Eric Williams covered the Sonics' last season in Seattle. A Tacoma native, Eric graduated from Mount Tahoma High and the University of Puget Sound.
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Here is NBA Commissioner David Stern's response to the settlement between the City of Seattle and the Seattle SuperSonics.
NEW YORK, July 2, 2008 – NBA Commissioner David Stern has issued the
following statement:
“We are pleased that the Sonics and the City of Seattle have settled their
litigation. While the decision has been made to relocate the Sonics to
Oklahoma City, the NBA continues to regard Seattle as a first-class NBA
city that is capable of serving as home for another NBA team. In order for
this to occur, a state-of-the-art NBA arena must be funded and constructed
in the Seattle area, a subject that has been extensively debated -- but not
ultimately acted upon -- by local political and business leaders over the
past four years. We are pleased that the City remains committed to
addressing this fundamental requirement for the return of NBA basketball to
Seattle and we hope that other elected officials critical to a solution
will support the City’s efforts.
“We understand that City, County, and State officials are currently
discussing a plan to substantially re-build KeyArena for the sum of $300
million. If this funding were authorized, we believe KeyArena could
properly be renovated into a facility that meets NBA standards relating to
revenue generation, fan amenities, team facilities, and the like. Assuming
the funding can be committed, the league is willing to work with the City
on the design and construction of the re-build to facilitate this result.
Under these circumstances, if an opportunity arose in the future for an NBA
team to be located in Seattle, we would support that team playing its home
games in a re-built KeyArena, if it wished. However, given the lead times
associated with any franchise acquisition or relocation and with a
construction project as complex as a KeyArena renovation, authorization of
the public funding needs to occur by the end of 2009 in order for there to
be any chance for the NBA to return to Seattle within the next five years.
“We are pleased that Steve Ballmer has expressed the continuing willingness
of his group, Seattle Center Investors, managed by Seattle developer Matt
Griffin, to be a part of the solution for returning NBA basketball to
Seattle. The NBA will keep SCI and the City informed if opportunities
arise in the next five years for franchise sale, relocation and/or
expansion. Under the circumstances outlined above, the NBA would be happy
to return to the City of Seattle.”
COMMENTS:
Senators Murray & Cantwell SHOULD have threatened an investigation into NBA games being fixed by the league including David Stern unless Stern agreed that the Sonics weren't going anywhere. It would have worked, but our politicians are spineless.
Your league has a better chance of folding now than it did yesterday. Go Canucks!
There must be 3000 Microsoft geeks who would love to be minority owners in the NHL.
Yes, I am sad the team is leaving but I am happy that we the taxpayers won't have to contribute to rich people getting richer. I am still p*ssed about the money spent on stadiums for baseball and football. How do they get away with it, soaking the general public to make money for themselves? As for the players, we can't blame them. You can bet that when they see the dust bowl they will want to leave as soon as possible.
While I recognize that Clay-Clay's demands for a brand new arena were unreasonable, but that was part of he and Stern's game plan to steal our team.
It is people with your view point that are also to blame.
Very rarely is having a professional sports franchise in your city a negative.
The taxes generated by them and revenue to local business is gone. Is that really something to be happy about?
Ask the owners of the business around the Key if this is good for business.
Maybe that can make up for lost revenue by showing Blazers games for you and the other citzens for better things.
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