Sonics Weekend Update, I'm Mr. Baker.
As reported to day in the Seattle PI, the Seattle Supersonics ownership will meet later this month to discuss their future. The question posed by the reporter, Angela Galloway, is this: City playing hardball with Sonics?
I think the bottom line is in the bottom line of the report:
Della said the Sonics might "just say, 'We don't want to be part of this bigger thing. We just want our $200 million redevelopment' -- which they're not going to get.
"I don't think the public has the appetite to put all their dollars into the needs of the sports team."
Della added that the Sonics could still get major renovations "if they were willing to put significant dollars on the table."
City Councilman David Della chairs the council's parks committee in Seattle.
You can find the Seattle Center economic reports on the Seattle Center and arena here.
It is my understanding that it costs 30 million dollars paid to the NBA to move a team, if a move could be approved by the NBA league office. That's "significant dollars", or at least a significant start.
I would be just as happy, as a Sonics fan and Seattle tax payer, if that the State of Washington would offer Bellevue Washington a similar stadium financing package that it was willing to allow for Seattle (and has allowed for the Mariners and Seahawks). Maybe that is the better solution. After all, the City of Seattle has more important items to deal with that are ahead of Key Arena, like this Trolly, no, I'm not kidding.