Is Sports Authority Still Needed?

[713 To 214]

What do you think about the dissolution of the Houston Sports Authority?. . .After all, it's your money.

_____________________________

April 4, 2005, 6:52AM

Fight brews on dissolving sports authority

Its impressive r

[kjb434]

I agree with the concept that the dissolving of the Sports Authority will push the debt over to the City and County hurting their Bond ratings. Houston's Bond rating isn't the best and could take another hit. (Bond ratings help financiers decide what interests rates to charge the city or county for bonds.)

The three million a year may be good to prevent this.

[pineda]

If Billy Burge is still holding the marionette's strings of the HSA, then we're really in trouble!

[DJ V Lawrence]

We still need to set up a Soccer facility for the MLS (whenever that time comes). Oh, and it's gotta be a WORLD CLASS facility, not a simple one like Oliver Luck has been said to consider. It's be great for the Sports Authority to help set it up. If they helped with advertisement, they'd put themselves AND the MLS team in great shape

[GovernorAggie]

I think that the HCHSA is a necessary entity. If they're gonna dissolve it, at least wait until the debt is retired on the sports facilities. Or better yet, why not expand its scope to regional parks and rec facilities. In a dream world, HCHSA could provide impetus to build some of the lakes and parks from the original Grand Parkway plan.

Then the county and city can basically dissolve their parks departments into HCHSA. I think its only a matter of time before we start to see the city and county consolidate services anyway.

[pineda]

In a dream world, HCHSA could provide impetus to build some of the lakes and parks from the original Grand Parkway plan.

Billy Burge - a leader in Houston?

[DJ V Lawrence]

I think since HCHSA has built most of the stadiums they wanted, they should become an organization dedicated to negotiate and bring more big name conventions and sports events to Houston, so City Council doesn't have to waist their time on it. Also, I think it should be the hub between Houston's owners, investors, mayor and councilmembers, and community leaders to organize large scale events for our city. Oh, and we need a soccer stadium, too.

[pineda]

____________________________________________________________________

(just read this on www.bloghouston.net)

08 April 2005

Billy Burge: THE best reason to shut down the Sports Authority!

Dan Patrick (KSEV-700) just had the most astounding interview. He began his show by chatting with Jack Rains who was the founding Chairman of the Board of the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority. Rains agrees that the Sports Authority should be shuttered and was discussing it with Patrick. It was a very interesting interview, with Rains providing plenty of facts and tidbits relating to the Sports Authority and the building of the three sports venues (these are from memory and scribbled notes; if something's a bit off, let me know):

--Enron Field (now Minute Maid Park) came in on time and under budget, although about $20 million worth of extras that Astros' owner Drayton McLane was supposed to pay for, the Sports Authority let him get out of (that was after Rains had left the Authority).

--Reliant was supposed to come in at around $300 million but ended up coming in at around $500 million. Rains said some of those extras were due to Rodeo needs and the Rodeo paid for its extras, but those didn't total $200 million.

--Rockets' owner Les Alexander got a nice deal on the Toyota Center at about $100 million more than what the Sports Authority had been authorized to approve. (I think Rains said Lee Brown negotiated the deal, but I could be wrong.)

--Reliant Stadium has already been handed over to Harris County, and the Toyota Center to the City of Houston. So, as Rains said, Minute Maid Park needs to be handed over to the city or the county, and then that will relieve the Sports Authority of any further oversight.

--Regarding the idea that Oliver Luck is busy promoting Houston's professional sports teams (an idea promoted by the Chronicle's editorial board), Rains said that's nonsense. He said the owners of the teams would never hand over promotion of their teams to Luck. And in the off-chance that they did want Oliver Luck to handle promotional duties, then Rains said the team owners need to be paying Luck's salary, not taxpayers. (Amen and hallelujia!)

--Rains said he thinks the $3 million operating budget for the Sports Authority is steep for what the Authority currently has to do. He said that the city and county should WANT to dissolve the Authority and get control of the money, if the Authority isn't handling the finances as well as it should be (think last summer's near-miss with junk bond status.)

--Rains thinks governmental entities like the Sports Authority should all have a sunset-clause built in.

--Rains said the Sports Authority is a "creature that has outlived its usefulness."

It was around this time that Patrick took a call and it was Billy Burge, current chairman of the Sports Authority, and boy was he hot! He said he was in San Francisco and he didn't have a computer, so we can guess that someone from Houston called him to alert him. He tore into Rains, personally attacking him. Then he tore into Patrick, telling Patrick that he is stupid and doesn't understand "things." (To be absolutely fair to Patrick and Rains, Burge was so far out of line, it was unreal. Patrick and Rains had been having a very calm and friendly conversation and were verbally attacked, out of nowhere, by Burge.)

When Patrick and Rains questioned Burge about the $3 million Sports Authority operating budget, Burge let slip that the taxpayers (you and me) are subsidizing a parking garage and the ice for Aeros games.

Really! $100,000 worth of ice for Aeros' players to skate on is paid for by the taxpayers!

And Burge couldn't figure out why Rains and Patrick found that astonishing. Rains had said earlier that when he was in charge of the Sports Authority, he knew that he was representing and looking out for the taxpayers. Burge appears to take the exact opposite view -- he made it clear that his mission is to look out for the teams and the owners. He said it was small-minded of Patrick to think that the Aeros should pay for their ice, he had no idea if the Aeros make money or lose money, and he didn't appear to care. Plus, while he was berating Patrick and Rains, Burge was confirming his dinner reservations!

It was an amazing call-in from Billy Burge, who is also the former chairman of Metro's board of directors and the current chairman of the Grand Parkway Association. (Uh oh, Grand Parkway...)

Patrick said that Lone Star Times would have an MP3 of the interview/call-in later this weekend. If they do, I will post an update and I would encourage everyone to listen to the entire show. Rains' information was invaluable and Burge's display...well, mere words cannot convey what an ass he made of himself. You really need to hear it.

He is a disturbing example of someone who has access to taxpayer money, and the mayor and county commissioners would be wise to get rid of him, after that display of unbelievable bureaucratic arrogance.

And then they can get to work shutting down the Sports Authority. The Aeros need to pay for their own damn ice.

Posted by Anne Linehan @ 04/08/05 06:32 PM | Houston Politics

[DJ V Lawrence]

____________________________________________________________________

And then they can get to work shutting down the Sports Authority. The Aeros need to pay for their own damn ice.

Posted by Anne Linehan @ 04/08/05 06:32 PM | Houston Politics

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Damn, get 'em Pineda!! What you and others seem to say is that the Sports Authority is looking for something to do in order to keep their jobs? Say it ain't so!!

You know it's time to disband an organization when not even their chairman remembers what they were put in place for in the first place. If Pineda's statements are accurate about the interview, then I may stand corrected.

We still DO need a soccer team and stadium, an NHL team, the Dome to be revitalized, and for large conventions to return to Houston on a regular basis to ensure our place as a sports mecca. Could a Sports Authority be a part of that, or is it cheaper with our existing organizations to lead the way on this? I don't have enough info to give an answer on this, but you may.

[713 To 214]

IMO, the Sports Authority HAS served its purpose. At this point, the people in its ranks are now looking for a purpose to serve. . .at the taxpayers' expense.

[pineda]

We're all abuzz over here about the emotional outbursts of Mr. William "Billy" Burge. His connections to Hizzoner Mayor Bob Lanier have seemingly always been able to protect him, maybe that will all come screeching to a halt today.

[DJ V Lawrence]

We're all abuzz over here about that emotional outbursts of Mr. William "Billy" Burge. His connections to Hizzoner Mayor Bob Lanier have seemingly always been able to protect him, maybe that will all come screeching to a halt today.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So, um, I take it you're not a Billy Burge fan, huh? :-)

[pineda]

I oppose the Grand Parkway project.

He is the Chairman of the Grand Parkway Association.

So, yes, it is safe to say I'm not a fan of Mr. Billy Burge, at all.

[DJ V Lawrence]

I oppose the Grand Parkway project.

He is the Chairman of the Grand Parkway Association.

So, yes, it is safe to say I'm not a fan of Mr. Billy Burge, at all.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yo Pineda, I started a NEW thread on the Grand Parkway. You're invited to lead the way, and please, everyone's invited. Go into "Going Up", and you shall see da Grand Parkway.

Yo, who would lead the way on a soccer stadium? The city?

[Houston19514]

____________________________________________________________________

(just read this on www.bloghouston.net)

08 April 2005

Billy Burge: THE best reason to shut down the Sports Authority!

Dan Patrick (KSEV-700) just had the most astounding interview. He began his show by chatting with Jack Rains who was the founding Chairman of the Board of the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority. Rains agrees that the Sports Authority should be shuttered and was discussing it with Patrick. It was a very interesting interview, with Rains providing plenty of facts and tidbits relating to the Sports Authority and the building of the three sports venues (these are from memory and scribbled notes; if something's a bit off, let me know):

--Enron Field (now Minute Maid Park) came in on time and under budget, although about $20 million worth of extras that Astros' owner Drayton McLane was supposed to pay for, the Sports Authority let him get out of (that was after Rains had left the Authority).

--Reliant was supposed to come in at around $300 million but ended up coming in at around $500 million. Rains said some of those extras were due to Rodeo needs and the Rodeo paid for its extras, but those didn't total $200 million.

--Rockets' owner Les Alexander got a nice deal on the Toyota Center at about $100 million more than what the Sports Authority had been authorized to approve. (I think Rains said Lee Brown negotiated the deal, but I could be wrong.)

--Reliant Stadium has already been handed over to Harris County, and the Toyota Center to the City of Houston. So, as Rains said, Minute Maid Park needs to be handed over to the city or the county, and then that will relieve the Sports Authority of any further oversight.

--Regarding the idea that Oliver Luck is busy promoting Houston's professional sports teams (an idea promoted by the Chronicle's editorial board), Rains said that's nonsense. He said the owners of the teams would never hand over promotion of their teams to Luck. And in the off-chance that they did want Oliver Luck to handle promotional duties, then Rains said the team owners need to be paying Luck's salary, not taxpayers. (Amen and hallelujia!)

--Rains said he thinks the $3 million operating budget for the Sports Authority is steep for what the Authority currently has to do. He said that the city and county should WANT to dissolve the Authority and get control of the money, if the Authority isn't handling the finances as well as it should be (think last summer's near-miss with junk bond status.)

--Rains thinks governmental entities like the Sports Authority should all have a sunset-clause built in.

--Rains said the Sports Authority is a "creature that has outlived its usefulness."

It was around this time that Patrick took a call and it was Billy Burge, current chairman of the Sports Authority, and boy was he hot! He said he was in San Francisco and he didn't have a computer, so we can guess that someone from Houston called him to alert him. He tore into Rains, personally attacking him. Then he tore into Patrick, telling Patrick that he is stupid and doesn't understand "things." (To be absolutely fair to Patrick and Rains, Burge was so far out of line, it was unreal. Patrick and Rains had been having a very calm and friendly conversation and were verbally attacked, out of nowhere, by Burge.)

When Patrick and Rains questioned Burge about the $3 million Sports Authority operating budget, Burge let slip that the taxpayers (you and me) are subsidizing a parking garage and the ice for Aeros games.

Really! $100,000 worth of ice for Aeros' players to skate on is paid for by the taxpayers!

And Burge couldn't figure out why Rains and Patrick found that astonishing. Rains had said earlier that when he was in charge of the Sports Authority, he knew that he was representing and looking out for the taxpayers. Burge appears to take the exact opposite view -- he made it clear that his mission is to look out for the teams and the owners. He said it was small-minded of Patrick to think that the Aeros should pay for their ice, he had no idea if the Aeros make money or lose money, and he didn't appear to care. Plus, while he was berating Patrick and Rains, Burge was confirming his dinner reservations!

It was an amazing call-in from Billy Burge, who is also the former chairman of Metro's board of directors and the current chairman of the Grand Parkway Association. (Uh oh, Grand Parkway...)

Patrick said that Lone Star Times would have an MP3 of the interview/call-in later this weekend. If they do, I will post an update and I would encourage everyone to listen to the entire show. Rains' information was invaluable and Burge's display...well, mere words cannot convey what an ass he made of himself. You really need to hear it.

He is a disturbing example of someone who has access to taxpayer money, and the mayor and county commissioners would be wise to get rid of him, after that display of unbelievable bureaucratic arrogance.

And then they can get to work shutting down the Sports Authority. The Aeros need to pay for their own damn ice.

Posted by Anne Linehan @ 04/08/05 06:32 PM | Houston Politics

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not only is Billy Burge not Metro's Chairman, he is is not even on Metro's Board of Directors. Is this an indication of the reliability of the rest of your post?

[bachanon]

Not only is Billy Burge not Metro's Chairman, he is is not even on Metro's Board of Directors. Is this an indication of the reliability of the rest of your post?

uhhhh, like read the article.

It was an amazing call-in from Billy Burge, who is also the former chairman of Metro's board of directors and the current chairman of the Grand Parkway Association. (Uh oh, Grand Parkway...)

is it possible for houston, in it's current incarnation, to get any huge projects done without some of these egomaniacs (read burge, brown)?

i'm no fan of more over reaching pseudo government entities. when i heard they were creating the sports authority, i cringed knowing that it would become another metro-like organization with insatiable appetites. at the same time, i salivated at the mention of first class sports facilities. i couldn't wait to see who the architects would be and what the first renderings would look like. fact is, i'd like to see more big projects.

it's no wonder i never made any money playing sim city. beautiful cities yes, bankrupt...yes. it's no fun to build a gleaming city and then ten years later you can't maintain the infrastructure. your citizens get less and less for their money and then everyone leaves. food for thought......food for thought.

[pineda]

Dan Patrick of KSEV Radio has announced that he will be replaying the whole "Billy Burge Freak-Out" at 7:00 a.m. Monday morning on 700 AM (KSEV), for those of you who may be interested in hearing Billy in his full "glory"!

[Houston19514]

Sorry about that. Don't know how I missed that word "former" in there.

But let's not all get too carried away with this. Keep in mind that Jack Rains may just have some axes to grind, so to speak. I don't know where the truth is on any of those items he talked about there, but, as I said, having been involuntarily replaced at the Sports Authority, his motivation MAY not be entirely pure.

[pineda]

Sorry about that. Don't know how I missed that word "former" in there. 

Apology accepted, but hey, we all make mistakes, don't we?

You can visit Lone Star Times to learn more and to see if Dan has put up an MP3 of the segment yet.

[editor]

Maybe what they should do is pass a bill that formally sunsets the Sports Authority at whatever date the bonds are scheduled to be repaid. That way the bond rating isn't hurt, and they won't be able to hang on and on sucking money out of the taxpayers.

And they should move their offices to the Third Ward. They don't need to impress anyone anymore, so they can save money on the downtown rent.

[pineda]

I love the timing of Billy Burge doing his little freak-out just before we have a big meeting with HCTRA about the Grand Parkway project! What an embarrassment to that organization to have Billy Burge as the Chairman of the GPA!

[DJ V Lawrence]

I love the timing of Billy Burge doing his little freak-out just before we have a big meeting with HCTRA about the Grand Parkway project! What an embarrassment to that organization to have Billy Burge as the Chairman of the GPA!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I didn't realize Billy Burge headed so many commitees and organizations. Do you consider him currupt, and if so, how exactly did he gain so much power? (sorry, I think i missed something)

[GovernorAggie]

Maybe what they should do is pass a bill that formally sunsets the Sports Authority at whatever date the bonds are scheduled to be repaid.  That way the bond rating isn't hurt, and they won't be able to hang on and on sucking money out of the taxpayers.

And they should move their offices to the Third Ward.  They don't need to impress anyone anymore, so they can save money on the downtown rent.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Now that is what I think should really happen. Let the Sports Authority take care of the bonds first.

However, after it's gone, I don't see the city and county getting along too well today, let alone in the future.

[Astro]

Salaries for its seven employees cost about $800,000. Luck earns $200,000.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's outrageous That's reason enough for me right there to make some major changes to this so-called "authority"...

Interesting story about Billy Burge. I'll have to listen to the MP3.

I gotta say I was never a fan of Jack Rains either though.

[pineda]

YIPPEE!!!! No more Billy Burge!