Message-ID: <32762551.1075840205225.JavaMail.evans@thyme> Date: Tue, 15 Aug 2000 05:39:00 -0700 (PDT) From: chill@lrmlaw.com To: kenneth.lay@enron.com, jordancapitalmanagement@worldnet.att.net Subject: FW: The Arena deal: points for consideration Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-From: Connie Hill X-To: "'Kenneth.Lay@enron.com'" , "'jordancapitalmanagement@worldnet.att.net'" X-cc: X-bcc: X-Folder: \Kenneth_Lay_Dec2000\Notes Folders\All documents X-Origin: LAY-K X-FileName: klay.nsf Jack Rains' did not have access to your email addresses at his home. He has left to go out of the City for the day and asked that I forward the following letter directly to you for your information. > -----Original Message----- > From: Jack Rains [mailto:jmrtexas@swbell.net] > Sent: Tuesday, August 15, 2000 11:54 AM > To: Hill Connie > Subject: FW: The Arena deal: points for consideration > Importance: High > > > ....and in my spare time.... > JR > > > > > Last Saturday Dale Robertson, obviously responding to the Rockets public > relations machine , wrote a nasty, vicious > column. It was a personal attack that was a diservice to not only the > debate but to the city and every citizen of good will..I have attached a > copy so that you may reach your own conclusions. > > During the last debate, on the subsequently defeated Arena proposal, I > remained silent. While I had been deeply involved in those negotiations I > felt under the circumstances of Mayor Brown dismissal, it was > inappropriate for me to publicly comment. Up until now I have continued > that policy. > > Edmund Burke observed that for evil to triumph it is only necessary that > good men do nothing. I will no longer remain silent. Certainly we are > all entitled to our opinions on the subject of the arena, sports, or any > other issue we face as citizens, but we cannot be permitted to have our > own 'facts'. > > The attached submittal to the Chronicle sets forth facts you should know > and matters you may wish to consider in your deliberations. The Chronicle > advised me, that due to space limitations, they would publish a condensed > version, for which I am grateful. As community leaders you should have > the complete picture. > > We have an opportunity at hand. An Arena agreement can be crafted that > will receive the support of the majority of Houstonians. But first t it > will be necessary that the '; spin doctors' and other hired guns cool > their rhetoric. After they have moved on to earn their fees at the next > engagement, we will remain in the city we love and have built together. > We must come together in good faith and stop those attempting to impose a > decision by threatening anyone who does not agree with their position. At > a minimum we must elevate the debate to a standard of civility. > > Sincerely, > > Jack Rains > > > > > > <> > > Submitted, Sunday August 13, 2000, to the Houston Chronicle for > Publication: > > A new low in political debate; a prescription for disaster > > Few persons, and certainly not County Judge Robert Eckels, Tax > assessor/collector Paul Bettencourt, or Republican County Chair Gary > Polland or any other republican or democrat leader I have spoken with, > want the Rockets and Comets to leave town. Should the teams go however, > it will be due to Les Alexander's miscalculations and the blunders by well > meaning but naive supporters. That charitable adjective cannot be applied > to Dale Robertson, Houston Chronicle sports columnist. > > Robertson, in his Saturday August 13, 2000 column, established a new low > in journalism. Quoting liberally from the Rocket spokesperson, George > Postolos, the Rockets-Comets CEO, according to Robertson, he spews a > virulent diatribe of inaccurate, convoluted arguments, misrepresentations, > and gratuitous insults. While conceding the points Judge Eckels made in > his recent letter to the Sports Authority may be valid, Robertson, > undaunted, attempts to discredit Eckels. How? By asking us to believe > that Mr. Robertson posses clairvoyant powers. He warns his readers of > his perception of the evil state of mind of the Judge. According to > Robertson, the arena debate is merely a political struggle, which he > blithely characterizes as, "Anglo Saxons vs. a Jewish owner and an > African-American Mayor". Outrageous! If that were not enough, Robertson > goes over the top. Using his crystal ball we must assume, Robertson warns > that the next words out of Judge Eckels' mouth will be a lie. Balderdash! > > > Shame on Dale Robertson and the Editors of the Chronicle who allowed such > grossly inaccurate, hate filled statements into print. The Chronicle's > Founding Publisher, Jesse Jones, must be spinning in his grave. Every > person who has worked to achieve racial, ethnic, and religious harmony, no > matter what their political and other views, should condemn such hateful > bigotry on the part of Robertson and the Chronicle. Postolos destroyed > his credibility with the disingenuous claim that he was 'genuinely and > completely surprised' by Eckels letter. Come on George.' spin 'won't > sell. Robertson, far worse, went beyond the pale with his slurs aimed at > any party that dares question the current arena deal. Pitifully sad and > counter productive to reaching an Arena agreement the voters will approve. > > Judge Eckels' temperate, well-reasoned letter, questions a proposal that > Arena supporters privately concede "needs work". For example on Channel 2 > Sunday, Sunny Messiah, the publisher of the Houston Defender, the leading > Black newspaper, and an Arena supporter last time around, joined Dan > Patrick, a right wing shock jock at the radio station which broadcasts the > Rocket's games, in agreeing on the Arena proposal. That was a first for > those two. Both asked hard questions, concluding it was less fair to the > public than the prior agreement rejected by voters. During the program, > viewers were told that Sports Authority Chairman Billy Burge and Vice > Chair Grover Jackson, architects of the agreement, had declined to appear > and defend their arrangements with Alexander. > > There is another matter under discussion that requires clarification. > > Some assert that Mayor Brown had a 'deal' with Judge Eckels. I doubt the > truth of that claim and will explain why. All citizens have the > constitutionally protected right to speak out, and public officials such > as Brown and Eckels have a duty to speak up on behalf of the taxpayers. > Surely Robertson and the defenders of the constitutionally protected > rights of the press would not condemn, or attempt to muzzle, anyone's > right to free speech. Eckels was right to state his concerns. If the > hour is late, blame the Sports Authority and Alexander who have been > negotiating since their last deal was rejected in 1999. Remember this is > Alexander's third bite at the apple. He lost last year and walked away > from negotiations back when Bob Lanier was Mayor. It is late but we have > two years to go on the Rocket's lease at the Compaq Center and that could > be temporarily extended if necessary. > > The assertion that Mayor Brown stayed out of the Stadium negotiations is > simply not true. > > That agreement between Harris County, the NFL, the Rodeo and the Sports > Authority, was concluded and executed during my term as Chairman of the > Sports Authority. The Mayor contacted us on several occasions with input. > It was due to his correct insistence that the stadium be designed to > accommodate expansion for the 2012 Summer Olympic games. The change, over > the NFL's objection, added significantly to the cost, but represents a > wise investment for a growing region. In fact, Mayor Brown will recall, > we made the final break through in those negotiations, in his office, > reaching closure when he and Commissioner Lee reached agreement on major > sticking points between the County and the City. Mayor Brown's leadership > and input was important to our ultimate success in bringing the NFL back > to Houston. Judge Eckels' input will be equally important in fashioning > an Arena agreement that the voters will approve. > > Robertson and the Chronicle evidently missed all those events, or fail to > understand their ramifications. He conveniently dismisses the last 'top > down, cram down' deal on the Arena that the voter's slammed dunked. We > can't afford another failure due to yet another open-ended, capitulation > to Alexander's demands. The voters are not stupid and will not be > intimidated. > > > It is a disservice when we lower the debate to name calling and > questioning of motives. Robertson, is surely sincere in his support for a > new arena, Obviously Les Alexander wants a' done deal'. While we all > desire the same results, vicious personal attacks are counter-productive. > Let us get back to working out an Arena agreement that will serve our > citizens well for the next 30 years and beyond. We can and must fashion > an agreement that a majority of our citizens will support. > > Jack Rains > Founding Chair, > Harris County-Houston Sports Authority > > > > - HoustonChronicle.com.htm