THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, November 4, 1996 TAG: 9611040036
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTE LENGTH: 63 lines
If Hampton Roads fails to land a National Hockey League expansion franchise, George Shinn says he probably will try to purchase an existing team and move it to the area.
Shinn, who owns the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association, applied Friday for an expansion hockey team in Hampton Roads. If that application is denied, Shinn says he will pursue buying a team - if the region presents him with an acceptable deal to build an 18,000-seat arena, and if a season-ticket sale that begins Tuesday goes well.
``If everything else fits into place, if the arrangements for a building fit . . . then we can find an existing team,'' he said Saturday night at a reception for Hampton Roads officials at the Hornets' offices.
``There are a lot of teams . . . that are struggling in the markets they're in. People are losing money. In most instances you can buy an existing team that's struggling cheaper than you can an expansion team,'' he told local leaders.
``So don't give up. Just keep churning toward that goal. If you've got all the right people working together, believe me, it's going to happen.''
The Hartford Whalers, who are expected to move from New England when their lease expires following the 1997-98 season, likely would be the top target for Shinn. Other teams that have struggled at the gate include the New York Islanders and Ottawa Senators, although Ottawa moved into a new arena last season.
Three NHL teams have changed locations in the past four seasons. The Dallas Stars moved from Minnesota in 1993, the Colorado Avalanche came from Quebec a year ago, and the Phoenix Coyotes left Winnipeg after last season.
The NHL, which now has 26 teams, has added five teams through expansion since 1991 and is expected to add two more in the near future.
Shinn also pledged to make Hampton Roads ``the second home'' of his Hornets if he locates a hockey team in the region. Shinn said the Hornets probably would play two regular-season games in Hampton Roads, while the hockey team, which would be nicknamed the Rhinos, would play two games in Charlotte.
``We'd like for the Hornets to become Virginia's team,'' he said. ``We would come up there and play a couple of games during the regular season, maybe the Bulls or something like that.
``But you would have to have (Rhinos) season tickets to get Hornets tickets.''
Charlotte already has a hockey team - the East Coast Hockey League's Checkers, who are among minor league hockey's best draws. But Shinn said he hopes Charlotte will adopt the Rhinos, too.
``We want to get both communities to follow each others' clubs,'' Shinn said. ``It will help us with our television.''
Shinn said he envisions packaging the Rhinos and the Hornets as one commodity to TV stations.
Norfolk Mayor Paul D. Fraim, who has represented the Hampton Roads Partnership in negotiations with Shinn, confirmed that Shinn has told local officials of his plans to make Hampton Roads the Hornets' second home.
Fans attending the Hornets opener Saturday against the Toronto Raptors who were asked about trading two Hornets games for two hockey games seemed excited about the idea.
``It's a long basketball season,'' said David Schultz of Charlotte. ``I don't think we'd miss two games.'' by CNB