Animal rights-backer to sell meat in new arena

[Guest guest]

at least he is making veg options available

 

 

Animal rights-backer to sell meat in new arena

 

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Associated Press

 

 

HOUSTON -- Houston Rockets owner Leslie Alexander, a vegetarian and

animal rights advocate, will sell plenty of meat when he gains

control of concession stands at the city's new arena next year.

 

" In this particular case I have no choice, " Alexander said, calling a

meatless U.S. sports arena financially " unreasonable. "

 

Alexander, the multimillionaire bond trader who splits time among a

Houston apartment, a New York home and an office in Boca Raton, Fla.,

bought the team in 1993 and has been a tenant at Compaq Center ever

since.

 

While he receives no money from concessions at the Rockets' current

home, Alexander will oversee food and drink sales at the new place.

This week, Alexander said he would make meat-free foods and other non-

traditional arena items available alongside standbys like hot dogs.

 

" We are not going to push it, but it's going to be easier for people

who are vegetarians, who are Asian and who are Hispanic to get the

food they want, " Alexander said. " We are going to make it more

encompassing. "

 

Alexander previously has found other avenues to promote animal rights

through the Rockets. Complimentary media meals usually are

vegetarian, the team's dance squad sometimes wears " Animals Have

Rights " shirts and he outlawed using creature-shaped pinatas during

game promotions.

 

His soon-to-be-ex-wife Nanci, who leads an animal rights group in

Florida, has lobbied the NBA to stop using leather balls and

reportedly refused to live in Houston because of the prominent annual

rodeo.

 

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which counts the

Alexanders among its strongest supporters, said Tuesday it supports

Alexander's efforts even though he'll soon be profiting from meat

sales.

 

" He's in charge of his money and his first interest is making sure

his investment pays off, " PETA campaign coordinator Dan Shannon said

from his Norfolk, Va., office. " I think if he's offering other

options, that will be very exciting and will be a huge step forward

in itself. "

 

Coincidentally, the group rated nearby Minute Maid Park, the Houston

Astros' home, as among the most vegetarian-friendly Major League

Baseball stadiums. New Reliant Stadium, home of the NFL's expansion

Texans, concentrates on traditional meaty fare and the team even

promotes barbecue recipes for pregame tailgaters on its Web site.

 

The Harris County-Houston Sports Authority has sold $256 million in

bonds, backed by hotel and car rental taxes, to build the new arena

near the George R. Brown Convention Center. It will replace Compaq

Center, which was called The Summit when it opened in the autumn of

1975.