http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/features/shodge/3200106 Rockets owner takes a much-needed timeout By SHELBY HODGE Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle In the formal Memorial-area neighborhood of mega-manses and perfectly manicured lawns, it comes as a surprise when Leslie Alexander opens the door to his stately home. The Houston Rockets owner is wearing comfy leather moccasins, jeans and a casual white pullover; his demeanor is relaxed and friendly. There is an incongruity between Alexander's courtside image and what we see this morning. The quiet — dare we say stern — reserve that he typically exhibits in Toyota Center is gone. In the spacious environs of his home, Alexander is warm, at ease, even playful. Although he has had an apartment here since buying the team in 1993, Alexander seriously put down roots less than a year ago and purchased the seven-bedroom house. Houston is now his official residence. Never mind that the oceanfront house in Southampton, N.Y., is his favorite or that the farm in Middleburg, Va., is so appealing or that his home in San Diego (where his daughter lives) has that perfect year-round climate. Houston is it. "It's important to have a permanent place where I have my major focus — which is the team," he says. Alexander selected the house, which he shares with ladylove Elizabeth Brown, a film producer and former model, for a number of reasons. The most important was that it had a ground-floor bedroom. "Joy has a bad hip, and she can't make it up the stairs," he says with keen affection for his beloved dog, which he rescued from the pound. He was also taken by the richly landscaped gardens. On this morning, the scent of star jasmine, gardenias and roses wafts over the terrace opening off the family room to one of the home's two pools. Another attraction for Alexander — two pools and two gardens. Lots of room for Joy to romp. The ground floor, where Alexander and Brown spend most of their time, offers a relaxed formality with an emphasis on color. Bold blue-green varnished paint covers the dining-room walls. The family-room furnishings and artwork provide a tasteful kaleidoscope of red, yellow and royal blue played off a white background. "I like things that are more colorful," he says. Alexander is working with Houston interior designer Pam Hoffer on the house, which is awaiting a few finishing touches. She also decorated his all-contemporary glass home in the Hamptons. Once the study is completed, the artwork selected and hung, Alexander plans to open his home for personal entertaining. Will the official NBA basketball that rests at the base of the potted palm in the living room remain? Probably, a casual, offhand reminder of Alexander's team and the relaxed lifestyle he prefers. In the meantime, Alexander and Brown spend most of their nights dining out with friends, frequenting Pesce, Aries, Vic & Anthony's, and Mark's. Now that summer is here, we'll see less of them. That house in the Hamptons and the cooler climate are calling. In all of his homes, Alexander maintains a selection of fine wines, modestly explaining, "I'm a big wine guy." Indeed. Alexander has a vineyard on Long Island. He enticed David Abreu, whom he describes as the best viticulturist in the world, to advise him on production. It didn't hurt that Abreu is a huge basketball fan. Though taking on no new clients, he aided Alexander — free of charge. And that fact brings one of those frequent grins to Alexander's boyish face. The Rockets owner bottles cabernet sauvignons and merlots bearing a label with a large "L." Last Christmas, he presented each of his suite-holders and front-row seat-holders at Toyota Center with a magnum of his wine. The large vase in the living room is filled with purple irises, which Alexander picked up at a nearby market. He enjoys shopping at the supermarket and says you will most likely find him with shopping basket in hand at eatZi's. Brown is encouraging a visit to Central Market. The Memorial location, Alexander says, is convenient to downtown, Toyota Center and just about anywhere else he wants to go. There is even a gate linking his neighborhood to the nearby Houstonian Spa. He and Brown occasionally walk over for a massage. Fitness is important in his demanding world, and exercise is as much a part of his daily routine as is reading four or five newspapers. Even with this beautiful home in which to hibernate at times, there is no rest for the professional sports-team owner. "If you own a basketball team, you never have a sanctuary," he says. "It's 24 hours a day, 365 days a year." But planting roots in Houston has been a welcome change for Alexander, who says he truly prefers house-living over apartment-living. And the city has been good to him. "The people in Houston are the nicest of any place I've ever been."
What an excrutiatingly rough life Alexander has! No wonder the headline, "takes a much needed time out". Goodness, having to decide what house to stay in and what time of year to move from house to house, which pool to swim in, having to walk to get your massage, and, sheesh, having to answer your own front door! And having someone trying to talk you into "slumming it" by shopping at a lowly Central Market! Noooooooo thanks, not for me. I'll take the easy life having to report to a physical workplace everyday to keep food on the table and A single roof over A single residence for the family and buying generic brands and sale items at a run of the mill grocery store. The rich life sounds way too brutal for me! Please, someone gag me with a spoon...a silver one of course.
One of the funniest posts I've ever read. Your point is well taken SA Rocket. However, the writer is making it sound like a fairly tale. Trust me, the guy works hard. I bet this is the only time of the year when he has some time to relax. NBA owners work long hours, because in addition to running their basketball teams, they have other ventures.
Yeah, no kidding. I'm sure he just sits in his house and money just gets delivered to him. He probably busts his butt off at what he does and deserves what he's got.
Even in Les' first 2 years when we won rings I wasn't sold on the guy, or his attitude towards Houston. But then again when JVG got here I had a similar attitude. I'm glad he has a one house here now and he seems to be more in synch with the city. I still wish they'd asked him about JVG's "we have to take a risk" and "we have to be bold" comments, or at least how his balance sheet is looking these days.
We ALL probably bust our butts. Some just get paid more for it than others, Actually I've found that the higher up you get the less hard work you do; however, you endure far more stress, and your decision making processes are more demanding. Trying to decide which bolt on the tire to tighten in which sequence is agonizing. And then I have to give the tire to my assistant to mount. Managing him is grueling too! My new home on Little John will ready shortly. As soon as I buy it.
Taxes are a b****! Anyways, you knows it's off-season when the Chronicle has to write about Alexander's boring personal life. I do dine in occasionally though at Vic and Anthony's, so I might see him there next time, and hopefully I can entice him to offer Chandler a big fat contract with his recently fattened bank account
I hope we don't see any more posts about, "Les, the poorest owner in the NBA." It seems he is doing very well, thank you very much. Must be nice to have his lifestyle. Thanks for the read, Matador.
I worked at Lehman Bros on Wall Street in 1976 and 1977. Leslie Alexander was a bond trader at another brokerage house. He was in the bond trading business for more than 20 years. I was just a young - student - analyst, he was one of the "Lions". These guys usually go mental after a few years under excruciating pressure. He was in it a long time and it is testament to his perserverance that he did it for so long. I cannot imagine a harder job. There is so much money at stake to be made or lost in such a short time.... Sheer insanity. I hope he has a relaxing - fun life - he sure earned it for himself and those clients he made rich.
I doubt it. The stress might be high, but I doubt the work is heavy. Unless talking to people is hard work. And, yes, he could do nothing at all and still make money; his money is working for him.
In my eyes, Les is the best owner in the league and does whatever it takes each offseason to put a championship team on the floor...I truly believe this man wants to win, and I'm proud that he's the owner of our Rockets...so whatever goods that do come for him, good for him because he deserves it...
