Today the Seattle City Council is expected to pass an ordinance which closely mirrors the I-93 ballot proposal created by A Deal is a Deal, PAC. This ordinance will prohibit city officials from offering lease buyout terms for the Seattle SuperSonics and effectively mandate that the city enforce its existing lease with the SuperSonics through the 2010 season.
A Deal is a Deal, PAC Statement:
We are extremely happy that the city council chose to offer itssupport on this very critical issue.
In passing this ordinance the council has clearly demonstrated that it recognizes the cultural and economic value of professional basketball in this region. Further they provide strong indication that our city can and will be aggressive in its defense of this valuable civic asset.
Ensuring that the teams remain in Seattle through the 2010 season is a critical first step in the process of finding a longer term solution for the Sonics and the Storm. We hope that all parties, including local government, team ownership, and the NBA League offices will engage each other with the intent of developing a world class facility in this region capable of being a long term home for the Sonics and provide a venue for events which the region cannot competitively attract at this time.
Our special thanks go out to Councilman Richard McIver whose support was instrumental to this process.