First off I want to thank you for voting to approve the funding for Chris Hansen's SODO Arena back in 2012. It has given us hope to one day bring the Sonics back to Seattle and NHL as well.

However after the news that was released today to not vote for the street vacation in January, I am going to have to express my disappointments. I understand that these kind of processes are complex and do take time but as a city and for Chris Hansen, time is running out.

Although, the NBA hasnt exactly expressed their interests in expansion, other cities like Las Vegas, Quebec City,Louisville and even Virginia Beach have expressed interests to build an NBA arena to bring basketball to their markets. The NBA has even expressed interests in expanding to Europe. Ultimatley, the last thing we want is to see other cities including in Europe to bring the NBA to their markets over Seattle.

As regards to other NBA teams on for sale, The 76ers and Nets are for sale. although those two NBA teams are placed in the top 10 market in the United States, both cities have lost their teams to other cities such as the Philadelphia Warriors to San Francisco and the Brooklyn Dodgers to Los Angeles. Even Seattle ourselves with 41 years of history and placed in a top 20 market have lost an NBA team to a low tier market which is Oklahoma. But more importantly, NBA may consider expansion. But they won't expand to Seattle without a new arena deal in place.

For the NHL, they have clearly expressed their interest in bringing the NHL to our Market which is another opportunity that shouldnt be dismissed. Here is a report by Geoff Baker of Seattle times on the NHL's interests

There have been whispers the delay is about the weakened Canadian dollar, Vegas being America's gambling Mecca, troubled NHL franchises and so on. But the more plausible explanation is that the NHL is avoiding any expansion decision until after an upcoming Seattle City Council vote likely to decide the fate of Chris Hansen's proposed Sodo District arena.

Hansen has a potential NHL partner in Los Angeles real-estate magnate Victor Coleman, who expressed interest in a "hockey first" financial arrangement to fund the arena. But they've yet to reach a deal, largely because the NHL's $500 million expansion fee makes it difficult for hockey here to "pencil out" on its own.

The NHL needs Hansen and Coleman to work something out. When I spoke recently with Jeff Marks, a sports consultant working with Coleman, he told me his client is monitoring Seattle's political situation and wants assurances Hansen can get his arena approved before signing off on any deal.

While I'm disappointed the vote isn't taking place in January. Please get this done in February if it can't be done in January. It would be much more preferred to be prepared for opportunities of expansion and/or relocation for both the NBA and NHL.

Best Warm Regards

Joseph Chong

http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/other-sports/is-nhl-expansion-decision-in-quebec-city-las-vegas-delayed-because-of-seattle-city-councils-sodo-arena-vote/

http://nhl.nbcsports.com/2015/12/11/virginia-beach-arena-developer-to-aggressively-pursue-nhl-team/