Atlanta Spirit Owners File Order To Stay Transfer To Belkin

Atlanta Spirit Owners Feel Belkin (r) Would Fire Employees Like Hawks GM Billy Knight (l)

Atlanta Spirit co-Owners Bruce Levenson, Ed Peskowitz, Michael Gearon Jr. and Rutherford Seydel in a court filing said if co-Owner Steve Belkin takes over the Hawks, Thrashers and Philips Arena operating rights next month, he "will most assuredly terminate the employ of numerous innocent employees,” according to Tim Tucker of the ATLANTA CONSTITUTION. In the filing, the owners asked Montgomery County (MD) Circuit Court Judge Eric Johnson to stay an order to sell their shares to Belkin while they appeal to a higher court. If a stay is not granted, Belkin could take over the teams “as soon as July 13.” The other owners said if Belkin takes over, he “will undoubtedly” view the staff as “loyal” to them and fire employees “who have made personal and family commitments to Atlanta.” The owners also asked that the stay be granted “without requiring that they post a bond during the appeals process.” A bond would protect Belkin against any drop in the value of the franchises during an appeal process. The owners asked that the court “instead place several conditions on them during the appeal process,” including that they “remain responsible for the teams’ operating losses and that they make no changes in senior management” (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 6/23).