After visiting at least six cities over the past six months, Charlotte Hornets co-owners George Shinn and Ray Wooldridge officially committed themselves to moving their NBA franchise to New Orleans.
The announcement was made Thursday afternoon at the New Orleans Arena ? or the team?s new location should their proposal be approved by the NBA.
And while Louisiana Gov. Mike Foster is certain of such approval, both Charlotte and New Orleans city officials may have to wait until early April before the Hornets? future is determined.
That?s when the NBA Board of Governors will meet and vote on the Hornets? 2002-03 season whereabouts. A simple majority vote at the April meeting of the league?s 29 owners ? 15 votes ? is all that?s necessary for approval.
The NBA now has 10 days to appoint a committee to examine the proposed move. The committee would then have up to 120 days to issue a recommendation, and the league?s Board of Governors would have 30 days to vote.
"Our preference would be for the team to stay in Charlotte in a beautiful new arena, but the reality is that may not be possible," NBA deputy commissioner Russ Granik said, adding that he hopes the vote will take place by late April.
Many around the league aren?t so certain such approval will be forthcoming. And while the league has never blocked a relocation request, few relocation requests have involved such complexity.
n Last June, Mecklenburg County voters soundly defeated a referendum to build a new downtown arena the franchise needs to remain fiscally competitive with other NBA teams. The defeat came after countless public opinion polls said the Shinn-Wooldridge ownership was the reason the referendum would fail.
n In the months since, Shinn and Wooldridge have visited New Orleans; Louisville, Ky.; Norfolk, Va.; St. Louis, Mo.; Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Anaheim, Calif. in hopes of finding either the kind of arena they don?t have in Charlotte or the prospect of building one.
n On Jan. 7, business leaders from three Charlotte-based businesses (Duke Energy, Wachovia and Bank of America) committed $100 million for a new arena.
On Monday, Charlotte City Council voted 10-1 in favor of pursuing ways of making up the $150 million or so difference for the building of the arena.
n On Jan. 8, Wooldridge said he had no knowledge of the most recent proposal, called New Orleans the frontrunner ? after saying the same of Louisville and Norfolk before ? and even went back on his own word by claiming to have negotiated with New Orleans for 2? years. Wooldridge had angrily and adamantly denied negotiations with any other cities until after the June referendum had failed.
n In the past two weeks, business leader Nelson Schwab and Charlotte mayor Pat McCrory have confirmed that the NBA ? and commissioner David Stern in particular ? were aware of their recent arena proposal, even if the Hornets were not consulted until hours before it was presented.
n Many teams in the NBA, including the league itself, used either Wachovia or Bank of America for their loans and other financial needs. It would seem unlikely those banks would be willing to make such a large commitment in Charlotte without at least expecting the NBA to offer support.
n None of the stories out of Louisiana deals with how the Hornets will pay what The Gazette has reported will be a $100 million relocation fee. Last July, the Vancouver Grizzlies paid $30 million to relocate to Memphis after getting NBA approval.
n While the team could simply move without approval ? Donald Sterling moved the Clippers from San Diego to Los Angeles in 1984 without NBA approval ? a Hornets? source said it was unlikely Shinn and Wooldridge would move without the NBA?s blessing.
Thursday?s relocation announcement marks the third time New Orleans has attempted to land an NBA team since it lost the Jazz to Utah in 1979.
The NBA vetoed a sale that could?ve brought the Minnesota Timberwolves to New Orleans in 1994 and the city made a major effort last year to land the Grizzlies.
Another potential stumbling block is New Orleans size and financial power in comparison to Charlotte. New Orleans? television market ranks 43rd nationally and its median household income is $38,800 as compared to Charlotte?s 27th national TV ranking and $51,000 median household income.
Shinn told New Orleans officials Thursday he didn?t see that as a problem.
"I hear your comments about being the smallest market in the NBA," Shinn said. "That?s what I was told when I first brought the team to Charlotte, and we led the league in attendance. We?re going to put forth the effort to lead the league here.
"It?s not the size of the market that?s important. It?s how you market your market."
The Louisiana agreement calls for a 10-year lease, with the team paying $2 million annual rent and receiving all the revenue from premium seating, advertising, naming rights, concessions, novelty and parking.
Hornets coach Paul Silas and his players have consistently maintained the team?s uncertain future has not been a distraction for them. They were 18-19 overall entering Thursday?s home game with Philadelphia. However, Silas admitted it was somewhat of a relief to at least know the direction ownership was taking.
"It?s nice that the Hornets are moving ahead in some direction," Silas said. "My bosses own the Hornets and wherever they move, I move with them."