Verdict on Thunder delayed

Steve Guiremand

Thursday, Feb. 25, 1999 | 9:56 a.m.

International Hockey League president Doug Moss, who hoped to have the future of the Las Vegas Thunder settled this week, now says a decision on the hockey franchise's future probably won't be made until the middle of next week.

Moss said he met with representatives from four local area arenas -- the Thomas & Mack Center, the MGM Grand Garden, Mandalay Bay and the proposed Millennium Arena in North Las Vegas -- during a Las Vegas visit last week. He hasn't ruled out splitting the Thunder's 41 home dates between two different arenas in an effort to keep the team in Las Vegas.

"I think we'll have to wait another week or so," Moss said. "Nothing has really happened yet. We're still in conversation. I've got to make contact with a few people before I know which way it's going to go. Hopefully by Tuesday we'll be able to reach some type of decision."

Is Moss more or less optimistic about the Thunder remaining in Las Vegas for the 1999-2000 season?

"It depends on a couple of things," he said. "Right now, I have no reason to be less or more optimistic than before."

If the Thunder does play a seventh season in Las Vegas, it more than likely won't be at the Thomas & Mack.

Pat Christenson, director of the Thomas & Mack, said Wednesday that "I'm not optimistic that (the Thunder) will be back. From our perspective, no one has closed the door on them. But that time is getting closer."

Christenson said the Thomas & Mack and the Thunder aren't any closer to an agreement today than they were six months ago when the T&M outlined four main issues that needed to be resolved for the hockey team to return. Those included a return to the original lease (read: expensive) the team agreed to six years ago.

"We cut that deal in half," Christenson said. "We're saying that if they want to come back they'll have to at least give us the same contract terms we had six years ago.

"(The Thunder) want a part of food and beverages, parking, souvenirs, everything," Christenson continued. "With the cost of maintaining the building, the lost dates and opportunities, it just doesn't work. Over the six-year history of the Thunder, we've done everything we could to make this thing work. And it hasn't."