Although it claimed to have pulled names "out of a
hat," the NFL arranged for presentations for an expansion
team during its owners meetings in K.C. to begin with the
New Coliseum Partners, followed by the city of Houston and
concluded with the Michael Ovitz-led group, according to
T.J. Simers of the L.A. TIMES. Simers: "Ovitz's strength is
sizzle, and random drawing or not, there is no way the NFL
was going to allow the New Coliseum, which has failed to
excite in its four previous subcommittee showings, to finish
the day." The NFL also "refused" a request to "switch the
presentations' order to allow" L.A. Mayor Richard Riordan
time to join the Coliseum effort, saying "that could affect
the schedules of other presenters" (L.A. TIMES, 10/25). In
L.A., Eric Noland wrote that an aide to Ovitz said that the
group "would issue the league a deadline for a decision and
a ceiling for the buy-in." One NFL owner, on the Ovitz
proposal: "I don't think there are enough owners in there
who know that much about Carson yet. That's the whole
purpose for the (meeting), so that everybody can hear what
has to be said" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 10/25).
NEWS & NOTES: In L.A., Patrick McGreevy wrote the L.A.
City Council voted to "consider issuing tax-exempt bonds for
a new Coliseum, but only if developers guarantee them, not
city taxpayers." L.A. City Council Member Mark Ridley-
Thomas said the council vote offered a "stronger commitment"
by the city to support the New Coliseum Partners (L.A. DAILY
NEWS, 10/25)....In Houston, John Williams writes that the
average public subsidy of the last 13 stadium deals was
$167M -- or 72% of the total construction cost. Houston's
public subsidy for construction of a new stadium is $195M
backed by rental car and hotel taxes -- or about 63% of the
final cost. Williams writes that while the two L.A. bidders
have "general stadium outlines, Houston has a concrete plan
for construction" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 10/26). In Dallas,
Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones: "In my mind, Houston would be the
long shot" (Rick Gosselin, DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 10/25).
MOOT POINT? In St. Paul, Vikings Owner Red McCombs said
that he "plans to vote against expansion" at the owners'
meetings in K.C. McCombs: "There is such value on these
franchises that I don't see anyone paying what I think the
value of these franchises are" (PIONEER PRESS, 10/25).
