Greed Head

There's a darkness at the edge of Clutch City, but one thing is clear: Les Alexander will get his. And maybe yours, too.

A A A Comments By Bob Burtman Thursday, Feb 13 1997

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As he did with Kenneth Schnitzer, Alexander has pushed those on the other side of the table to the breaking point -- and beyond.

"I have little to no incentive or desire at this point to be a partner with Les Alexander," says Chuck Watson. "I've lost confidence we can put anything together.

"I really don't have any interest in sitting down with him any more," Watson adds with finality.

Watson sees only two options at this point: either a third party, such as a sports authority, would own and operate the arena, "or we will build the arena, and he will be a lessee."

The odds of Alexander's agreeing to mere renter status in a new arena seem long, at best. His NHL bid has little substance, at least without a partner -- he still owes on his loan to purchase the Rockets, and the asking price of a new hockey franchise would likely exceed his ability to pay without unloading the basketball team. Even if the NHL decides to go elsewhere and Alexander succeeds in thwarting Watson's bid, he will still face the prospect of sharing the new arena unless he can somehow leverage his way out of a compromise.

That leaves only the threat of departure. The fans may not want to believe that Alexander could move the Rockets out of town, but more than 100 ex-employees, dozens of area businessmen, sports executives across the country and even some of his friends have no such doubts. With Alexander, it would be just another deal to close. "The basketball team and hockey team are strictly business to him," says Tilman Fertitta, a former minority owner and now an "advisor" to Alexander. "If he can have it all, why not have it all?

"He's just doing what's best for Les.