NBA team or not?? (Tulsa, Washington: lease, buyers, tax)

[Ice_Queen88]

We are still waiting in suspense.

[Synopsis]

Originally Posted by Ice_Queen88

We are still waiting in suspense.

The answer to that would be YES. It looks like OkC will be getting a team soon.

[happytown]

Ice Queen....Sorry that you had a one day only, serious, melt down!! LOL (not a member status)

This has become a typical thread topic....I can understand the suspense but then again there really truly isnt any!! If that makes any sense at all!!! So here is a past post that gives an idea of what is currently happening. Many posters like to basically poke fun of it until players are actually wearing OKC jerseys playing in the Ford Center.

Its kinda similar to...We are going to have a baby!! but in theory it isnt factual yet.


Reasons why the Sonics will probably move to OKC....


I-91 - the city of seattle passed this initiative which all but makes it impossible to build a new arena in Seattle unless there is a profit sharing agreement (hence new lease) in place. Bennett will NOT sign a new lease with Seattle and there is NO WAY that an arena could be otherwise built in the city; given all of the hurdles and lack of land/infrastructure.


New Initiative - I forget the number, but seattle passed a new initiative which will require ALL tax increases, whether they are passed by the leg or voted on by the people, all new tax increases will require a 2/3 majority to approve. In the past, they only required a simple majority vote or of the quorum (sp?). This all but guarantees that there will be NO NEW ARENA in Washington state. There is no way that 2/3 of the leg or populous will approve a new arena or even a portion of it. It aint gonna happen.

Seattle needs $4.4 billion to build a new 520 bridge and fast. Under the new U.S. standards. This also is in dire need to keep microsoft happy.....
State seizes 520 Bridge reins


Seattle just passed a 200 million dollar bicycle freeway system! Seattle leaders will find that other improvements are needed before people are allowed to have luxuries like a NBA team.

Deal with it...seattle is a market for only two major league teams and seattle just recieved the MLS....HMMM I wonder if this is some kind of cheap payback for taking the sonics...seattle is a huge market but all the minor teams plus NFL, MLB, MLS, WNBA. That takes a lot of fans to keep all those teams happy. Seattle is a huge market...But is it the market or the intensity of support from the fans. OKC and State is sports country and its been proven in many ways.We love our sports and actually rank as one of the states with the most golf courses. Southern Hills Golf in Tulsa to OKC being in a regular rotation with Dallas and KC for the Big 12 tournament and hosting the NBA. Sports are very important in OK.

So, we're back to square one. Private funding. And so far, NOBODY has stepped up with a funding plan for an arena in seattle. Muck's offered land, so did Sabey; but in reality those plans only served their interests.


And yes, the former minority owners would like to buy the team back and let them keep playing at Key Arena regardless of the losses; but too little (since they wont make it worth Bennett's while [see greater than $350M]), too late (since they should have stepped up when Schultz was seeking local buyers, prior to Bennett's entry). Besides, Bennett has said he will not sell the team; he's wanted the franchise forever and finally has it. There is no way I see that he'd sell to appease Seattle's ego.

So, the LAST thing that would keep the team in Seattle is if some rich person out of the goodness of his heart, built a palace for Bennett. But even then, the state/county/city would have to fund infrastructure which likely would not pass.


My opinion is that I would much rather have another NBA team with less baggage (altough local ownership and possible new name would be perfect)....Sonics are a worn out team and if they come I hope they leave the name along with all of the drama that went with it. If they dont change the name well.....Actually OKC has more to claim over the idea of the original name than seattle. Boeing had intentions of conducting supersonic transportation but they never did. OKC holds the rights to supersonic testing that was conducted at Tinker AirForce base in the sixties. Cheesy but true. Plus Sonic fries and a shake will be great at the Ford Center.

[Jammie]

We may be served better to just close this thread. The OP was a reborn member so the topic is moot for now.