HUGE NEWS! Clay Bennett & Co. buy Supersonics!

[Midtowner]

I want it to be built at the bottom of a lake.. underwater.. with sharks swimming around outside.

-- and free wifi.

[metro]

BDP- There wasn't a seperate MAPS II, MAPS for Kids was "MAPS II" if you will. MAPS 3 would be a possible new arena and other projects.

Kerry- Bennett has already publicly said many times that he is not splitting up the Sonics and Storm. He mentioned the Storm will stay/go and play wherever the Sonics play. So if they do move to OKC, then the Storm will also play in OKC. Tulsa will not be an option.

OUAdonis- so are you wanting a castle type arena proposed by mranderson with a moat around it? He called it Heartland Castle, I personally think a castle would look funny in urban OKC. Too Excalibur/Vegasesque.

[Intrepid]

I have a question for the masses. What would everyone’s requirement be for a new basketball arena?

Two words:


RETRACTABLE DOME!

[CuatrodeMayo]

http://www.okctalk.com/okc-metro-are...stle#post81743

[El Gato Pollo Loco!!!]

... with sharks swimming around outside...

With laser beams attatched to their heads.....

Would someone throw me a freakin' bone here people!!!

[Kerry]

Thank you for setting the Heartland Castle record straight CuatrodeMayo. I would like to limit seating to 19,500. One of the problems Charlotte has is too many seats. They could never build a sense of urgency in the fan base to buy season tickets beacuse they know single game seats will always be available.

[Karried]

From today's NewsOK:

sheesh...

Wed August 29, 2007
Cornett disputes report on Sonics, Bennett


By The Associated Press
Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett said Wednesday that reports in a Washington newspaper that seem to indicate city officials have spoken with members of the Seattle SuperSonics' ownership group about a possible move are "preposterous."


Cornett told The Associated Press the city's official position regarding its attempts to land an NBA franchise have not changed.

"We're not proactively pursuing any specific franchise right now and don't feel like it's appropriate to do so," Cornett said. "...We are poised and ready (and) if a franchise becomes available, we will pursue it vigorously."

The Tacoma News Tribune, citing an anonymous employee of the Sonics, reported Saturday that Clay Bennett, an Oklahoma City businessman and the leader of the team's ownership group, told team employees during a meeting last week that Oklahoma City would pay the team's expenses should it relocate to the Sooner State.

The newspaper reported that during the meeting, Bennett offered details of what Oklahoma City would do if the team tried to relocate, including paying legal fees involving the team's possible attempt to break its lease at Seattle's KeyArena, any settlement to buy out the lease, all relocation fees assessed by the NBA, the cost of the physical move of team staff and offices and the cost of upgrading the Ford Center in Oklahoma City and building a new arena.

Bennett told the Tacoma newspaper last week that his comments were only hypothetical.

"The context of my response was after being asked the question 'How could Oklahoma City possibly be a competitive market to Seattle?' And my answer is because Oklahoma City is a medium marketplace that highly values the opportunity to obtain an NBA franchise, not unlike any community or any state would value the pursuit of any other highly additive economic development opportunity, such as the value of a manufacturing plant or corporate headquarters," Bennett said.

"The response was an attempt to provide some clarity as (to) why it is so important that Seattle respond and recognize at once that the team is at risk. Without a successor venue at KeyArena, and without a modern facility, the team cannot remain economically viable in the marketplace."

Dan Mahoney, a spokesman for Bennett, said Wednesday that Bennett would have no further comment on the issue.

Cornett said the story "just seemed to indicate that we had discussed a relocation of the Sonics to Oklahoma City, and we have not." He said that Oklahoma City officials "are certainly aware of what's going on in Seattle, but it's not appropriate to have the level of discussion that that article said (Bennett) had (with Oklahoma City). I found it preposterous."

Cornett acknowledged that he speaks frequently with Bennett "about what's going on in the city ... but we also know what's appropriate and what's not. Clay is going to do what he said he was going to do. I knew that from the moment he said he would try to get a deal in Seattle."

The Sonics' ownership group has set a deadline of Oct. 31 to secure an agreement for a new arena in the Seattle area. If a deal is not in place by then, Bennett has said will begin the league's process of relocation the Sonics to Oklahoma City, which served as the temporary home the past two seasons for the New Orleans Hornets, who had been displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

The Sonics' lease at KeyArena runs through 2010. Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels and Bennett have spent much of the past month arguing about the team's future.

Bennett accused Nickels of focusing on "unworkable concepts" after a proposal by Nickels to remodel KeyArena or build another area at the same site, and Nickels responded that "if Mr. Bennett wants to limit the conversation to an early buy-out of the team's lease at KeyArena, then ... a trip to Seattle isn't worth the price of the plane ticket."

Cornett said the Ford Center, in which the Hornets played the past two seasons, "is more than adequate for an NBA team," but that city officials are "in the beginning stages of what might be next," and that long-term plans could include "a replacement for the Ford Center."

[dalelakin]

Wonderful game of cat and mouse isn't it? IMO Cornett blew it by mentioning the "plans" to upgrade and replace Ford Center...

[BDP]

What would everyone’s requirement be for a new basketball arena?

For me personally, location is the most important thing and I don't think you get much better than the Ford Center. Easy to park and not get bogged down after an event, right downtown, proximity to other convention and entertainment facilities to increase synergy and attractiveness, and real pedestrian access that even Oklahomans don't complain about that much. The Ford Center has all of that and, to me, that's the most important thing.

#2 is more suites. I think we need to double the suites of the Ford Center. One row below and one above the club level would be perfect in my mind

Beyond that, we get into superficial and aesthetic considerations. I don't mind the Ford Center's look, but it could use a better central plaza with a few more amenities such as bars and restaurants. If you keep the location central to other attractions those businesses could also serve the CBD and bricktown crowd on a daily basis, increasing the value of their leases and maybe even putting some downward pressure on their prices as they wouldn't have to rely on 100 days to generate revenue. It also could be more comfortable throughout the arena.

But whatever we do, I think it would be a big mistake to move it any further from the CBD/convention area or bricktown than the Ford Center is. The best part about basketball in OKC is how convenient it is and how easy it is to both get in and out when just going to the game and to make a night of it by going out before and after the game in downtown. You move it even a few blocks away and you change that dynamic and lose much of the benefits garnered from being in a good location. Obviously, good public transportation mitigates that to a degree, but I think we're still so far away from that, that it should be placed with a park and walk, not park and ride, infrastructure in mind.

[y_h]

Wonderful game of cat and mouse isn't it? IMO Cornett blew it by mentioning the "plans" to upgrade and replace Ford Center...

Well, in fairness to Mayor Mick, it seems he's been preoccupied with other matters these days . . . like his blossoming modeling career

Mayor's Convention - Esquire

[CuatrodeMayo]

Man...he's lookin dapper.

[Easy180]

Well, in fairness to Mayor Mick, it seems he's been preoccupied with other matters these days . . . like his blossoming modeling career

Mayor's Convention - Esquire

With the way things have been going I'm surprised it didn't include "Landing the Sonics" under the Projects heading in that article

[AFCM]

I wish I had the honor of starting a thread that's pushing 35 pages.

I feel so unimportant.

[SouthsideSooner]

For me personally, location is the most important thing and I don't think you get much better than the Ford Center. Easy to park and not get bogged down after an event, right downtown, proximity to other convention and entertainment facilities to increase synergy and attractiveness, and real pedestrian access that even Oklahomans don't complain about that much. The Ford Center has all of that and, to me, that's the most important thing.

I've got a friend that's part of the mgmt team at Ford/Cox and she's told me she has seen a master plan with a new convention center south of the Ford Center and the new arena where the Cox Center is now.

That sounds perfect to me.

[BDP]

Wow that's quite a project, but I agree that would be perfect. I guess we'd have to build the convention center first (and maybe get that convention hotel we've all be hoping for), then tear down the Cox Center (Just the Arena or the whole thing?), and then build the new arena. That would be the only way to really make it a seamless project where we don't lose conventions due to construction on or demolition to the Cox Center.

[betts]

I've got a friend that's part of the mgmt team at Ford/Cox and she's told me she has seen a master plan with a new convention center south of the Ford Center and the new arena where the Cox Center is now.

That sounds perfect to me.

Sounds perfect to me too. That would be a great location, we'd still have the 50 plus steps between champions for the Big Twelve Championship and the Ford Center could tie in to the convention center for really large group meetings. I agree that it would be a mistake to put a new arena too far from the Ford and/or Bricktown.

[metro]

Mayor Mick needs his suit tailored. It's too big for him. I'm surprised Esquire let that fly honestly. Anyhow, it's kind of strange we haven't heard much from ole' Mick since he lost the District 5 Congress race. He had some momentum going there for awhile.

[betts]

Might he be thinking about running for governor? It's basically a step up job from mayor. There were a lot of people who didn't vote for him for Congress because they didn't want him leaving Oklahoma City.

[HOT ROD]

He's turned the mayor into a prestigeous job, being mayor of a major city is a great thing - and now, being mayor of Oklahoma City is probably better than being governor of Oklahoma.

If only the pay were commensurate, then we'd probably move up the charts. Personally, I hope Mick sticks around to finalize the Sonics and get Maps III going, since those are his babies. After that, then he can be gov, or senator (you know he will work for OKC!!!!) or something else where he can work for OKC,

and we'd need a mayor similar in many ways (can do pro business progressive, maybe a bit more socially liberal or moderate tho). That way, Oklahoma City can continue its renaissance and truly become the shining star of the south central states (take that, Dallas and Houston!!).

[Karried]

Mayor Mick needs his suit tailored. It's too big for him

I think it's the way he's leaning back and the light color of the suit that gives the impression that it's big on him. The sleeves are the right length and the shoulder seams are placed properly.

I think he looks nice but this thread isn't about his threads.. lol - back to Sonics.

[Pete]

I've got a friend that's part of the mgmt team at Ford/Cox and she's told me she has seen a master plan with a new convention center south of the Ford Center and the new arena where the Cox Center is now.

I hope this is what happens because it makes such great sense.

The Cox Center doesn't have much more life in it and that location is perfect. They can scrape the arena and keep the subterranean parking and some of the other infrastructure.

Would love to see the new arena become a real architectural showpiece along with plenty of restaurants and a sports bar or two.

[HOT ROD]

I think the arena should be across the street from Ford Center, on the other side of I-40/the new boulevard, creating a Gateway effect with the two arenas. The new convention center could be built on the other side of EK and could involve a redesign/incorporation of the train trax, perhaps Commuter Rail.

This would create a TRUE convention/stadium district AND open up the COX lands for expanding the CBD. Bricktown would still be a block away and we would still have the less than 100 steps moniker plus a new gateway boulevard 'leading into the only true Renaissance City'.

I think the 4 square blocks the Cox is on would be PRIME for growing the CBD and that ist the best use for it. Having the new arena at the new boulevard also provides GREAT ACCESS without tying up the CBD, since the boulevard will be 6 lanes - EASY EASY ACCESS TO FORD AND THE NEW ARENA!!!

[TStheThird]

HOT ROD... I like that plan. Email that to the Mayor.

[Midtowner]

I wonder how feasible it would be to completely renovate the Cox into a hotel/convention center?

[brianinok]

I am not sure you can just tear down the Cox Center to build an arena, or expand it into a convention center/hotel, or anything like that. All of the Renaissance's meeting space (nearly 100,000 square feet) is in the north end of the Cox Center, except for a couple boardrooms on the 2nd floor. I am sure the Renaissance has some sort of long-term contract to operate that area of the Cox. Although, I am sure the city could buy it out, but what happens to the Renaissance then? We don't want a non-viable hotel downtown-- especially with the Renaissance name. A couple possible solutions off the top of my head:

- Allow the Renaissance to have the NE corner of where the Cox now is, and redevelop the rest of the land.
- Let the Renaissance operate as-is, build a new arena south of the Ford Center, and redevelop the Cox Arena into more meeting space.
- Let the Renaissance take over the whole Cox or a great deal of it, build a new tower where the Arena is now, and have a double-towered Renaissance with 1000+ rooms.

All that being said, I think that the Cox Center would be a great location for a new Arena. If they can make that work and not lose the Renaissance as a viable hotel, I will be happy.