May 9, 2003, 12:27PM Minority coalition threatens Rockets boycott By LORI RODRIGUEZ Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle A coalition of black and Hispanic organizations today threatened to boycott the Houston Rockets if owner Leslie Alexander does not live up to the spirit of a written agreement over minority contracting at the new arena. The groups have filed a lawsuit demanding that Alexander keep a promise for 30 percent of the contracts in the design, construction and long-term operations at the new arena. "If we have to strike an economic blow to get economic parity we will strike that blow. We are here for the long haul," said the Rev. William Lawson of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church and a member of the Baptist Ministers Association of Houston and Vicinty. The coalition includes the League of United Latin American Citizens, the Houston Area Urban League, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the NAACP Houston chapter.
This is being discussed in the Rockets Saved Forum: http://bbs.clutchcity.net/php3/showthread.php?s=&threadid=56845 To answer the question of whether or not it would have an effect, my guess is that it would be negligible but the public relations would not be good. This is just a way to push Alexander into settling this suit, which he is, in all probability, going to win. However, even if he wins, he could lose the PR battle over this thing, so it is in his best interests to get it worked out as quickly as possible.
Let 'em boycott. Screw them. Cut them out entirely. Deliver the whole lot of operating contracts to the thousands of other good minority companies that don't have a kickback built in, on better terms. Aramark sucks.
