N/H Seattle Approves Arena Deal

http://www.king5.com/news/arena/Hans...169272086.html

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SEATTLE – Multiple Sources confirmed Monday that a deal has been reached between the Seattle City Council and the investor group led by Chris Hansen on the financial terms that would put a new sports arena near Safeco Field.

A key, multi-million dollar concession by Hansen that could see his investor group spend more out of pocket to build the arena appears to have brought reluctant councilmembers onboard with the project. City Council members are expected to make an official announcement outlining the terms of the agreement on Tuesday.

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Who becomes the Supersonics? Guess that question is appropriate now... fortunately it's not going to be the Hornets

I can only imagine what It would've been like had this news broke out around January.

Now that the Hornets are safe, I'm happy for Seattle. It's a great city, and they didn't deserve to lose their team in the first place.

Sacramento seems to be the obvious choice.

It's possible that they don't get a basketball team for awhile, and instead get an NHL team.

Don't really care who goes there, to be honest. I'm just glad they can stop pining for OUR team.

They need both.

http://wgso.com/?p=24356

Here's an all-Arena radio show episode, starting with Seattle.

Did the Kings move already? I forget if it was them or where

Atlanta get terrible crowds? They could be a possibility

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Originally Posted by bustahyndes

Did the Kings move already? I forget if it was them or where

Atlanta get terrible crowds? They could be a possibility

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the Kings are (somehow) still in Sactown... for now.

Atlanta does draw terrible crowds... those would be my top 2 picks as to what team becomes the Supersonics

Its a scary time to be a Kings fan.

Kings are on the move.

Atlanta does not have great attendance but they have tons of corporate sponsorships and play in one of the bigger tv markets so there is no chance they are on the move.

Would love to see Vancouver get another shot of having a team, by far the best city in North America without a team.

Vegas would be great but I doubt it because of the gambling issue.

I live in Virginia Beach and would love to have a team near me but I also doubt that is gonna happen anytime soon despite the rumours.

Kings are absolutely going and if the Maloofs don't wanna move there I'm sure there are plenty Seattle Billionaires that would love to be known as the man who brought ball back to Seattle.

Can we get the Raptors out of Toronto. Probably the most irrelevant team in the league.

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Originally Posted by Imnos 2

Can we get the Raptors out of Toronto. Probably the most irrelevant team in the league.

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Toronto is the fifth biggest city in North America (trailing only NY, Chicago and LA in NBA cities in population), and has a devoted fan base that hasn't swayed during the rough years, and was the home of the "Air Canada" phenom. So, probably not.

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Originally Posted by Imnos 2

Can we get the Raptors out of Toronto. Probably the most irrelevant team in the league.

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How so?

CBS sports article mentioned Milwaukee as a possibility. They've been losing money for years apparently and play in a somewhat out dated arena. The article also mentions Charlotte as a possible target, leading me to believe that the entire thing is made up speculation by the writer, Matt Moore.

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/blog/ey...h-city-council

Milwaukee's ownership has indicated a willingness to sell. He's not terribly wealthy, if I'm remembering this right.

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Originally Posted by HunnyB

How so?

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I probably name 90% of the players on each team in the league and cant think of more than two dudes that play there. Maybe its just irrelevant to me.

There. A solution always presents itself.

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Originally Posted by Mr. West

Toronto is the fifth biggest city in North America (trailing only NY, Chicago and LA in NBA cities in population), and has a devoted fan base that hasn't swayed during the rough years, and was the home of the "Air Canada" phenom. So, probably not.

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I dont have anything against the city (i actually like Toronto been there couple times.) but who actually watches them in the States? I mean they have a virtually talentless roster. Other than Bargnani, DeRozan and Calderon who do they have with a smidgen of talent. I mean Fields only went there because of the money. Who knows he could be a bust. (as a side note i had to Google the raptors just now to see who actually is on the roster.)

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Originally Posted by Imnos 2

I dont have anything against the city (i actually like Toronto been there couple times.) but who actually watches them? I mean they have a virtually talentless roster. Other than Bargnani, DeRozan and Calderon who do they have with a smidgen of talent. I mean Fields only went there because of the money. Who knows he could be a bust. (as a side note i had to Google the raptors just now to see who actually is on the roster.)

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Couldn't the same thing be said about us last year?

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Originally Posted by QPon20

Couldn't the same thing be said about us last year?

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I think the difference with us is we have had great players play for us. The only significant players they have ever had is Vince Carter and Chris Bosh. Oops Damon Stoudemire....:rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Imnos 2

I think the difference with us is we have had great players play for us. The only significant players they have ever had is Vince Carter and Chris Bosh. Oops Damon Stoudemire....:rolleyes:

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And Hakeem O.*

I think the Bucks or the Grizzlies are more likely to move. They both have owners that are ok with selling and have given an honest effort to succeed in their home market.

I think the Kings will remain where they are. That is a dedicated market that has been proven to make money and be a successful and popular team when not being run by one of the worst ownership groups. The other owners have already made it known that they won't let the Maloofs move the team for selfish reasons that do not benefit the NBA as a whole.


*holy **** I can't spell his name without looking it up.

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Originally Posted by Imnos 2

I think the difference with us is we have had great players play for us. The only significant players they have ever had is Vince Carter and Chris Bosh. Oops Damon Stoudemire....:rolleyes:

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Tracy McGrady?

After seeing what people have said about the Hornets being in New Orleans and how they should leave, I'd hate to say that about any team. Mainly because I know how their fans would feel.

Yeah, I would guess Kings fans have to be sweating.

Ridiculous statement. They are as someone mentioned the 5th biggest city in North America, provide a huge tv audience considering all of Canada and Buffalo get their games, one of the most multi-cultural cities in the entire world thus providing large global recognition for the NBA and not to mention the fact that Toronto is one most beautiful and exciting cities in the world IMO, and the best place to go to party in the North America outside of Vegas, Miami and NO.

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Originally Posted by Imnos 2

Can we get the Raptors out of Toronto. Probably the most irrelevant team in the league.

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Raptors actually have some decent prospects and are starting to look like a respectable team now. Irrelevant maybe, but then again, some people would say the same about the Hornets...

If the Bucks are the ones moving, would that be us or Memphis ending up in the eastern conference?

Here is the problem with the Kings. The Maloofs do not want to sell. I would gather that the arena deal in Seattle includes the private investor being the owner of said relocated team.

That never ever works. If an owner is going to sell, they sell before they move. See Bennett, Clay. Bennett bought the Sonics and then moved them, not the other way around. In contrast, look at Memphis. Michael Heisley said he would move and then sell. He moved. Last I checked, he still owns the Grizz.

One of the reasons that the Kings are still in limbo is that the Maloofs do not want to sell, and there is really nowhere for them to go where they maintain ownership. It would not surprise me to learn that they tried to get the league to approve a move to Vegas but were vetoed by the Notorious DJS. Without a place to go they have no choice but to fight it out with the city of Sacramento, who apparently is also doing everything they possibly can to lose their team. It is a disgraceful situation. At least when Shinn was imploding, city and state officials still acted like they wanted to keep the team, which probably helped the Notorious DJS decide to buy the Hornets and hold out for a local owner.

If the Bucks are indeed for sale, then they would be a candidate. Herb Kohl has plenty of money but he is getting old, and maybe his family has no interest in owning the Bucks after he is retired/deceased (Thank you, Rita Benson LeBlanc BTW). So, if they are for sale, and the lease with the Kohl Center is get-outable, then they would be a candidate. But the Kings I do not think are a candidate. If they could move in a manner of their choosing, they would have.

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Originally Posted by cki3915

Here is the problem with the Kings. The Maloofs do not want to sell. I would gather that the arena deal in Seattle includes the private investor being the owner of said relocated team.

That never ever works. If an owner is going to sell, they sell before they move. See Bennett, Clay. Bennett bought the Sonics and then moved them, not the other way around. In contrast, look at Memphis. Michael Heisley said he would move and then sell. He moved. Last I checked, he still owns the Grizz.

One of the reasons that the Kings are still in limbo is that the Maloofs do not want to sell, and there is really nowhere for them to go where they maintain ownership. It would not surprise me to learn that they tried to get the league to approve a move to Vegas but were vetoed by the Notorious DJS. Without a place to go they have no choice but to fight it out with the city of Sacramento, who apparently is also doing everything they possibly can to lose their team. It is a disgraceful situation. At least when Shinn was imploding, city and state officials still acted like they wanted to keep the team, which probably helped the Notorious DJS decide to buy the Hornets and hold out for a local owner.

If the Bucks are indeed for sale, then they would be a candidate. Herb Kohl has plenty of money but he is getting old, and maybe his family has no interest in owning the Bucks after he is retired/deceased (Thank you, Rita Benson LeBlanc BTW). So, if they are for sale, and the lease with the Kohl Center is get-outable, then they would be a candidate. But the Kings I do not think are a candidate. If they could move in a manner of their choosing, they would have.

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You are correct. From everything I've read on Kings forums about this is that the Maloofs prefer Vegas and have been trying to move there for sometime. However the league just isn't buying into a team in Vegas due to all the stuff that we don't care about but the league does. So they are doing their homework on Anaheim (sp?) Virginia Beach, etc. Just looking. While Seattle is in the race, the Maloofs just don't want to sell, therefore nothing is written in stone as to whether that's where they'll end up.

However, if I made a guess, I would guess that Seattle makes an offer worth way more than the Kings are worth that the Maloof's would have to be crazy to refuse. It'll be interesting as heck to see what all actually ends up happening.

Just a small correction about Sacramento: the populace and the government have been doing everything they can to keep the Kings there. The Maloofs want too much.

The city had drafted and approved a plan for a new arena for the Kings. The Maloofs would have only had to pay a pittance for it. However, the Maloofs would not get a share of the profit the building makes on non-Kings events, so they nixed it and changed their tune about Arco not being good enough.

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Originally Posted by Kibner

Just a small correction about Sacramento: the populace and the government have been doing everything they can to keep the Kings there. The Maloofs want too much.

The city had drafted and approved a plan for a new arena for the Kings. The Maloofs would have only had to pay a pittance for it. However, the Maloofs would not get a share of the profit the building makes on non-Kings events, so they nixed it and changed their tune about Arco not being good enough.

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I hear what you are saying, and you have a point...but that is a load of coulda woulda shoulda.

I do not believe for a minute that the NBA's objections to Vegas are new. Vegas has always been objectionable as a franchise location, and I'm sure the Maloofs were told early and often that Vegas was a no go.

They (the Maloofs) and the City of Sacramento have been going at it for years and nothing is getting done. In this situation, its everyone's fault.

If Vegas got an NBA team, in the age of the player-driven league, the Las Vegas Kings would be an instant top free agent destination. Not that I like seeing pro teams relocate, but couldn't they just pull the trigger and deal with the fallout later, kinda like the Baltimore Colts in the NFL did?