Crash and burn
Louisville courtship of Rockets in jeopardy

June 13, 2000 1:42 p.m. ET

Associated Press

HOUSTON * The bid by Louisville, Ky., to land the Houston Rockets appears to 
have fallen through.
Jefferson County in Kentucky on Monday declined to join a three-pronged 
proposal that would publicly finance a downtown basketball arena.

The plan suggested the city, county and state each issue up to $30 million in 
bonds to cover a portion of an arena that could cost $220 million.

The arena would be built to attract the Rockets or another professional 
basketball team.

Team officials visited with Louisville business and government leaders last 
month. The Rockets have also been in negotiations with Baltimore, New Orleans 
and St. Louis, but Louisville was the only city to publicly court the team.

City officials wanted to submit a proposal to the Rockets by Tuesday, but the 
county indicated it wasn't ready to participate in the plan, the Houston 
Chronicle reported Tuesday.

"Please do not issue any statements of commitment, or send a memorandum of 
understanding at this time on behalf of the county," Jefferson County 
Judge/Executive Rebecca Jackson wrote in a letter that was delivered to 
Louisville Mayor David Armstrong.

The letter, dated Monday, was also signed by the county's three commissioners.

The Rockets declined comment on the development, but denied ever giving 
Louisville attorney J. Bruce Miller a deadline to submit a proposal.

Meanwhile Monday, about 35 protesters chanted "don't pick our pockets to pay 
for the Rockets!" in front of the county courthouse in Louisville to protest 
spending public money on an arena.

The Rockets have been considering a move since November, when voters in 
Houston rejected a plan to build them a $160 million arena.