Seattle SuperSonics General Manager Sam Presti announced today second-year center Mouhamed Sene suffered a torn lateral meniscus in his right knee during last Friday’s Idaho Stampede game at Bakersfield of the NBA Development League. The extent of the injury was revealed in an MRI performed yesterday. The team is in the process of scheduling surgery.

Sene appeared in 13 games for the Sonics this season, averaging 2.3 points and 1.2 rebounds in 4.8 minutes per contest. Sene also appeared in 27 games for the Idaho Stampede this season, averaging 12.4 points and 9.0 rebounds in 28.2 minutes per game. The 10th overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, Sene has appeared in 41 regular season games in his two seasons with the Sonics and holds career averages of 2.0 points and 1.2 rebounds.

Dallas – He may be the only NBA owner that votes this way come April 18, but Dallas Mavericks owners Mark Cuban reiterated Tuesday evening before his team’s game against the Seattle SuperSonics that his preference is for the team to stay in Seattle.

“My prejudice is against having a Dust Bowl division in this part of the country because I don’t think in the big picture that helps the NBA,” Cuban said. “I think the big market helps the NBA.”

However, Cuban said if presented with new information that shows the Sonics move to Oklahoma City serves the league well he could be swayed.

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David Bean of B2 Inc., talked about his group and its proposed entertainment facility that could host an NBA and NHL franchise, in light of the city and a private investment group headed by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer pulling the plug on a $300 million proposal to rebuild KeyArena.

Bean is the senior director of WongDoody Communications in Seattle, a public relations firm, and worked as president and general manager of the Tacoma Rainiers from 1995 to 1996.

Bean said his group, which includes partner, former Sonics Fred Brown, has met with an engineering group and are pursuing a feasibility studying on their proposal, which could total $1 billion. They plan for the feasibility study to be completed in two months.

Bean and Brown’s vision is the Emerald City Center, an Epcot-like exposition center and sports arena with a retractable roof.

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Gov. Chris Gregoire released this statement after the city's announcement this morning.

"While I am disappointed that funding could not be found to renovate KeyArena., I am proud of the local ownership group that came forward, especially because those individuals have lived and worked in the community for years.

“As with the Seattle Storm, I am committed to keeping an NBA team in Seattle, and I want that team to be the Sonics. The current team owner, Clay Bennett, indicated to me that he will not sell the team. That does not mean that we should give up. I am continuing to work with community stakeholders, local officials and the Legislature to explore options for the future.”

Here's our updated story. Reporter Wendy Carpenter attended the press conference, and I'll post more information here as it becomes available.

That's what is being reported this morning. I have no confirmation of that, but the city has scheduled a press conference for this morning to make an announcement on the KeyArena proposal.

It sounds like the city was unable to come up with the $75 million it needed to make the $300 million project whole, and now will take a step back.

If this is the case it will be interesting to see what happens with Fred Brown and David Bean's $1 billion proposal to build a state-of-the-art facility that could host an NBA and NHL team. Will that gain steam now, or will support waver for the project as well?

Stay tuned. I'll have more later as I learn more.