Slog - Comments on The Sonics' Empty Bellevue Threat http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/the_sonics_empt Sonics V.P. Terry McLaughlin scoffed at the recent city study that showed Key Arena could make a profit without the Sonics, telling the Seattle Times that the findings only hold up if the team leaves the region. His point being: If Bellevue builds a new arena, it would steal a portion of the profitable concert business from Key Arena. Here's why that's an empty threat: Because it works both ways. That is, Key Arena will steal concert buisness from Bellevue too. That's a big problem for the Sonics. In order for the Sonics to be profitable they need all the... Copyright 2007 Fri, 17 Feb 2006 15:36:09 -0800 Mon, 20 Feb 2006 03:43:42 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by huervos wait.. the city gets the money from the concerts, which the sonics need, which is why they should stay at key? I don't understand.

]]> huervos http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/the_sonics_empt#c020029 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/the_sonics_empt#c020029 Politics Fri, 17 Feb 2006 15:43:48 -0800 Comment by Josh Feit City currently gets the revenues of concerts at Key...We're the landlord.

The bill in Olympia would change that. (And if the Sonics went to Bellevue, I'm sure they'd get a deal where they'd get the revenues from the concerts there as well.)

The only reason the Sonics "need" the money (as do all other NBA teams) is cuz the NBA's business model of paying sky high salaries isn't profitable. So, they've gone into the Stadium/Mall/Entertainment biz.

The Sonics were never supposed to get the concert revenue at Key, but now they're clamoring for it.

]]> Josh Feit http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/the_sonics_empt#c020034 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/the_sonics_empt#c020034 Politics Fri, 17 Feb 2006 15:53:30 -0800 Comment by Rory The Sonics Empty Bellevue Threat

How often?

]]> Rory http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/the_sonics_empt#c020036 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/the_sonics_empt#c020036 Politics Fri, 17 Feb 2006 15:55:54 -0800 Comment by seattle98104 I'm all for firing the sonics.

]]> seattle98104 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/the_sonics_empt#c020039 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/the_sonics_empt#c020039 Politics Fri, 17 Feb 2006 16:01:59 -0800 Comment by huervos A-ha! Now I understand perfectly-- thanks Josh.

I hate to not speak American for a moment, and I fucking love the sonics and go to as many of their games as possible, AND I'm not against a little taxpayer subsidy to keep a good team in town, but I'm tired of getting dicked around by billionaires and in this case, fuck 'em. Go to Bellevue and be the "Bellevue Supersonics" if you want (the rest of America: "who?").

I'll still go to your games when I can, though it will be far less convenient for me. I can't even believe this idea is still on the table when we haven't finished paying for their shit from the nineties. And who's to say they're not just gonna demand more ten years from now after we've already stuck ourselves with their current proposal. We should all be laughing in their faces.

]]> huervos http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/the_sonics_empt#c020045 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/the_sonics_empt#c020045 Politics Fri, 17 Feb 2006 16:19:28 -0800 Comment by mason Hey, how about some names of state reps that are on the fence with this? I'm in the mood to make some phonecalls.

]]> mason http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/the_sonics_empt#c020048 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/the_sonics_empt#c020048 Politics Fri, 17 Feb 2006 16:29:29 -0800 Comment by Josh Feit Huervos,
Try five years.
Check this out:
NBA arenas built before 1960 lasted an average of 59 years.
NBA arenas built in the 60s lasted an average of 30 years.
(You see where this is going.)
In the 70s an average of 25 years.
In the 80s, an average of 20 years.
And judging, from Key Arena (revamped in 1995) the downward trend continues.

Of the NBA arenas currently in use, the average age is 10 years. Only 6 have been in service more than 15 years, and most of these are already slated for replacement.

]]> Josh Feit http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/the_sonics_empt#c020050 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/the_sonics_empt#c020050 Politics Fri, 17 Feb 2006 16:30:42 -0800 Comment by Meinert They WILL demand more in 10 more years. The Key is an older building. After we put $260mil into it in 2010, by 2020 it will be outdated again, and they will need more money, which is when they will start getting the tax revenues. At the same time, right around then, Seahawks Stadium and Safeco Field will need repairs and updating, and they will expect public money from them. This will mean more taxes. On top of that, McCaw Hall will need money for upkeep as they are not meeting their revenue projections. Add it up.

]]> Meinert http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/the_sonics_empt#c020052 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/the_sonics_empt#c020052 Politics Fri, 17 Feb 2006 16:31:10 -0800 Comment by SDA in SEA I say that not one dime of taxpayer money should be spent on any of these stadiums unless the city owns a share of the team, and the team can not leave, ever.

]]> SDA in SEA http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/the_sonics_empt#c020100 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/the_sonics_empt#c020100 Politics Fri, 17 Feb 2006 21:14:51 -0800 Comment by Justin The "Bellevue Supersonics". Ha ha!

]]> Justin http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/the_sonics_empt#c020118 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/the_sonics_empt#c020118 Politics Fri, 17 Feb 2006 23:06:25 -0800 Comment by Raw Data Boycott Starbucks.

]]> Raw Data http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/the_sonics_empt#c020351 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/the_sonics_empt#c020351 Politics Sat, 18 Feb 2006 07:38:45 -0800 Comment by U Smith Good information Josh - opponents need to get their clear talking points in a row.

The Big Heat is on - and people like sports teams.

In Bellevue they woud still be the Seattle Sonics. It is a suburb - Microsoft is in Seattle to the rest of the world.

]]> U Smith http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/the_sonics_empt#c020449 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/the_sonics_empt#c020449 Politics Sat, 18 Feb 2006 13:25:55 -0800 Comment by U Smith But, oh, maybe the Bellevue Sonics --- back then, remember the Annaheim Dodgers...... that was funny for the whole world

]]> U Smith http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/the_sonics_empt#c020974 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/the_sonics_empt#c020974 Politics Mon, 20 Feb 2006 03:43:42 -0800