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Friday, March 16, 2001
Grizzlies not going to St. Louis
Associated Press
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ST. LOUIS – Cross St. Louis off the list of potential sites
for the Vancouver Grizzlies.
Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley said Wednesday that St. Louis is
definitely out of the running.
Heisley said in an interview with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
that he had discussions with St. Louis Blues owner Bill Laurie.
"He was interested in possibly buying the team, and we couldn't
come together on the right numbers," Heisley said.
Laurie would not comment.
The Grizzlies have struggled with bad teams and big financial
losses in Vancouver. Heisley is reportedly looking at a number of
U.S. cities, including Louisville, Memphis, Anaheim and New
Orleans. He has ruled out staying in Vancouver.
Heisley made his comments before sitting down to dinner with 120
Louisville business executives and government officials. About 20
protesters gathered outside the restaurant, objecting to plans to
use tax money to pay for an arena.
St. Louis has been without an NBA team since the Hawks left for
Atlanta in 1968. Laurie tried to buy the Grizzlies in 1999, with
plans to relocate the team to St. Louis. The deal broke down when
it became apparent the league would not allow the move.
Heisley then paid $160 million to buy the team and agreed to
keep it in Vancouver. But with the Grizzlies projected to lose $40
million to $50 million this season, and perhaps even more in years
to come, NBA commissioner David Stern gave the go-ahead Feb. 12 for
the team to consider a move.
St. Louis is not an option because Heisley wants to maintain
ownership of the team. The cities he is considering all would allow
him to remain majority owner and be the main tenant in the city's
arena.
In St. Louis, Heisley would have either had to sell the team or
settle for being the second tenant behind the Blues at the Savvis
Center.
Heisley has until March 26 to make his decision and submit it to
the league, where it would be voted on by the Board of Governors.
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