HUGE NEWS! Clay Bennett & Co. buy Supersonics!

[Easy180]

Yeah I read that on the PI this morning...My thinking is the lease may already be broken before they even get it on the ballot in February....Bennett and co. will be looking to get this done as quickly as possible and will be ready to pay big bucks to do so

[betts]

I don't know about paying the big bucks happily, since we're a smaller market with no assurance of long term success. The SOS and Citizens for More Important Things shenanigans may make Clay mad, which probably works in our favor, but I wouldn't assume it's all a done deal. There are many things which could happen between now and next November that could have an affect on whether the Sonics move here. I'm not counting my chickens.

[Easy180]

Absolutely Betts...Not counting on it either...My post was just assuming nothing substantial pops up over the next three months

Of course my banking experience gives me all kinds of insight into owning sports teams and negotiating leases

Wonder what others who may be a little more informed about it feel about how long the negotiations might take (If they take place at all)...Know it would be complete guesswork, but are we talking 2 to 3 months?

[Midtowner]

Absolutely Betts...Not counting on it either...My post was just assuming nothing substantial pops up over the next three months

Of course my banking experience gives me all kinds of insight into owning sports teams and negotiating leases

Wonder what others who may be a little more informed about it feel about how long the negotiations might take (If they take place at all)...Know it would be complete guesswork, but are we talking 2 to 3 months?

Oh.. your dad didn't teach you everything there is to know about owning sports teams and negotiating leases?

What a deprived childhood

[HOT ROD]

I had to respond to JWil

as far as the OK commentary I had, I was born and raised there - so I know. And I know OK is trying to change and become more progressive which is good.

But I do still see that old habits die hard and the marriage comments above had to be addressed. For one thing, these people who were attacked even here ARE an active portion of the economy and your city, and they dont pick on you - so why the crass comment on marriage of two people who love each other??

Regardless of what they do or practice on their own time, they should not be discriminated and it should not be tolerated, esp by using the church/God.

[HOT ROD]

As for the Sonics

the SOS is just a despirate last attempt by a few Sonics fans and they haven't even really gotten very much support, I think only a few hundred people online.

They are trying to get people to sign outside of Mariner games but ....

honestly, nobody here cares!

While I agree that we shouldn't jump to the gun, Clay obviously wanted to move the Sonics to OKC all along, so none of his actions should be a surprise, much less to Oklahomans. I guess you guys are somewhat used to being used as a pawn,

But think back on ALL of the other dealings, where OKC WAS in fact a pawn. The OWNER or Corporation was NOT located in Oklahoma City, but Bennett and the Pro BBall LLC which owns the Sonics and Storm ARE!!!

And notice, that Bennett said KC and Vegas were "options being investigated" just to keep people off his back - NOW he said KC can't hang with OKC and that OKC is the ONLY market right now which could guarantee profitability!!!!

While I agree, may not be a done deal yet - but I'd say its 99% and less than 14 weeks to go. ...

[BricktownGuy]

Sonics, Storm still at odds with city over arena


August 2, 2007
SEATTLE (TICKER) -- It looks as if the Seattle SuperSonics will be looking for a new home.

SuperSonics chairman Clay Bennett announced Tuesday that the franchise is not interested in renovating KeyArena, which has hosted the team for over a decade.

KeyArena, which also is the home of the WNBA's Seattle Storm, opened in October 1995, but ownership has made it clear in the past few years that it wants a new arena to keep up with the rest of the league.

The city of Seattle, however, has not cooperated. And according to Bennett, the franchises will not accept anything less than a new venue.

"In issuing our call to action last month, we were hopeful the mayor would use his regional leadership platform to rally support for a solution," Bennett said in a statement. "Instead, he focused on old unworkable concepts that are not acceptable.
"It is clear that if all we have to discuss is the renovation of KeyArena, then a meeting with the mayor will not be productive or necessary."

The Sonics do have some leverage in the situation thanks to the arrival of 18-year-old phenom Kevin Durant after this June's draft. The much-hyped scoring machine figures to help resurrect the Sonics not only with his play on the court but with his marketability off it.

As a result, the team wants a sparkling new home for its brand new star.
"We have been clear since July 18, 2006, the day the sale of the Sonics and Storm was announced, that KeyArena is not an option as a future home for the teams,"

Bennett said. "We stated at that time that we would work diligently towards the development of a successor venue."

But if no agreement can be reached, there are always other options. Oklahoma City, which hosted the New Orleans Hornets for parts of the past two seasons, is a viable solution.

The city earned a reputation as an enthusiastic spot for a professional team, selling out nearly every contest at the Ford Center.

In light of the NBA's recent gambling scandal, Las Vegas, the home of last season's All-Star Game, also is a longshot. But Bennett, for his part, is willing to work things out with Seattle if it is interested.

"We can only hope that business, civic and elected leadership can step up quickly and offer real solutions to help build a new building," he said. "We stand ready to engage in those discussions."

Sonics, Storm still at odds with city over arena - NBA - Yahoo! Sports

[Bobby H]

Key Arena was originally built in 1983. The facility had a massive renovation completed in 1995, costing over $100 million.

That basically means if the Sonics relocate to Oklahoma City, the local taxpayers can expect to cough up several hundred million dollars to replace the still brand new Ford Center is just a few years. Gotta "keep up" with the way how taxpayers in other major cities are getting bent over.

Professional, for-profit, sports businesses are going to get a wake up call in the coming years handed to them by angry tax payers. These stadiums are getting ever more outrageously expensive and strangely having shorter and shorter life spans.

Any building that costs $100 million (or several times that figure now) should be able to stand for several decades -not just a mere 10 years or so.

Few arenas and stadiums manage to be built using only private funds. Most pro sports franchises expect taxpayers to foot the bill. Basically it is socialized construction to satisfy the extravagant whims of a few rich business people. Taxpayers aren't going to put up with this kind of abuse forever.

With the I-35W bridge collapse putting the spotlight on this nation's crumbling infrastructure the act of funding pro sports arenas with taxpayer dollars seems ever more inappropriate. This nation really needs to get its priorities straight.

[Luke]

Why not just renovate and add lotsa amenities to the Ford Center? What in the world would we do with the Ford Center if another huge arena was built downtown?

[JWil]

Key Arena was originally built in 1983. The facility had a massive renovation completed in 1995, costing over $100 million.

That basically means if the Sonics relocate to Oklahoma City, the local taxpayers can expect to cough up several hundred million dollars to replace the still brand new Ford Center is just a few years. Gotta "keep up" with the way how taxpayers in other major cities are getting bent over.

Professional, for-profit, sports businesses are going to get a wake up call in the coming years handed to them by angry tax payers. These stadiums are getting ever more outrageously expensive and strangely having shorter and shorter life spans.

Any building that costs $100 million (or several times that figure now) should be able to stand for several decades -not just a mere 10 years or so.

Few arenas and stadiums manage to be built using only private funds. Most pro sports franchises expect taxpayers to foot the bill. Basically it is socialized construction to satisfy the extravagant whims of a few rich business people. Taxpayers aren't going to put up with this kind of abuse forever.

With the I-35W bridge collapse putting the spotlight on this nation's crumbling infrastructure the act of funding pro sports arenas with taxpayer dollars seems ever more inappropriate. This nation really needs to get its priorities straight.

Several things:

1. The Key was opened in 1962 as the Seattle Center Coliseum. KeyArena - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2. The MAPs Arena (aka Ford Center) was designed, built and planned to be a short-term stopgap to attract an NBA or NHL team to OKC. That's it. It was never planned to be a 50-year arena solution for OKC. The thinking was: "If we build it and someone comes, we'll build something top-notch 5-10 years down the line after they get here. If not, we have a very nice arena for concerts, NCAA, etc." So this part of things isn't a surprise. When Core to Shore is rolled into MAPs3 (my prediction anyway), it will have plans for a new arena. That's always been in the works. And after the Hornets success, it's a certainty. I expect a new arena in OKC by 2015.

3. OKC Taxpayers will put up with this "abuse," because MAPs and MFK passed and have been a huge success. MAPs3 will overwhelmingly pass, because it'll include a new arena, probably another convention center and the south downtown master plan to eat up the space created from the I-40 relocation.

I figure it this way: If I have to pay taxes to support folks on welfare and never making an attempt to get off, I'll gladly pay taxes to sit in a great sports arena. I'm more angry about socialized welfare programs than building things for the benefit of a city.

[bombermwc]

Total agreement JWill. I just hope the average Joe will keep this in mind.

[Cid]

Why not just renovate and add lotsa amenities to the Ford Center? What in the world would we do with the Ford Center if another huge arena was built downtown?

To put it as simple as possible, the Ford Center CAN'T be what it needs to be. No amount of renovation, short of literally raising the roof and everything from just below Club Level, can make the Ford Center into a modern-day NBA arena. We would want the building to last at least 20 years, and in the NBA economy, the Ford Center can't cut it for even the 1st year of a long-term deal. No amount of marble floors and self-flushing toilets could do what the arena needs.

[Kerry]

MAPS 1 was just to catch up with other peer cities. MAPS 3 will put us in the lead.

[BDP]

The thing i hate most about this idea of building a new arena is that it would mean it would no longer be in its current location. I can't think of a better location. It's easily accessible from every major downtown district, even by Oklahoma standards.

[bombermwc]

Yes, but I think the agreed upon solution is to have MAPs3 include the new arena...but not have it scheduled to be built until after a new convention center is built. That way we can tear down the Myriad and have a good large lot for a full sized facility and also have them next door still. It's really a win win because once I-40 is gone, they can add the better entry facade on the south side of the Ford Center and then still make it so that the convention center at least has the possibility of being close to the arenas.

[Luke]

Well, I understand that any new arena will be used for the Sonics and maybe other headline events, but still my question remains. What are we going to do with two 20,000 seat arenas "across the street from eachother?"

[betts]

I would think that a new arena would mean the Cox is no longer with us. Either it will be done away with as part of a remodel of the convention center or the Cox Convention Center as a whole will no longer be with us. So, the Ford will serve the purpose of the Cox now. It will house the Blazers and events that don't need the more upscale venue.

Although I'm not a big believer in arenas being huge money generators for a city if it has a professional team, the one exception to that rule is if we have events that bring people from other cities to Oklahoma City. Events like the Big Twelve Tournament over time probably generate enough out of town revenue to pay for an inexpensive arena like the Ford.

For a new arena, you have to look at what a professional team will do for the city, as much, if not more, than how much revenue it will generate. Having a professional NBA team puts your city on ESPN at least 81 nights a year. Your city is part of many of the news articles that are written about the NBA in general. You join that elite group of cities considered professional team worthy. You can't buy that kind of advertising for $89 million dollars. I firmly believe it makes a city more attractive to new business and college graduates with professional degrees or skills the city needs. I think an NBA team is just what OKC needs to take the next step into a higher tier.

[okclee]

Let's not forget Clay Bennett is the real reason that the Key arena is unaceptable. He wants to bring the team to his hometown of Okla City. If he truly wanted to stay then something would get worked out somewhere down the line.

Bennett wants to move it is that simple.

This is good for Okc, let's not get caught up in thinking that the Ford Center isn't good enough in just a couple of years. With a few upgrades the Ford Center will be home to an NBA team for many years to come as long as Bennett is the owner.

[metro]

Exactly what we did this last spring Luke, only on a bigger scale. Attract more large events. We hosted the BIG 12 Basketball Championships both men and women. The men played in the Ford and the women in the Cox Center. The Cox Center will not cut it. As someone said, we're just now catching up to our peer cities, we need a MAPS3 if we're ever going to get ahead. These huge sporting events, Big 12, NCAA tournaments, etc. love to have venues next to each other as well as close to entertainment districts and hotels. OKC would be foolish not to use money to upgrade the Ford Center immediately when we land an NBA team and already be planning to build a new arena in the next few years.

[Luke]

Interesting stuff...

I don't see why the Ford Center can't be upgraded?

[metro]

okclee, I agree with you, Bennett is wanting to move the NBA to OKC priority #1. I do think you're fooling yourself however if you don't think he'll demand a new arena be on the table within 5 years and not have it built by 2015. He'll demand/expect immediate upgrades to the Ford Center as soon as we get a franchise.

betts, totally agree with you. FYI the Ford Center is already paid off, we will have to upgrade immediately after getting an NBA franchise however.

[betts]

betts, totally agree with you. FYI the Ford Center is already paid off, we will have to upgrade immediately after getting an NBA franchise however.

Can't believe I forgot that! I agree that we need immediate upgrades. The floor needs to be something other than concrete, the bathrooms don't need to look like they're at Walmart. We need at least one nicer restaurant and the Ice House needs to at least be finished. We need new video screens and a sound system, and rumor has it the locker rooms need to be improved significantly.

I was in Boston a few weeks ago and toured the Fleet Center (Now Banknorth Center or some such name). The walls were painted cinder block and the visitors locker rooms were nothing special. But they had granite tile on the floors on the first floor and carpet on the second. They had one nice restaurant with linen table cloths and a pub style restaurant for season ticket holders. The biggest difference was that they had two rows of luxury suites, totalling about a hundred, but the arena actually seats about 700 less than the Ford Center. It was nothing like AA Arena in Dallas, but definitely nicer than the Ford. Nothing there, with the exception of the extra 50 luxury boxes, though, couldn't easily be done to the Ford, probably for a reasonably small amount of money. Rather than going all out on the Ford Center, I'd like to put some of that money towards a new arena.

Mick Cornett has been very upfront about us needing a new arena. I suspect he's talked to Clay on numerous occasions, as well as David Stern. He's been emphatic about a new arena and a practice facility, and I'm sure he's hearing we need one from them.

[HOT ROD]

at least 81-ESPN nights plus the network's mentioning of OKC ____. PLUS

A WNBA team which means that OKC would have major league sports events YEAR ROUND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What to do with Ford once the new sparkling arena ist built? Who knows, we'll pass that bridge when we get there.

But right now, clay wants the franchise here which means OKC will get an NBA and WNBA team in a year!!! Plain and simple.

I dont care what those crazy Sonics fans say about Seattle's size, market, tradition, bla bla bla. A guy from OKC bought the franchise, and in order to remain in Seattle - we (Seattleites) have to build him a worthy arena. Perhaps its an excuse, probably - but that is fact. And since we AINT gonna do it, OKC gets the franchise.

Now, what I recommend we do with the Cox - tear it down after a brand new state-of-the-art convention center (as in being able to host a national convention) ist built in the Core-to-Shore/Bricktown boundary area. This could tie into the rr tracks so that access is readily available. Tearing down the Cox will open up 4 city square blocks to expand the CBD with skyscrapers.

Along with building the convention center, we'd then build the state-of-the-art arena with the intent to last 20+ years (then with upgrades, perhaps longer). We could build it on the other side of the new boulevard, facing Ford. So, perhaps the steps might be greater than 58 but still should be less than 100!!

Building them facing each other just creates an ATMOSPHERE of a Big City that you know 'something is going on here. ...' I liken it to how in Seattle, we have our two stadiums - Qwest Field (NFL) and Safeco Field (MLB) right next to each other but the street separating the two is weak! Having a major downtown boulevard like the one which will replace I-40 inbetween the two arenas just makes the whole area become a landmark attraction!!!

So, 1) build the convention center, preferably on the other side of EK Gaylord and/or the rr tracks. Perhaps we could even make the Convention Center "hover" over the tracks .. so that part of it is accessible on the EK Gaylord (Core-to-Shore) side and the main part is in the new Bricktown part - maybe even running toward the canal (now that would be SWEET!!!! Expecially with LOTS of GLASS and flanked by highrise hotels!!! Oh boy......

2) build the new arena. This time, well spend $250M (vs. $89M + 50M for upgrades) and get an arena which looks in quality like BOK but is very large and functional like the United Center in Chicago. Perhaps by then (im guessing 2015??), Kevin Durant is almost as iconic as Michael Jordan (nobody can ever top MJ, sorry) and CP3 also takes prominence as an OKC player - we make statues of them in front of the arena. Speaking of which, the arena is constructed on the other side of I-40 from Ford Center (so it could be built while I-40/new downtown boulevard work is happening). Part of the Ford Center upgrade included expanding the south facade, so once the new boulevard is built; the two arenas facing each other becomes a landmark (perhaps a world one at that. ...).

3) once we have the new convention center built and the new arena is close to finish, we could then raze the Cox. Im sorry, but we should spend NO MORE $$ on upgrading it. the West and East sides of it are eyesores, and it would cost way too much to "FIX" the Cox.

4) Besides, we need to grow the CBD in its original footprint and by removing the cox we would gain 4-square blocks. We could line the robinson side with highrise apts / hotels so that the Myriad Gardens has somewhat of a Central Park feel to it. And since there are already hotels in this area but they really are not Convention Hotels (which will be built next to the new convention center anyways [hopefully no less than 2000 rooms]), the existing hotels would just become downtown business hotels, which are also needed!!!

5) Now all of this is built and we've extended the Myriad Gardens, built the kick-a** convention center and new arena, created the new space as part of the core-to-shore, built the downtown trolley circular tying it all together and the first line of commuter rail, and by now (2016?) experienced a HUGE population and corporate jump due to the 8-year publicity of the city's successful NBA and WNBA franchise, the city has a metro pop approaching 2M so now we can have a MAPS IV discussion for an NFL downtown stadium. The idea is, across the new arena toward the new I-40, land exists which should be where the new stadium is built. We should demand a stadium no smaller than 62,000 - state-of-the-art with retractable roof and all amenities. Having the stadium, new arena, and Ford Center in a line right next to each other with the Convention Center on the other side of the line created by all three; creates a big city Stadium district!!! In this subsection of core-to-shore, there would be tons restaurants that would have been generated from all of this public investment. And with the addition of the new stadium, OKC now joins the Upper Tier II ranking and FINALLY gets the top prize - an NFL team in football crazy country. Heck no would the team COMPETE with OU, not at all - OU plays on every other Saturday in the Fall and the NFL plays on Sundays, sometimes on Thursdays, Mondays, and the occasional Friday (and Sat/playoffs). Since OKC would now have the perverbial 2M mark reached and all of this going on - the NFL would DIE to come here and establish a great rivalry with the Dallas Cowboys, Houston whoevertheyare, Denver Broncos, and KC and STL's teams, not to mention the New Orleans Saints (if they're still around). Talk about regional rivalry, this would be the greatest since the city's NBA and WNBA teams came in and created the frenzy with Dallas Mavericks, Houston, San Antonio, and the Hornets!!

Oh, WRWA builds the East Concourse in 2010 because in 2007 they break the 4M mark and OKC continues to get point-to-point flights and even some as mainliners. This is one of the reasons for the increase in companies relocating to business friendly OKC as well; so WRWA builds the Center Concourse, completing the T pattern in its terminal configuration. Oh, and now OKC has nonstop international flights to Vancouver, Toronto, London, Mexico City, and several other places where there are stong population and/or corporate ties. MAPS 4 also creates a new comprehensive transportation system that expands on tha which begun under Maps III, so that now commute patterns are established for the over 120,000 downtown CBD workforce, not including the 70,000 in the Oklahoma Health Center and St. Anthony medical corridor, and the 40,000 state employees. Oklahoma City has become in effect, the new and IMPROVED Dallas complete with an identity of its own and a mind for success. In 2015, everyone in the country has at least heard good things about OKC and nobody would ever contrive OKC as being backwater, its funny because people now - in 2015, just laugh at all of the hassle that took place in 2007 with regard to the Sonics, who actually are back in Seattle as a new Franchise (since Seattle built an arena finally).

Oh, it sometimes PAYS to dream!!!!

[Nixon7]

Would the NFL really make a push to come here since there are so many teams you just mentioned in the region?

[SouthsideSooner]

The plot thickens as things take another interesting turn.



Sonics Insider

Gov. Chris Gregoire, shown above, plans to reach out to Sonics chairman Clay Bennett to discuss plans for a new arena in the Seattle area, according to a state senator.
Those plans took a turn for the worse on Thursday, when Bennett and Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels traded jabs through the media.
The verbal sparring came a day after Nickels said if the Sonics ownership group committed $100 million to building a new arena or remodeling KeyArena, he would find public resources to help get the project done.
Bennett, seizing on the remodeling aspect of Nickels’ statement, said a discussion on remodeling KeyArena would not be productive or necessary.
Nickels essentially said if Bennett wanted to limit the discussion to a buyout of the KeyArena lease, then he shouldn’t bother coming to Seattle.
Gregoire, according to spokesperson Holly Armstrong, reiterated her support for keeping the Seattle SuperSonics and the Storm, but did not comment specifically on the arena situation.
However, Sen. Margarita Prentice said she spoke with Gregoire at a fundraiser in Renton on Thursday, and that Gregoire said she planned to set up a conference call with Bennett in the next few days in order to discuss the possibility of building a new arena in the Seattle area.
“This will be conversation involving people who are serious about addressing the arena situation,” Prentice said. “I just feel she’s got her heart and soul in this. She really wants to keep them here.”
Prentice, who championed Bennett’s failed attempt in Olympia last session to secure $300 million in public funds for a $500 million new arena in Renton, still believes that Bennett wants to keep the Sonics in Seattle.
She said Bennett made an error in thinking Nickels could be the point man in putting an arena package together.
“He assumed that Mayor Nickels is some kind of regional leader who would bring local leaders together and include other communities,” Prentice said. “That was a serious misperception.
“This is the second owner who has made it very clear that KeyArena is not only not suitable, but it is impossible. Clay Bennett has been very direct. And so has Howard Schultz. And people get angry when they get told the truth. But I very much want to see basketball remain here.”
State auditor Brian Sonntag said he’s still willing to act as a facilitator in bringing groups together to discuss putting together an arena deal.
And he would like to see the war of words end.
“I guess what’s so disappointing to me is to listen to these guys talk at each other from 1,000 miles apart rather than talk with each other in the same room,” Sonntag said. “I don’t know whose fault it is and I don’t care whose fault it is. I would rather see them working toward a solution.”
Also on Friday the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe released a progress report on a feasibility study to look at a potential new arena in Auburn next to Emerald Downs.
Brailsford and Dunlavey, a Washington, D.C. firm that specializes in facility planning and program management, is performing the study.
According to the report, a preliminary analysis indicates that Seattle is a strong NBA market. Also, a drive-time analysis shows little difference between customers who would drive to KeyArena and a potential new facility in Auburn, according to the report.
“They are continuing the work, the progress is ongoing and we expect a full report by the end of August,” said Rollin Fatland, spokesperson for the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe.