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Houston group optimistic about landing expansion
franchise next week
HOUSTON (AP) - A Houston group bidding for a National Hockey
League franchise is optimistic the city will get a franchise when
the league is expected to announce its expansion plans next week.
An unidentified source quoted Friday by the Houston Chronicle
characterized the percentages as 75-25 in favor of Houston's NHL
bid, particularly in light of Mayor Bob Lanier's push this week
to get plans moving for a new downtown arena.
Chuck Watson, who is heading Houston's bid for the new franchise,
agreed that Lanier gave the effort a shot in the arm.
"Without him, we might be in a little trouble right now,"
Watson told the newspaper.
Houston is one of six cities competing for what is believed
will be four new teams that will begin play in either 1999 or
2000.
If Houston fails to land an expansion team, there is a chance
it could have an NHL team by 1998. The Edmonton Oilers are for
sale and both Watson and Houston Rockets owner Leslie Alexander
have had preliminary talks with Oilers owner Peter Pocklington
about the possibility of buying the team.
The NHL would prefer to keep the team in Edmonton although
financial losses there put the chances of that happening at about
5 percent, according to an unidentified source quoted by the Chronicle.
Any move of the team would require approval of the league and
owners of the other teams.
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Copyright ©1997,
Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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