Homeless NBA team checks on LV's interest

[NVMojo]

Forced out of town by Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans Hornets owner George Shinn is exploring whether he can move his National Basketball Association franchise to Southern Nevada, a source close to the talks said Thursday.

Shinn called Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman several times this week to discuss the community's interest and ability to host his team, though it remains unclear whether Shinn hopes the Hornets' proposed stay would be temporary or permanent, the source added.

Unlike the city's past flirtations with professional sports, the source also stressed that, this time, a team's representatives reached out to Las Vegas, not the other way around.

Despite Shinn's inquiries, many obstacles could chase the Hornets elsewhere. In addition to scheduling challenges at each of the city's busy arenas, the NBA's long-standing opposition to sports book wagering on pro basketball could pose an insurmountable hurdle.

more...

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/Sep-09-Fri-2005/news/27180153.html

[Esse Quam Videri]

1. George Shinn one

of the worst owner's of any sports team in history!!!

[KitchenWitch]

2. Holy shit

That tops the combination of Norm Green and Carl Pohlad.

Norm Green owned the Minnesota North Stars - tried to extort money from the taxpayers to renovate the Met Sports Center, when it had been renovated less than 5 years previously. It was also found out later that he was in some trouble for sexual harassment. When he did not get his way, he moved the team to DALLAS.

Carl Pohlad owns the Minnesota Twins. He lobbied all the owners during the 2002 negotiations with the players to pay him $160 million for the team, to contract it. The players association blocked that move...basically tabled it until 2006.

[Esse Quam Videri]

3. George Shinn did

extort money from the taxpayers to build a new arena and moved the team anyway. He was also tried for some sort of crime - sexually assault? involving him picking up a girl at a drug rehab facility and taking her to his house and assaulting her.

[KitchenWitch]

4. He truly is worse then

:wow:

[Kookaburra]

5. Prepare for a disaster, Southern Nevada

When the Hornets came to Charlotte, Hurricane Hugo blew through and made a huge mess of the city. Then, when Shinn doesn't get what he wants from Charlotte, like the petulant child who doesn't get his way, he takes his team and moves it to New Orleans. And what happens? Hurricane Katrina. Coincidence? You make the call. I realize it sounds rather flippant, and apologize if I've offended anyone, but it does make one think. (Do you think he figures hurricanes can't come that far inland?)

[Esse Quam Videri]

6. He will go anywhere he can

suck money from the local government. What a vile human being.

[LostinVA]

7. he sucks -- he screwed over Charlotte big time