Washington State Governor Chris Gregoire Leaning Sonics Way

SEATTLE - Washington State Governor Chris Gregoire is reported to be "warming" to the Sonics arena plan in Renton, according to David Ammons of the AP.

Gregoire has worked for more than a year to save the NBA team, which plans to leave the small, no-frills KeyArena in Seattle. She stopped just short of endorsing the Sonics' new proposal to move to the Seattle suburb of Renton on land owned by Boeing Co. The team wants at least $300 million in public financing.

The governor's comments at a news conference were her most supportive to date for a proposal that faces a rocky road in the Legislature.
David Ammons, AP

Political support is usually the top item pointed to as a leading factor in making progress on any proposal. Last Week Washington State Speaker of the House, Frank Chopp, was less than supportive.

"I'm sorry, but the education of our kids is simply a much higher priority," Chopp said. "What am I going to do, divert money from [education] to pay for a place where the courtside seats cost, what is it, a thousand bucks a seat? Give me a break."
Frank Chopp, quoted in the Seattle Times, 02/15/2007

I would be less than enthused if Chopp and Gregoire had different positions in the government, but they don't.

It took nearly four years to find a tenant for the Seattle Center Arena after the 1962 World's Fair. It was built without a long term tenant, and I think that building has done pretty well by Seattle over the past 45 years.
I think that building a facility for Renton would be good for them, and to have a ready made tenant that is willing to pay 20% of the cost is much more than Seattle started off with way back when.
Why building four buildings for Seattle (Seattle Center Arena, King Dome, Quest Field, Safeco Field) is ok, but one for Renton isn't is just beyond me.

No Kidding, the Sonics will likely play in Seattle next year

SEATTLE - The Tacoma News Tribune's Frank Hughes writes next year's story today, getting a jump on the Seattle PI's Gary Washburn, and the Seattle Times beat writer when they are at home, Percy Allen (they don't go on the road with the Sonics anymore).

Las vegas – The SuperSonics have 11 days to file for relocation or they will be forced to play the 2007-08 season in Seattle.
According to NBA deputy commissioner Adam Silver, the Sonics have not filed a relocation request and, as far as he knows, are not planning on filing by the March 1 deadline.
Sonics chairman Clay Bennett said if an agreement on funding for a new arena is not reached by Oct. 31, the one-year anniversary of the sale of the team, he will move the franchise, most likely to Oklahoma City.
Frank Hughes

Dear Frank,
The Oct. 31 in your story is for the year 2007, not 2006. The side letter agreement that was a condition of sale between Howard Schultz and Clay Bennett was that the buyer would make a best effort to secure an arena site in the Seattle area for one year from taking ownership. It was the thing that Howard put out there as some kind of blame repellent the minute the sale was annnounced. Bennett's group took control on Oct. 31, 2006, a year of "best effort" would run through Oct. 31, 2007.
I don't know about you, but I do not believe that trying to weasel out of Seattle this week while asking for a new facility wouldn't be "best effort" material.

By the way, please tell KJR's Gasman when the clock actually started. He thinks it started the day the team announced the sale last July. He would find out what the real date is as soon as the Sonics clarify it for him, or it falls out of the sky, god forbit he get's off his fat ass and makes a phone call. I guess he has to wait for an intern to show up to push all those buttons and hold the phone to his ear.

To answer a question by an infrequent reader, my problem is that you are a shill, and yes, I think that's a not so good thing. It isn't a personal thing, the media (Communication Technology and Society) is my area of study. I call it as I have been trained to see it.

It's all academic.

The Nature of the Sonics, and everything else

SEATTLE - Sonics break even in '05 - '06! Uhh, ok Frank.

According to three sources with knowledge of the Sonics' finances but who asked not to be identified, the team was able to break even by trimming payroll and taking advantage of the unexpected success during the 2004-05 season.

Seattle state Sen. Ken Jacobsen said Friday that if the Sonics broke even last season, they have pushed their agenda in the Legislature under false pretenses.

"They were certainly disingenuous," Jacobsen said.

Karen Bryant, Sonics senior vice president of communication, didn't return a message left on her cell phone.

Congrats to Frank Hughes for discovering that if the Sonics spend the 4th least in the NBA, just ahead of the Atlanta Hawks, New Orleans Hornets, and expansion Charlotte Bobcats, and as long as you don't mind having a team win like the Hawks, Hornets, or Bobcats, and as long as they go to the Western Conference Finals the year prior with pretty much the same main crew, I guess the Sonics could break even once out of 5 years.

So, how is that worked out over 5 full years Frank? Jackass!