Rumors resurface that Aeros are leaving Houston

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As the Houston Chronicle first reported in January, it appears the Houston Aeros' 19-year run in Houston is all but over.

An announcement could be coming in the next couple of weeks, basically after the Aeros' season, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported Tuesday.

The Aeros, affliated with the NHL's Minnesota Wild, are expected to move to Des Moines, Iowa.

The reason for the move was that the team has been unable to extend its lease at Toyota Center.

The Harris County-Houston Sports Authority has looked into alternative venues – primarily Reliant Arena – for the minor league hockey franchise but has found none suitable.

No officials from the Aeros, Wild or Toyota Center have commented on the news yet.

The Aeros came to Houston in 1994 as part of the International Hockey Legue and won an IHL title in 1999 and later an American Hockey League title in 2003 after joining the AHL in 2001. That season, the Aeros became an affiliate of the Minnesota Wild of the NHL. Minnesota bought a majority share of the Aeros in 2003.

The Aeros were Houston's second time around with pro hockey. Houston was a member of the upstart World Hockey Association that tried to take on the NHL from 1972-1978 with star players like Gordie Howe. The original Aeros won two WHA titles before folding in 1978, one season before the WHA closed its doors.

After playing at the Compaq Center (originally the Summit), the Aeros moved to Toyota Center for the 2003-04 season. The team got a five-year lease extension after the 2008 season when it had considered moving to Des Moines, Iowa.

But with that lease expiring at the end of the season – the last regular-season home game is Saturday and the last away game is April 21st. Although the Aeros are likely to host a playoff game – the latest chapter in Houston hockey likely is nearing an end.