A while back, Harris County Commissioners Court asked a county official to look at the Sports Authority and recommend what should be done with it. The Chronicle‘s Bill Murphy has the story:
Staff and operations at the Harris County Sports Authority, created to oversee the construction of the city’s new pro sports venues, should be reduced, but not dissolved, a county official says.
Since construction has been completed, the authority has aided efforts to bring more attractions to the venues — a marketing responsibility best left to other groups, said Dick Raycraft, county director of management services.
“I don’t think the authority needs to be running around marketing for events,” he said Friday.
That argument — that the Sports Authority fulfills a marketing role — is one of the reasons Sports Authority CEO Oliver Luck has given for why the entity should not be dismantled. But that reason is not within the purview of the Sports Authority. The other reason Luck likes to give for keeping the Sports Authority up and running is bond management — that no other entity can manage and pay off the bonds that were issued to pay for the three venues.
The authority has an operating budget this year of nearly $2.9 million.
That includes $473,000 for legal expenses, investment management fees and auditors, and $245,000 in bond insurance.
Director Oliver Luck is paid $200,000. It has five other employees making a combined $622,000.
The sports authority’s job, now that venues are built, is to pay off $1.04 billion in bond debt owed on Minute Maid Park, Reliant Stadium and Toyota Center.
Holy guacamole! Six employees who make more than $800,000 per year are needed to pay off bonds??!! No wonder Luck is working so hard to get a soccer team here. That’s a whole lotta dough that needs to be justified!
The rest of the story has more details of Raycraft’s recommendations, Judge Eckels’ desire to dismantle the Sports Authority, and HCHSA board chair Billy Burge whining. Jack Rains is not quoted in the story, so it’s unclear if he was given an opportunity to respond.
We, of course, agree with Judge Eckels, Commissioner Radack and Jack Rains, that the Sports Authority has outlived its mission and should be dismantled. Reducing the Sports Authority’s staffing and current purpose, and combining it with the Convention and Visitors Bureau is a step in the right direction.
RELATED: Billy Burge: THE best reason to shut down the Sports Authority! (bH), Jack Rains’ letter in the Chronicle (bH)
