ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 11, 1993                   TAG: 9303110240
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: DALLAS                                LENGTH: Medium

DALLAS NEWEST NHL CITY

Minnesota North Stars owner Norman Green and the Dallas City Council on Wednesday night announced that the NHL club will move to Texas beginning with the 1993-94 season.

City council members met in executive session for more than two hours before clearing the way for the move. The North Stars' lease of Reunion Arena is subject to review and a March 17 final vote by the council.

"I'm very, very proud to be able to present to Dallas the National Hockey League," said Green, who presented North Stars jerseys to council members and Dallas Mayor Steve Barlett.

Green, who purchased the North Stars in 1990, has said the club has not turned a profit since 1985. This week he also complained of low ticket prices, rising salaries and lack of community support for the North Stars.

Fighting for first place in the Norris Division a month ago, Minnesota is now battling just to get into the playoffs.

The North Stars have played in Minnesota since entering the National Hockey League in 1967. Minneapolis business leaders had sweetened a deal to get the North Stars to move downtown to Target Center.

But Green last month said he was turning full attention to Dallas.

Negotiations have hinged on an agreement to share Reunion Arena with its principal tenant, the Dallas Mavericks.

"The Mavericks were happy to meet with the city to review the compatibility of the proposed North Stars' Reunion Arena lease with the Mavericks' lease," officials of the NBA franchise said in a statement. "The Mavericks do not oppose in any way the addition of another tenant to Reunion Arena."

The North Stars' move to Dallas comes at a tough time for the Central Hockey League, which must now compete with a professional team in that city.

Officials with the Dallas Freeze and Fort Worth Fire hope lower overhead costs will keep them competitive. 

Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.
by Archana Subramaniam by CNB