WNBA's Dream May Have Buyer

((HT: AJC/Swartz))

Kathy Betty, widow of former EarthLink CEO Garry Betty and a major contributor to Georgia Tech's basketball teams, has emerged as the top prospect to buy all or part of the Atlanta Dream, Central Atlanta Progress President A.J. Robinson said.

"Talks have involved into her taking that role or taking a bigger role in the team," Robinson said late Friday morning.

Current Dream owner Ron Terwilliger told the WNBA in August that he wanted to relinquish his position of primary owner of the two-year old professional women's basketball team. Terwilliger, chairman and chief executive officer of Atlanta-based Trammell Crow Residential, said he intended to remain an investor in the team.

Trammell Crow is one of the nation's largest developers of apartments and condominiums. As with the rest of the real estate industry, his business has suffered because of the recession.

On top of that, Terwilliger has moved to New York and has had unspecified changes that prevent him from being actively involved with the team and in the Atlanta community, said Bob Hope, president of the Hope-Beckham public relations firm.

The Dream made substantial gains in the win-loss column under second-year Head Coach Marynell Meadors. Chamique Holdsclaw will do that, right...? It included a playoff berth, but the team is more known for having to move their games since "Sesame Street Live" had Philips Arena first.