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  Crash and burn
Louisville courtship of Rockets in jeopardy

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

Associated Press

HOUSTON =01* The bid by Louisville, Ky., to land the Houston Rockets appear=
s to=20
have fallen through.
Jefferson County in Kentucky on Monday declined to join a three-pronged=20
proposal that would publicly finance a downtown basketball arena.

The plan suggested the city, county and state each issue up to $30 million =
in=20
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=20
basketball team.

Team officials visited with Louisville business and government leaders last=
=20
month. The Rockets have also been in negotiations with Baltimore, New Orlea=
ns=20
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 t=
he=20
county indicated it wasn't ready to participate in the plan, the Houston=20
Chronicle reported Tuesday.

"Please do not issue any statements of commitment, or send a memorandum of=
=20
understanding at this time on behalf of the county," Jefferson County=20
Judge/Executive Rebecca Jackson wrote in a letter that was delivered to=20
Louisville Mayor David Armstrong.

The letter, dated Monday, was also signed by the county's three commissione=
rs.

The Rockets declined comment on the development, but denied ever giving=20
Louisville attorney J. Bruce Miller a deadline to submit a proposal.

Meanwhile Monday, about 35 protesters chanted "don't pick our pockets to pa=
y=20
for the Rockets!" in front of the county courthouse in Louisville to protes=
t=20
spending public money on an arena.

The Rockets have been considering a move since November, when voters in=20
Houston rejected a plan to build them a $160 million arena.