Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is responding to accusations and a lawsuit by former Mavs owner Ross Perot Jr. by saying Perot is "desperate,'' "is trying to find nickels in the sofa cushion'' and is the reason for what seems to be a contentious relationship that Cuban says is proof "that the biggest mistake I made in buying the Mavs was in not completely buying out his interest.'' Perot's Hillwood Center Partners holds a small interest in the arena's limited partnership. Another Perot company sold the Mavs franchise to Cuban in 2000. Perot is now saying that $29 million in "unauthorized loans'' was mishandled by the franchise.
According to a story on the CBS11 website, Hillwood spokesman Eddie Reeves said the company tried unsuccessfully to resolve its issue with Cuban before filing the lawsuit last week in state district court in Dallas. "At this point, we feel this is the only option we are left," Reeves said.
The TV station has Cuban's emailed
response to its questions about the dispute. Writes Cuban:
http://cbs11tv.com/local/Lawsuit.accuses.cuban.2.1093411.html
"I can only offer my opinion, which is that Ross Perot Jr. must be desperate from the losses he has suffered
from Victory and his hedge funds. My lawyers have been open with our minority partners, and in Mr. Perot's case, very minority, about the loans to the
Mavericks. The loans have been used to put the best possible Mavericks team on the court, which in turn created the NBA's longest sellout streak and drove
business to the AAC/COC and to Perot's Victory development. As best I could tell, he was very happy to take advantage of the traffic when he had an
economic interest in Victory to do so. Unfortunately for Mr. Perot, he was apparently unable to capitalize on the benefit and i s trying to find nickels in the
sofa cushion.
"It is my understanding that Mr. Perot has received legal notice of the loans since they began, right after the
Mavs appearance in the Finals as we tried to improve the team further. Only he knows why he has chosen to file a lawsuit and to make it public. The unfortunate
reality is that this is the nature of our business relationship with Mr. Perot. From all I can tell, he could care less if the Mavs ever win a game. I have to
tell you that the biggest mistake I made in buying the Mavs was in not completely buying out his interest."
