Somewhat lost in the shuffle of the Atlanta Thrashers relocation story has been the Atlanta Spirit Group's reported plan to also unload the Atlanta Hawks and Philips Arena, meaning they're reportedly looking to get out of the game entirely. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Tim Tucker reports outgoing San Diego Padres owner John Moores is the person we've been hearing about with an exclusive negotiating agreement for the Hawks and the arena.
Moores is from Texas, a University of Houston graduate. He worked for IBM and Shell Oil before founding a software company and later working in venture capital before buying the Padres, which he sold. He's been very involved with the San Diego Zoo, ACLU, a sub-saharan African charity and other philanthropic ventures.
Georgia connections? Well, he succeeded Jimmy Carter as chair of Emory University's Carter Center.
We'll have to wait and see whether Moores or anybody else takes the Hawks away from the ASG, as the AJC report says the deal is far from settled and the two parties are far apart.
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