[TimesPicayune] Hornets hoping for extension
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Hornets hoping for extension
Alario Center lease up four days before training camp starts
Thursday, August 12, 2004
By John Reid
Staff writer
The Hornets' contract to use the Alario Center in Westwego as their
temporary practice facility expires Oct. 1, four days before they
are scheduled to begin training camp.
But team officials are confident a contract extension can be reached
to remain at the facility for another year. The Hornets have been
involved in negotiations with the Jefferson Parish Council for more
than a month, said Tim Whitmer, the chief administrative assistant to
parish President Aaron Broussard.
"The folks at the Alario Center have just been incredible," Hornets
majority owner George Shinn said. "Our time is up, and they could kick
us out, but they are working with us, and they've just been wonderful.
We're not pushed, we're fine."
After the Hornets were approved by the NBA Board of Governors to relocate
to New Orleans from Charlotte, N.C. before the 2002-03 season, the state
funded $130,000 in renovations to upgrade the facility. A video room,
players lounge, training room and weight room were added to accommodate
the team.
The Hornets basketball operations staff conducts its day-to-day operations
and the majority of regular-season practices at the Alario Center.
General Manager Allan Bristow, vice president of basketball operations
Willis Reed and head coach Byron Scott all have offices at the Alario Center.
Under the terms of their deal, the Hornets were supposed to be housed
in a new $10 million practice facility by Nov. 1. However, construction
has not begun, because the debate remains where the facility will be built.
Shinn wants to build the facility on a parcel of land between New Orleans
Arena and the New Orleans Shopping Centre.
In 2002, Shinn and co-owner Ray Wooldridge pledged to build the facility
in eastern New Orleans. Now some city politicians want to hold the owners
to their earlier commitment if the city is going to subsidize $6 million
to the project, as originally agreed.
"We're very excited about the opportunity, and we're working hard with the
city and state to try and bring the practice facility downtown," said
Jack Capella, the Hornets' chief operating officer.
"That opportunity is not a done deal yet. Obviously because of the delays
of getting started (building the permanent facility), we're going to ask
Jefferson Parish to give us another year. We understand that they lost
some revenue, because they can't book all the time when we are there."
Capella said they plan to meet with Broussard and council members in a few
weeks to update them on the time frame it will take to build the permanent
facility in New Orleans, as well as how long they anticipate they will need
the Alario Center.
"We're certainly going to sit down and ask them for support before we get
this thing built," Capella said. "We're going to make a pitch to their
council members to talk about what our plans are. The parish wants to know
how long we're going to be there and how long it's going to take to build
the permanent facility."
. . . . . . .
John Reid can be reached at jreid@timespicayune.com or (504) 826-3405
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