. And I'm competing against
Cablevision ... Time Warner ... Mark Cuban. ... We have a
very rich league of owners right now." Meanwhile, Alexander
will work to make sure the new arena does not go over
budget, as the team must pay cost overruns. Alexander said
that he "prefers arenas in which suites do not dominate the
appearance." He likes "bunker" suites -- rooms used for
entertaining with no view of the game -- and he "considers
tiers of suites 'elitist'" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 11/27).
BRYANT NOT AN OWNER: In L.A., Tim Brown reported that
Lakers G Kobe Bryant is "no longer affiliated with Olimpia
Milano," as the club "officially was taken from Bryant and
awarded to a group of local businessmen." Bryant's
investment was estimated at $1M (L.A. TIMES, 11/25).
