Sonics leaks, speculation abound as arena sketches released
SEATTLE - Friday was a day of more speculation, more leaks and now more designs on what could be the home of the Seattle Sonics.
After a day of denials and silence, a new round of speculation started with a tweet from Bay Area sports writer Matt Steinmetz, who said a deal between the Maloof family and developer Chris Hansen was a “done deal.”
The financially beleaguered Maloofs have been under pressure to sell the Sacramento Kings and Hansen’s group is willing to pay upwards of $525 million. Steinmetz reported the Maloofs would have no controlling interest or decision-making with the franchise if it moved to Seattle.
Steinmetz said during a radio interview that there may be a formal announcement next week.
The Kings told KOMO News that they will not comment on speculation about the franchise and had no official position. Hansen’s camp also had no comment Friday. Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn’s office also was unaware of a signed deal and offered no comment.
There was also a late report his afternoon from CBS Sports that a local buyer in Sacramento made a formal offer to keep the Kings in the California capital. The bid reportedly came from Mark Mastrov, the founder of the 24-Hour Fitness franchises.
What is certain is that there are new design sketches for the arena. The widely panned “cruise ship” look from the first design has now been modified to evoke Mount Rainier and a jet engine. The sketches also showed a possible layout for the arena, with locker rooms and practice courts.
The designs also elaborated on the plaza area outside the arena. It could be modified to host everything from art fairs and ski board ramps to concerts and ice rinks. There will be another design and review meeting with the city on Jan. 17.
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View the new Sonics arena design sketches »
After a day of denials and silence, a new round of speculation started with a tweet from Bay Area sports writer Matt Steinmetz, who said a deal between the Maloof family and developer Chris Hansen was a “done deal.”
The financially beleaguered Maloofs have been under pressure to sell the Sacramento Kings and Hansen’s group is willing to pay upwards of $525 million. Steinmetz reported the Maloofs would have no controlling interest or decision-making with the franchise if it moved to Seattle.
Steinmetz said during a radio interview that there may be a formal announcement next week.
The Kings told KOMO News that they will not comment on speculation about the franchise and had no official position. Hansen’s camp also had no comment Friday. Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn’s office also was unaware of a signed deal and offered no comment.
There was also a late report his afternoon from CBS Sports that a local buyer in Sacramento made a formal offer to keep the Kings in the California capital. The bid reportedly came from Mark Mastrov, the founder of the 24-Hour Fitness franchises.
What is certain is that there are new design sketches for the arena. The widely panned “cruise ship” look from the first design has now been modified to evoke Mount Rainier and a jet engine. The sketches also showed a possible layout for the arena, with locker rooms and practice courts.
The designs also elaborated on the plaza area outside the arena. It could be modified to host everything from art fairs and ski board ramps to concerts and ice rinks. There will be another design and review meeting with the city on Jan. 17.
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View the new Sonics arena design sketches »
call the new home of the Sonics, The SONICS CENTER!!!
The Sonics should change their name to the Seattle Honey Badgers.Â
While an NBA franchise would be a cash cow for local bars, and I'd be delighted to have hockey come to the city, I really don't like the arena being in Sodo. The port brings in a lot more money and a lot more jobs than a third stadium ever will. Traffic there already becomes a parking lot due to the M's and the Hawks. The thought of it becoming worse and sending the port traffic elsewhere is a steep long-term price to pay in terms of tax revenue and jobs that no amount of championships will mitigate.
It sounds pretty much done. Like whatever's coming out of CA are false hopes.
Hopefully the paperwork has already been signed (if the sale is a done deal), that overall says the Maloofs can't change their mind, & if they do, they have to pay Hansen $$$
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"There was also a late report his afternoon from CBS Sports that a local buyer in Sacramento made a formal offer to keep the Kings in the California capital. The bid reportedly came from Mark Mastrov, the founder of the 24-Hour Fitness franchises."
I am waiting for a phone call from California that could could come at any minute.
After what the mayor of Sacramento said about the owners I have no doubt that they will be moving. It's a case of opening his mouth and shoving his foot down his throat after saying the owners could not be trusted. As for Seattle do they really need a NBA team again. With all the give-backs they will demand there will be little for the city coffers and increase the parking problems down in that area when two teams are playing at the same time. Some harder looks at what they will be demanding and how it will effect the traffic on a heavily traveled part of Seattle. After all that is also a heavily used container area as well.Â
After reading the headline I thought I spilled my Rte.44 Cherry Limeade. Â But it was just some more taxpayer sports thing.Â
Sacramento has something what Seattle has not had 2008,Mayor who loves the NBA and who will do anything to save the Kings in Sacramento.It's stupid to think that the Kings owners sell the team during the NBA season.
Maloofs family only uses Seattle for a better deal down in the Sacramento.The situation with Clay Bennett here was totally different, I do not know why you people burn off to these things?
 for some people, money is not the most important things,NBA season is not finished!!! Seattle  people do not be naive :)
 @Dozen 123 My god reading this hurts my head. I can never figure out what you're going on about.
 @Hachee_Bungwhy Kings will not moving here
 @Dozen 123 Get your facts straight. The Sacramento mayor does not love the NBA. He is the reason the original deal fell through. It is VERY common for sports teams to be sold during the regular season. Happened with the Sonics.Â
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The Kings fans have an advantage we didn't have - they know their team is moving. Clay Bennett promised to keep the Sonics in Seattle. He lied to the fans. There is a reason why he is hated here.Â
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Your argument about money not being important is naive. This whole issue has been about money.Â
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Do you even bother following this or do you just spew nonsense? Only person naive here is you.
 @seattleemt I know you want Sonics back in rainy city, as I do, but it would be nice if you're using the fact :) Sacramento Mayor is a former NBA player who will do anything to keep Kings in Sacramento.He will not let the Kings without a fierce battle to leave his city,Unfortunately we did not have in Seattle such a man in office 2007/08 when here was a battle for the SuperSonics.
I know it's popular to spit on Clay Bennett in Seattle, but he's not the biggest culprit for the departure of the Sonics from Seattle,He waited a year to make a new plan for the future of the Sonics in Seattle, authorities in Seattle and the people in WA did not want to help,He wanted a new arena in Renton, Olympia refused to approve such a plan.
You can blame Cley Bennett, you can blame the NBA,or Seattle Mayor,but the end of the day no one is not paying attention to it, everyone is watching Oklahoma City and their great team.
Does Seattle need the NBA?
If the answer is yes?
then play the game by the NBA rules!!
Because we did not understand what the NBA wants 2008, almost 5 years we have no NBA team in the rainy city
 @Dozen 123  http://sonicsgate.com/
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Educate yourself.
@seattleemt @Dozen 123 In fact, the Kings are required to let the NBA know by March 1 if a sale is planned (and you know it will be announced as soon as it is formally decided), so yes, such an announcement WILL happen before the end of the season if it happens at all.Â
 @seattleemt  @Dozen 123 seattleemt, I agree with what you said except for one thing ... I'm pretty sure Kevin Johnson would love to keep the NBA in his town seeing as how he was the Suns All-Star guard during the Charles Barkley era. I think he also hates what the NBA did to Seattle and most importantly he hates the Maloofs. That being said, I expect an official announcement of sale and relocation to Seattle in the next few weeks.
will the new team have the old sonics history? will we be recognized as the 1979 champs?
 @erkman85 I Think the trophy is still at the Key. OKC can borrow it lol.
 @erkman85 The Sonics will retain their history and championship. The Thunder were not allowed to take anything Sonics related with them.Â
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Name, mascot, awards, etc. have all remained. It will seem as if the Sonics went on hiatus for 6 years.Â
It's tiring to only hear all the sports fan-boys on this. The rest of are tired of sports teams using taxpayers like their personal piggy bank via corrupt politicians and taxes while we struggle to make end meets.
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Go away sports teams and don't come back. You've worn out your welcome.
 @mike I don't get your comment. Isn't Chris Hansen is funding a majority of the new arena and even personally buying the new team? I thought he was funding most of the deal. He is a god and should be treated as such.
 @mike mike, you are so right on!  If they want this stuff - let them fund it!
 @mike I am not a fan boy...I am a FAN GIRL! ;)
 @mike This is why you read the articles and comment on them. You need something to hate and that thing is sports.
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So, what was it really like being picked last on the playground?
 @StringerJoe Mike may be like me - rather participate in a sport than sit on a fat @zz & watch
 @MikeftmÂ
Ah, you're another one of those that has NOT read the M.O.U. Show me proof that Safeco Field was paid for by tax payer money. Show me proof that the same was done with the Seahawks. You won't. It is simple, if you don't go to a game, you pay nothing. If you attend any venue at the new arena, then yes, you will be paying for it with the sales taxes added to whatever you buy there.
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 @path_tech  @Mikeftm Wrong on so many points. if you rented a car you paid,even if there wasn't a game going on. Wrong if you stayed in motel ,hotel,flea bag,you paid whether there was a game or not. it also didn't mater if you went to the game. Another point is the sales tax exemption of money not going to the state on concessions ,that is money taken from every county in the state.  Since the money wasn't paid to the state ours had to make up the short fall for King County.  The owners are very rich people. The players are paid better than ,well let's not go there  . So let them pay for their own playground.Â
@Maynard G Krebbs
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Well, since I'm a local and own my own car and house, I can tell you that during the paying off of Safeco Field, I did neither so I paid nothing for that stadium except whatever taxes they might have over charged for their concessions.
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The bottom line is that all public backing is from municipal bonds (look them up on Google) and that not one penny was taken out of city or county coffers. If money was directly taken out of them, then I would whole heartedly agree with you.
@mike Yeah because sports teams bring no revenue to there communities; through employment, food sales, hotel stays and extra shoppers etc
 @whocares  And cause unbelievable traffic, pollution and garbage issues
 @mike Better watch sports matches than smoking weed,I guarantee you've never played a sport,I hate Hollywood actors because they make more money than me :) plus they're prettier than me
Check out the new design sketches, very cool stuff, this place with be NICE!
Come on baby be a done deal....fingers crossed.
Will they be named the Seattle Sonics or the King County Kings?
 @Magic 8 Ball probably Seattle Queens
@Magic 8 Ball Thats creative.  But I'm sure they will be the Seattle Supersonics once again.  Starting fresh with new records, since all of our stats left with OKC.
@grayfox I thought Part of the deal was we kept all things that had to do with the sonics including name and history
 @Magic 8 Ball Serious question?
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Sonics.
Can't wait to get the NBA back here.