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Let the Sonics Go

From the Seattle Times: 

Sonics and Storm owner Clay Bennett said Tuesday the teams may try to leave the state before their KeyArena leases expire in 2010, now that lawmakers have killed the possibility of taxpayer funding for a proposed $500 million Renton arena.

In a conference call with reporters, Bennett said the teams probably will play their 2007-08 seasons in Seattle. But Bennett made no promises, saying he'll "evaluate all of our options," and he suggested the team's lawyers might try to negotiate an early end to the lease.

...

Seattle city officials have repeatedly said they will enforce the leases, and would demand substantial monetary settlements if the teams leave early. "We have an enforceable lease that is in place until 2010," said Marty McOmber, spokesman for Mayor Greg Nickels.

I think that the Sonics and the Storm should leave as soon as it's practical. It's plain that they don't really care about Seattle as a home. It's plain that they don't really care about much other than getting their slice of the public pie. To force them to stay when it's obvious even to the fans that they want to leave is just spiteful.

Bennett has said he would like to move the teams to Oklahoma City if an arena deal in Washington can't be struck.

...

House Finance Committee Chairman Ross Hunter, a critic of the Sonics' proposal, said he hasn't heard any colleagues saying, 'Oh my goodness, I didn't know they'd move.' "

But Senate Ways and Means Chairwoman Margarita Prentice, the Sonics' biggest backer in the Legislature, remains optimistic and is quick to point out that Bennett did say he is willing to keep talking.

Let's not forget that Margarita Prentice represents Renton, and that Renton stands to get a large part of the public funding package, if any is approved. As for whether he's willing to keep talking, who cares? He's already said that he won't extend his October 31st deadline to land a publicly financed arena deal.

But Prentice hopes Bennett's statement will encourage more talks by making it clear what's at stake politically — especially for the governor.

"I think she's having to face the reality that the Sonics could disappear on her watch," Prentice said.

Isn't that getting to be tiresome? Why is it that some people think that we have to submit to whatever a professional sports team wants just because they threaten to leave? We already have two major professional sports organizations living off the public dole. We submitted to their blackmail, that's how we ended up having yet another team blackmail us with threats of leaving.

Hunter disputed the notion that lawmakers weren't willing to negotiate with the Sonics. He said he asked repeatedly for more information about details of the project — such as firm cost figures and how much the owners would put in.

"Every time I asked for cost information, they kept saying, 'It's too premature, we're not there yet,' " said Hunter, D-Medina. "You can't just ask us for a big check with no details."

Bennett said owners and the city of Renton would fill the gap between the $500 million cost of the arena and the $300 million they were seeking from King County taxes. But he has always refused to put a specific number on the owners' contribution, and said details would have been worked out later in talks with King County.

In other words, the city of Renton would end up paying most of the shortfall, or the Sonics would walk. I wonder why Margarita Prentice hasn't figured that part of this boondoggle out yet?

Have you noticed how when the Sonics thought they could extort money out of Seattle they were only asking for $200 million? Now they're asking for half again as much, and they aren't willing to provide details about where the rest of the money will come from.

Hunter said he figures Bennett is just trying to "create a crisis" in order to gain more leverage in Olympia. Hunter said he'd be surprised if Bennett takes the team and walks away.

"Either he's going to come back and talk to us, or he was never serious," Hunter said.

It's long past time that somebody called their bluff. Let the Sonics and the Storm out of their lease. Tell them to pack their bags and start moving. And don't let the door hit them in the posterior on the way out!

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