Thursday, January 21, 2010

Fox26 is en fuego

Fox 26 has another story, one that differs a bit from Bernardo Fallas' story regarding the potential sale of the Astros.

Houston businessman Neil Leibman is a part of the 10-12 investors working through the firm in New York to purchase the team. And they're going to come strong. (pause for snickering).

Mark Berman says:
Leibman said Great Court Capital, led by its lead negotiator Mark Isaacson, has assured the local investors the group will have what it takes to get the job done.

Leibman:
"We have a strong group in Great Court Capital and they have represented to us they will have sufficient capital at closing. We have a well-respected leader in Harvey Schiller who has been in communication with Major League Baseball. Drayton wants local ownership - He will not leave his franchise in bad hands."

Well, now. That sounds serious. What's the financial range?
Leibman said a firm price has not been established, but the group and McLane are working toward that.

"We have a range and I'm not allowed to talk about that range. There are documents moving back and forth."


And Leibman, who is Chairman/CEO of the Boise Hawks, as well as co-managing general partner of the Mobile Bay Bears in Alabama, and a limited partner in the Mahoning Valley Scrappers in Ohio, is fired up about owning a major-league team:
"It is my dream to be involved in Major League Baseball, especially with one as highly regarded as the Houston Astros. It is the reason I'm involved with minor league baseball because baseball is my passion."

So this sounds a little more serious than Drayton would lead us to believe.