From the Associated Press today.

By JEFF LATZKE
AP Sports Writer
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) ‹ The operation and upkeep of a city-owned NBA practice
facility emerged Tuesday as the chief concern among members of the Oklahoma
City Council considering a preliminary lease agreement with the Seattle
SuperSonics.

Councilmen Sam Bowman and Pete White said the city should take into
consideration during its negotiations with the Sonics what would happen if
the practice facility needs upgrades in the near future.

Oklahoma City voters recently approved a sales-tax extension that would pay
for the construction of an approximately $24 million practice facility,
along with upgrades to the Ford Center arena. The lease agreement with
Sonics owner Clay Bennett calls for the team to pay $100,000 in annual rent
for the practice facility, but White questioned a clause that sets aside 20
percent of that to pay for maintenance.

"If you look down the road to where some kind of capital expenditure might
be mandated, that's not going to accumulate very much money in today's
market," White said. "In five years, that's $100,000, and $100,000 is not a
lot of money for a capital improvement on a $20 million project."

White said he didn't want to get into a position where funding for the
practice facility would come out of the city's general fund.
"My point is that we ought to be realistic about it because that's something
that will come back at some point in time," White said.

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