Slog - Comments on City Taking Sonics to Court http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/city_taking_sonic_to_court In response to Sonics/Storm owner Clay Bennett's announcement last week that he was taking the city to arbitration in KC so he could get out of the team's Key Arena lease, the Seattle City Attorney filed a complaint in King County Superior Court today accusing Bennett of reneging on the terms of the contract. I'd link City Attorney Tom Carr's complaint—it's bitchy in a good way—but it's an 86-page PDF without a URL. Here's the "in a good way" part: If the Sonics were to breach the Lease by failing to play the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons at KeyArena, the... Copyright 2008 Mon, 24 Sep 2007 15:11:51 -0800 Tue, 25 Sep 2007 07:40:42 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by Blue Eyed Buddhist It's over 10 megs, but if anyone wants to read it you can find it at:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2007/09/24/2003899710.pdf

]]> Blue Eyed Buddhist http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/city_taking_sonic_to_court#c810108 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/city_taking_sonic_to_court#c810108 News Mon, 24 Sep 2007 15:15:27 -0800 Comment by infrequent when they want us to pay for an arena they boast about how much they bring to the region. when they want to leave, they only want to pay a little of that to get out. look, either you are valuable to us or not... you can't have it both ways.

i don't want to have public money pay for you. but you cannot take our money and our investment and leave. no, you will have to make good if you want out early. make good on the money, make good on our investment, and make good on all the other supposed benefits you will be taking from us.

]]> infrequent http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/city_taking_sonic_to_court#c810128 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/city_taking_sonic_to_court#c810128 News Mon, 24 Sep 2007 15:33:50 -0800 Comment by Clint No leaving early for the Okies, not matter how much the potential settlement. They want to play hardball? Seattle fans have been through a lot more than these jackasses. I am excited for this brawl.

]]> Clint http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/city_taking_sonic_to_court#c810157 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/city_taking_sonic_to_court#c810157 News Mon, 24 Sep 2007 15:59:52 -0800 Comment by Mahtli69 @2 - Sort of. The argument is that the city already built Key Arena under the premise the Sonics would be here through 2010 (a poor financial decision on the part of the city, but it was the decision nonetheless).

The Sonics bring some good to the local economy, just not enough good to justify building yet another new arena. Since Key Arena is already here, the city would lose income if the Sonics left early.

]]> Mahtli69 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/city_taking_sonic_to_court#c810178 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/city_taking_sonic_to_court#c810178 News Mon, 24 Sep 2007 16:22:49 -0800 Comment by infrequent @4 yeah -- that's what i meant to get at. not only would we lose money if they left early, but we would lose all the benefits. when we agreed to renovate the key, we did so with financial aims in mind, and intangible aims as well. even if the okies can pay the financial concerns (so the city is even if they stay or go) we still lose the intangibles.

i say let them go, but make them pay enough so that the city (we) don't lose money and are compensated for the other related benefits we would be losing.

]]> infrequent http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/city_taking_sonic_to_court#c810190 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/city_taking_sonic_to_court#c810190 News Mon, 24 Sep 2007 16:41:42 -0800 Comment by infrequent just to be clear: i want the city to fight for the sonics to stay only if that is the most financially viable option. if breaking their lease requires a payment that will make the city more money, then let them go... anything less, then they should be stuck here until the lease is up (or at pay even if they don't play here).

]]> infrequent http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/city_taking_sonic_to_court#c810196 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/city_taking_sonic_to_court#c810196 News Mon, 24 Sep 2007 16:46:12 -0800 Comment by croydonfacelift I think we now have a fourth big-league sport in this city: screwing the Okies 8 ways to Sunday. Hooo-ahhhh!

]]> croydonfacelift http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/city_taking_sonic_to_court#c810403 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/city_taking_sonic_to_court#c810403 News Mon, 24 Sep 2007 22:32:02 -0800 Comment by lloyd rockefellar if they leave - with an empty Key Arena - then the losses will be staggering

stupid rubes, Seattle is a landlord, no rent, no income, big problems

tap tap tap into your pocket for tax money

]]> lloyd rockefellar http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/city_taking_sonic_to_court#c810409 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/city_taking_sonic_to_court#c810409 News Mon, 24 Sep 2007 22:43:57 -0800 Comment by BINESAH KAFONGAH THE KLINGON EMPIRE IS REAL - HEAR SEATTLE ROAR

]]> BINESAH KAFONGAH http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/city_taking_sonic_to_court#c810411 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/city_taking_sonic_to_court#c810411 News Mon, 24 Sep 2007 22:47:34 -0800 Comment by Greg God, lawyers and sports owners are like four-year-olds with bigger vocabularies.

]]> Greg http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/city_taking_sonic_to_court#c810477 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/city_taking_sonic_to_court#c810477 News Tue, 25 Sep 2007 07:40:42 -0800