Post by fwp on May 13, 2009 16:02:22 GMT -5
www.houmatoday.com/article/20090513/SPORTS20/905139993/1032/SPORTS?Title=Conquerors-owner-pleased-with-lease-changes
HOUMA — When Houma Conquerors owner/coach Franklin Thomas compared his team's initial rental fee for its home games in the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center with those of other Southern Indoor Football League teams, he saw a big difference.
According to the team's first lease signed with Civic Center officials in February, the Conquerors had to pay a flat rental fee of $4,200 per event for the main halls and locker rooms and $300 per-room per-day, for additional space, such as a meeting room.
Thomas said that rental fee was the highest in the SIFL, which has four other charter teams playing in its inaugural season.
"All the other teams were paying between $1,800 to $2,000 per game," Thomas said. "We thought our cost was pretty high when looking around and doing research of the other teams' lease agreements. They even had teams in arenafootball2 that were paying lower lease rates than we were, and they were playing in bigger facilities."
Thomas said that forced the team to request a reduction its rental fee for its five remaining home games, and on Monday, the nine-member Terrebonne Parish Council unanimously agreed to reduce the rent at the parish-owned arena to a flat $2,500 per event charge for the main halls, locker rooms and one of the meeting rooms. The Council also agreed to a new rental flat fee of $150 per game to use the center's forklift and other equipment. Other changes include allowing the team to keep event-day equipment, including the field cover and dasher boards, at the Civic Center throughout the season. The team would have 45 days after the season to remove the equipment.
During an interview on Tuesday, Thomas said the rental adjustment keeps the Conquerors even with the other SIFL teams.
"It helps with longevity," Thomas said. "It assures us that the city of Houma wants us to be here for a long time, and we also want to be here for a long time."
Thomas said the Conquerors, a non-profit organization operated by Conquest Sports, which is owned by he and his wife Lenora, is "financially strong" and that ticket sales weren't the reason for the request. ......article continues in link.
HOUMA — When Houma Conquerors owner/coach Franklin Thomas compared his team's initial rental fee for its home games in the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center with those of other Southern Indoor Football League teams, he saw a big difference.
According to the team's first lease signed with Civic Center officials in February, the Conquerors had to pay a flat rental fee of $4,200 per event for the main halls and locker rooms and $300 per-room per-day, for additional space, such as a meeting room.
Thomas said that rental fee was the highest in the SIFL, which has four other charter teams playing in its inaugural season.
"All the other teams were paying between $1,800 to $2,000 per game," Thomas said. "We thought our cost was pretty high when looking around and doing research of the other teams' lease agreements. They even had teams in arenafootball2 that were paying lower lease rates than we were, and they were playing in bigger facilities."
Thomas said that forced the team to request a reduction its rental fee for its five remaining home games, and on Monday, the nine-member Terrebonne Parish Council unanimously agreed to reduce the rent at the parish-owned arena to a flat $2,500 per event charge for the main halls, locker rooms and one of the meeting rooms. The Council also agreed to a new rental flat fee of $150 per game to use the center's forklift and other equipment. Other changes include allowing the team to keep event-day equipment, including the field cover and dasher boards, at the Civic Center throughout the season. The team would have 45 days after the season to remove the equipment.
During an interview on Tuesday, Thomas said the rental adjustment keeps the Conquerors even with the other SIFL teams.
"It helps with longevity," Thomas said. "It assures us that the city of Houma wants us to be here for a long time, and we also want to be here for a long time."
Thomas said the Conquerors, a non-profit organization operated by Conquest Sports, which is owned by he and his wife Lenora, is "financially strong" and that ticket sales weren't the reason for the request. ......article continues in link.