http://www.nola.com/hornets/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1092311778145830.xml 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 [email protected] or (504) 826-3405 --

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