The public (you) had a meeting last night.
Risks were identified (traffic, public financial exposure), they need mitigation.
Issues were identified (mostly how some people feel), them are things we may have to live with forever as long as they are not so terrible that they stop the proposal.
Opportunities are what the proponents (you, again) are championing.
Representatives from the city budget office and finance department and the sports-facilities consultant hired by Mayor Mike McGinn in June all detailed ways the investment group has agreed to guarantee the city's investment.
The investors would pay $290 million for construction of a $490 million state-of-the-art, 18,000-seat sports and entertainment venue.
The public contribution would be capped at $200 million and would be repaid through taxes and rent generated by the arena.
Additionally, the investors would guarantee a return on the city's financial contribution, would create a reserve fund equal to three times the city's annual debt payments on the arena, would enter a 30-year non-relocation agreement for both teams, would pay any construction cost overruns and would pay the operating costs and upkeep of the arena.
"This is an unequaled opportunity to bring back Sonics basketball and welcome the NHL," said Carl Hirsh, the city's consultant.
The advisory panel was asked to ensure that the proposal protects the city from financial risk and complies with Initiative 91, which required the city to make a profit from any public financing of a sports facility.
The task force has been given a short timeline: just three or four meetings by mid-March, when the City Council and Metropolitan King County Council may be asked to approve a framework for the deal.
The timeline appears to be driven, in part, by a scheduled April meeting of NBA owners.
In a Feb. 15 letter to McGinn and King County Executive Dow Constantine, Hansen wrote, "It is our hope that this [public review] will proceed at a pace that will allow us to make a formal offer to the NBA at the league's April ownership meeting, with the goal of returning a professional basketball franchise to this area in the near future."Seattle Times, Citizens group starts digging into concerns about sports arena, "The timeline appears to be driven, in part, by a scheduled April meeting of NBA owners.
Two more meetings open to the public, at least 1 meeting between the advisory group and the city representitives and the private investment group.