"The state will spend $1.5 million on the practice center this year and the rest in later years.
The dollars were included in Gov. Kathleen Blanco's recommendations for construction projects to be funded with state dollars, and those recommendations received unanimous Bond Commission approval.
The city of New Orleans has set aside more than $6 million to help pay for the project, which is estimated to cost more than $20 million.
In the meantime, the Hornets are practicing rent-free in the state-owned Alario Center in suburban Westwego, where they also practiced for their first three seasons in New Orleans before being temporarily displaced to Oklahoma City by Hurricane Katrina before the 2005-06 season."(Source)
So we shouldn't be hearing anything else about the despair New Orleans' residents are in trying to rebuild their homes or relocate back to their hometown, right?
If a damn NBA team can go rent free and receive money to build a new practice facility, there should be no more FEMA trailers by next year. Those homes that are just sitting unclaimed can be demolished and the streets clear of debris and new homes can be built, right or wrong?
The message is being sent loud and clear to me.
I know sports is a vital asset to a city, but come on, the Hornets couldn't find a corporate sponsor for a $20 million practice facility?
This is amazing.
