Next week the city is expected to release it’s MOU for KeyArena. In anticipation of that new phase of things the Sodo group has shown their strategy, offering an alternative development option for KeyArena to go along with their privately financed, shovel ready proposal.
On Wed NHL to Seattle’ John Barr, Seattle Arena Fan Panel’s Robert Cardona and I are planning on recording a podcast doing our best to answer questions about this process. John, Robert and I are all members of the city’s select committee on civic arenas and have been working on this issue for years. I’m happy to spend some time focusing on “how we got here” but more interested in talking about “where we are” and “where could things go from here?”
The theme of this podcast for me is going to be “hard questions”. I intend to do my best to answer some of the legitimate questions and also more ridiculous accusations that have been leveled in recent months.
Feel free to offer up questions here. Things that are baseless, accusatory and inflammatory will be ignored. Questions that are legitimate and productive we will do our best to answer even if in some cases our answers are “I can’t disclose some information I have regarding that subject” or “This is just my opinion.”
So I think I know what most of the basic questions are but feel free to use this thread to ask away.
This should be interesting.
Comments
Whon do I root for?
I was 22 and living in Seattle when the Sonics moved and stopped watching the NBA for two years until I left my hometown and moved to Phoenix, AZ. Upon arriving, I jumped aboard the Suns bandwagon at the worst time. But I still bought a throwback black jersey and gave it my all. It was towards the end of the Steve Nash era and the first year in what has been a lengthy no-playoffs streak. Since then I’ve become a huge Suns fan and am once again full-fledged following the NBA. I go to a few games a year, watch more on tv and even work for the flagship radio station. I am a fully invested Suns fan…but what if the Sonics come back? The team I grew up with, the team I still represent at every Suns game with my Jack Sikma signed hat, the team whose logo I wear on my t-shirts, the team I’m still bitter about losing. What if they come back? I’ve been so vocal about their absence that I’m almost dreading their return because I’ll have to make a decision about where my fandom lies. So what would you do in my situation? Thanks
By AndyTheG on 09.09.17 11:00am
Root for
Both, I don’t think you have to choose one.
By Styles McFly on 09.09.17 12:26pm
I hope you have to make that decision someday.
When I lived in Oakland I cheered for both the Sonics and the Warriors.
By Brian Robinson on 09.10.17 12:09am
Brian, thank you for doing this...
1- What is being done to ensure this very expensive project doesn’t push-out the NBA by virtue of the being the 4th party to the project, behind the city, OVG and the NHL. Is there enough $$$ to split this four ways and if so, how is OVG ensuring that (rather than just lip service)?
2- The arena would be the smallest to house both the NBA and NHL. Adam Silver is on the record saying arena’s don’t need to be as big as they used to, but why/how should we as fans be comfortable that this project isn’t shortsighted in its design and will be outdated in 7 years just as the last Key Arena remodel was?
By ksmith1984 on 09.09.17 11:17am
Along those same lines of arena size
Hansen had promised to keep a certain amount seats available for reasonable prices. How is a new NHL and NBA owner going to offer the same deal at the key with smaller capacity?
Especially when economics (expansion costs/more parties to share revenues with) will pressure higher and higher ticket prices.
By freelander on 09.09.17 12:24pm
Add it to the list.
Odds are high they won’t end up doing what they promise to do, you think they will do anything they didn’t promise to?
By Styles McFly on 09.09.17 12:28pm
The economics of the NHL, in particular
will demand higher ticket prices or more premium priced seating with a potential Key rebuild being one of the smallest buildings in the NHL.
By NWEastcoaster on 09.09.17 1:24pm
Along the lines of this
Hey Brian, first of all thanks for doing this.
1) Is there at least "a feeling" amongst the decision makers that the NBA would actually be willing to go to KeyArena? And what are your own thoughts about it.
It would be one of the smallest venues(size and seats) within both leagues and wouldn’t give a lot of space for all the revenue generating venues the league likes to have, besides the actual game and seats.
2) How about the traffic? Is that actually being talked about/taken seriously or are the talk of Mono Rail etc. just enough for the politicians/decision makers?
3) Do people involved in the process believe that a KeyArena renovation would actually work longterm and stay financially competitive within both leagues?
Like ksmith said, the last time around it didn’t even take a decade for the owners to throw his hands in the air and cry for another rebuilt/renovation because he couldn’t make enough money playin at the Key.
4) Will Hansen’s new offer actually be looked at or will it just be brushed aside?
The comments of Suaratt and the current mayor indicate the latter and I’m not sure how you could call this a competitve process if the decision makers back themselves into a corner that includes just one group, even if it seems to include a way worse financial deal for the citizens of the city.
5) Do you guys actually believe this is an open and competitive process?
I’m pretty sure it’s about bringing the Sonics back(if it works at the Key, than that’s fine with me), but the actions of the SCC do not indicate this to me.
Thanks
By Silvio on 09.10.17 1:28am
Choosing between 2 small arenas
In regards to your second question I would say that on behalf of the Sodo Arena project I have been overlooking the small size of the venue for 4 years. It feels like it would be inconsistent to have conveniently not mentioned that Sodo would have been one of the smallest arenas in the league, and now suddenly become concerned about it with the Key.
OVG"s model is 40,000 sf smaller than the Sodo version and seats between 150 and 400 less people in different configurations. It also does not include a training facility so their usable arena space is, in my opinion functionally equivalent.
An NBA owner will have to build a practice facility somewhere to play at Key and that is an additional expense. I asked the CEO of AEG about this and he had a lot of insight about owners having their own personal wishlists for practice and office facilities and there being a lot of models. If I had to use a crystal ball I could see the team partnering with Seattle University on a training facility there which would double as a more intimate home for SU basektball.
So the short term is that I believe the reports that the NBA is not concerned about size. If I did not believe those reports then I would have equal concern about Sodo so this issue would be a "push"
By Brian Robinson on 09.10.17 1:42pm
thanks for the response, Brian.
As a follow-up, OVG has touted that their plan puts more lower bowl seats (I believe) than any arena in the US. Would it be a fair a fair assumption that the lack of size is overcome by an increasing the average ticket price by virtue of having more seats in that lower bowl?
By ksmith1984 on 09.11.17 7:53am
What he asked and also
Why the defensive tone?
By Styles McFly on 09.09.17 12:09pm
Why should anyone
Believe the Sonics/NBA would actually return to a Key Reno when all common sense and logic for MANY reasons that have been discussed repeatedly say otherwise.
By Styles McFly on 09.09.17 12:13pm
Because Adam Silver has said so.
By Taylor Bartle on 09.10.17 4:22pm
Silver's approval is only one concern. It's a moot approval if the ownership groups won't make it happen.
We only have speculation to sort an owner’s opinion. Nobody knows.
By cortone on 09.10.17 4:54pm
Its a lot better than a 'no' but that is really open ended and doesnt put my mind at ease.
By Trolltossin on 09.10.17 11:22pm
Hoping and believing
The Sonics ever return to Key Site is like wishing and believing you are gonna win powerball.
By Styles McFly on 09.09.17 12:16pm
Brian
You’ve stated that Brian Surrat is a "good dude" and has the "right intentions". By his own departments statement and the Mayor’s statements about how this isn’t "how they do business" in response to Hansen’s Key Arena proposal how is not anything but locking into OVG? They originally stated this would be "fair" and "transparent" and yet it seems ANYTHING but.
By Zeppe on 09.09.17 12:17pm
They even seem to be excluding the City Council.... No interest in delving into details at meetings, for instance.
At least their lack of transparency extends to all.
By Bizzquik on 09.09.17 1:39pm
OVG is not NBA's top priority
That can not be disputed. That alone should be enough to doubt it ever happening.
By Styles McFly on 09.09.17 12:19pm
You mean the reverse, right...?
(NBA is not OVG’s top priority) And I would agree.
They’ve said that making the arena state of the art for music is the way to go, as music is the actual economic driver of revenue – per the interview with the Wall Street Journal.
That explained how they could justify privately financing its construction. But – taken with the NHL’s interest in showing up Day 1 – leaves us concerned as to where the NBA ranks in the pecking order of arena usage…which was the whole point in an arena in the first place.
By Bizzquik on 09.09.17 1:44pm
Ha ha yes the reverse...
And yes exactly what you said.
By Styles McFly on 09.09.17 1:47pm
I don't think anyone that has been following this
Thinks anyone involved with the process on the city’s side has been shooting straight. Why do you think that is?
By Styles McFly on 09.09.17 12:25pm
Why do you think
Seattle has not been able to accomplish by now of getting a world class NBA facility built when it is fair to say most other American cities would of had it done by now?
By Styles McFly on 09.09.17 12:53pm
Most other american cities wouldn't
give consecutive 5-year locks on the market to people who didn’t deliver the promise of a new/remodeled arena. Did anyone believe Ballmer would deliver an arena when he put his signature on the lease settlement agreement (other than SOS Steve P who called the settlement a win)? I sure didn’t. Nor did I with Hansen when he was given his contingency deal.
By Physical Graffiti on 09.11.17 3:03pm
Come on man...
I don’t see how that is fair to say when the city won’t grant the street vacation.
By Styles McFly on 09.11.17 3:04pm