What do you think about this? Does this mean the Hornets have to return?

http://www.newsok.com/docs/hornets_arena.pdf (http://www.newsok.com/docs/hornets_arena.pdf)

http://www.newsok.com/docs/hornets_relocate.pdf (http://www.newsok.com/docs/hornets_relocate.pdf)

haven't read through it all by a longshot, but I fast-forwarded to sections 2.3.2 through 2.3.4 which will show up in your PDF as page 22. Section 2.3.4 is the exit fee explanation and it says as such:

2.3.4 EXIT FEE: In the event this Agreement shall not have been terminated prior to June 30, 2012 and if the Hornets do not renew this Agreement as permitted by Section 2.3.2 above, then the Hornets shall pay to the State an exit fee of Ten Million Dollars, which shall be reduced by any unreimbursed transition and/or relocation expenses incurred by the Hornets in relocating from Charlotte, North Carolina, to New Orleans, Louisiana, including, without limitation, any relocation fee paid by the Hornets to the NBA in connection with such relocation (the EXIT FEE).

I'll let the legal minds on here tell me what that means, but I'm assuming it means that if they left NO before 2012, they'd only have to pay a penalty, right? And that if they left at the end of the contract in 2012, they could just go, right?

I was reading through these lease agreements. Basically NOLA was charging them $2 million a year for rent on the arena, plus expenses for office space.

Why doesn't OKC just offer them the Ford Center for free for 5 years, and the money Shinn will save on rent at Ford, he can spend on the buy out clause. The money we're makig off tax revenue is more than making up for the lease on the Ford Center.

Lease agreements are made to be broken. Colleges do it all the time when they fire coaches before their contracts are up. This won't be any different.