OKLAHOMA CITY -- New Orleans is making discouragingly slow
progress toward showing it can support the Hornets, owner George
Shinn said Monday.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Shinn again said the
Hornets plan to honor their lease at the New Orleans Arena but said
that many "question marks" remain before he can determine whether
that's a sound option.
"I've been back to New Orleans probably a half-dozen times
since the storm, and each time we go back, I have a car there and
we go back through the areas," Shinn said. "I hear all the
politicians talk about all the great things that's happening:
`We'll be back in a year. We'll be back in five months.' You know,
crazy stuff.
"I have seen virtually very, very little improvement and it's
very discouraging and very depressing."
Shinn spoke of visiting areas of New Orleans that do not have
grocery stores open, which in turn creates long lines at the stores
that are open. On Monday, the city opened a portion of the Lower
Ninth Ward for the first time -- a 10-block area that has had water,
electricity and sewage services restored. The rest of the area,
which was the hardest hit by Katrina, remains closed.
"It's very difficult to try to live there because with the
traffic the way it is and because the areas that are damaged and
destroyed, people just don't go through there," Shinn said. "Stop
lights don't work. They don't have electricity there."
After averaging 18,717 fans at their home games in Oklahoma City
this season, the Hornets will again play 35 games in the city next
season. In the meantime, Shinn said the Hornets will try to
determine whether people are interested in the team returning to
New Orleans by taking 25 percent deposits toward 41-game
season-ticket plans for 2007-08.
"That's going to tell us a lot," Shinn said.
Even before Katrina hit in August, the Hornets averaged a
league-low 14,221 fans in 2004-05 as the team went 18-64. When the
team made the playoffs the year before, the Hornets average
attendance was 14,332.
"If you look at our gross before and now our gross here from
the arena standpoint is almost double what it was in New Orleans.
As a matter of fact, it is double," Shinn said.
"From a pure business model, if I was just a cold-hearted
businessman the decision would be pretty easy but I've got to make
the decision based on my head and my heart. I really do. I think
it's very important to use good judgment. And if the state's
willing to protect us, make sure we don't get hit hard, I'll ride
it out."
However, Shinn said he doesn't think that Louisiana should offer
to write the Hornets a check to ensure their financial success.
"I don't think they should do that because to me there are more
important things to get done than having a basketball team. I think
they've got to get the families back first and then worry about a
basketball team," Shinn said. "That's my opinion, but I'm not one
of the politicians in Louisiana."
Shinn said he pays attention to how the Saints are doing --
they're currently reporting season-ticket sales on a record pace --
but believes prospects of New Orleans supporting eight football
games, mostly on weekends, are different than filling up New
Orleans Arena for home 41 basketball games.
Two of the team's three Hornets' games in New Orleans in March
were sellouts.
"New Orleans is a great city. The architecture there is
beautiful. I love it. I think it's got great history," Shinn said.
"To me, it is a great event town. I mean, Jazz Fest, things that
are there for a short period of time and they do it annually.
"That's one of the reasons football has a better chance than
basketball. Baseball would be another one that would be a problem
because of an 80-something game schedule."
Shinn said he has received positive feedback about Oklahoma City
from employees, who have said "they've got a great school system,
the place is very clean and the people are very nice."
"In New Orleans, you've got high crime, you've got a bad
educational system. Because of all the tourists, it's hard to keep
the city clean. It's just hard. It's entirely two different
markets," Shinn said. "They couldn't survive without tourists.
The whole city is built on it, and you're not. You're built to draw
people that want to grow families.
"And a couple things impressed me, I'm a person of faith and I
love this country. I've seen more flag-wavers here and more people
that are God-fearing than any part of the country."
Shinn said he figures a decision about the 2007-08 season would
need to be made by December or January, so the team can start
selling season tickets.
"I know we'll be here next year," Shinn said. "The year after
that, who knows? I don't know the answer to that question. I'm not
about to even predict it because I don't know at this point."