This is the vision of a partnership between former Sonic Fred Brown and Dave Bean, senior director of Wongdoody Communications. The duo, called B2 Inc., presented their very preliminary plans for what they are calling the Emerald City Center, a facility that could house both an NBA and NHL team.

You can view other pictures of the project, along with details of the plan at the group's website.

The group has performed no feasibility or marketing study on this proposal, the cost of which they believe could reach over $1 billion. However, they say they have some commitments from private investors, and believe they can do the project without public funds.

During a 45-minute presentation, Brown and Bean said they have identified five sites they would like to pursue for the development.

Their ideal site would be at Pier 46 on the water in downtown Seattle, near Safeco Field and Qwest Stadium. However, a shipping container facility currently sits there, and the group has not talked about securing the site with the Port of Seattle.

The group also identified the Seattle Center as a site, along with three other sites in the area near Safeco and Qwest.

Brown said the group has talked to Seattle mayor Greg Nickels, along with Gov. Chris Gregoire and the NBA about the proposal. Brown said the group made the announcement now because they want the NBA owners to know there is a proposal out there that could meet the NBA's needs before the group votes on the Sonics' application to relocate to Oklahoma City on April 17th.

Both Brown and Bean were hammered with questions by the media regarding financing the building, but could not produce specific details.

However, they believe the private investors are out there to fund the facility, and Bean said he told Nickels the group probably has a better chance of getting $1 billion in private investment than the city does of securing $75 million public dollars.

You can listen to Brown's introductory marks here. Bean talks about the proposal here.