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SONICS TO STAY?


Posted on Sunday, September 16th, 2007 at 9:06 pm by Brian Robinson

IS THIS TRUE? I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE INFORMATION IS SOLID ON THIS ONE BUT I HAVE SOME CONCERNS THAT THE SOURCE ON IT MAY NOT HAVE ENOUGH DETAILS TO CONFIRM A “DEAL” BEING DONE.

IF IT IS TRUE THEN IT IS TIME TO TIP HATS TO OWNERSHIP WHO I DDIN’T THINK WOULD AGREE TO A DEAL. I HAVE ALWAYS MAINTAINTED I’LL BE THE FIRST IN LINE TO CONGRATULATE THEM AND THAT WILL BE THE CASE IF THEY TOOK A DEAL. AUBURN IS NOT PERFECT BUT IT IS HERE LOCALLY.

UPDATE: Reports coming in that the Muckleshoots are denying this report. Maybe its not chrismas yet but I’ll hold out hope. I’m familiar enough with the Muckleshoots original offer to know that it was very real. If both parties are considering it then it could still happen, even if it’s not tomorrow.

http://thehistoryguy.typepad.com/seattle_wa_politics/blog_index.html

Sonics Make Deal With Muckleshoot Tribe to Build Arena in Auburn

Inside sources reveal that the Seattle SuperSonics and the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe have reached an agreement to build a new basketball arena in Auburn next to the existing Emerald Downs Race Track. This agreement will keep the Sonics in King County, though not in the City of Seattle.

The Muckleshoot Tribe owns the land the track sits on, but not the racing facility itself. The Tribe also owns adjacent property, which will house the new arena.

A news conference will be held at Emerald Downs at 10AM Monday, September 17, to announce the deal.

This new development comes on the heels of the announcement by the City of Seattle that former Senator Slade Gorton will work to keep the Sonics and the Storm from breaking their lease at KeyArena prior to the expiration of the lease in 2010.

58 Responses to “SONICS TO STAY?”

  1. r3bb Says:

    All I read so far was the title of this post. If it’s true, then…

    OH MY GOD.

    Wo0oo0o0o0oo0tt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  2. r3bb Says:

    After reading the body of the post, I would just like to echo my former sentiments.

    I cant believe it!! If this is true then I’m just ecstatic right now. I’m picking up the phone and calling everyone I know to tell them the great news =)

  3. grumpyd Says:

    Cool….

  4. DowntownFB Says:

    Holy mackerel!!! Not ideal but I’ll take it. Yowzah!!!

  5. James B. Says:

    Let’s hope this is legit! Hopefully, Stern won’t ruin the party and consider casino money dirty money. I’ve still got to read the story.

  6. Durantula! Says:

    CAN IT BE? Thanks to everyone here who has amped up the community, if it is. It has been a pleasure reading SC posts the last two depressing (I thought) months! But of course, double heartbreak looms if it’s a rumor.

  7. Brian Robinson Says:

    I’m going to edit this to tone down. I want to be cautious because my understanding was that the muckleshoots were expected to RELEASE THEIR REPORT tomorrow at 10am. I’m wondering if the good source on this one has wrong information.

    Just giddy at the possibility. Could it be true???

  8. EJ Says:

    WHAT?!!! ARE YOU SERIOUS!!! PLEASE BE TRUE!!! IF SO, WOOOO HOOOO!!!

  9. ajw Says:

    OH MY!!! GET IT DONE PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  10. James B. Says:

    We were applauding Bennett for visiting the Muckleshoots recently after it had seemed like he wanted no part in being here. But, I think that the recent legislation passed may have made him realize that he was cornered…so this was the best solution. I think it’s pretty sweet.

    GIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  11. Vegas Sonics Fan Says:

    Woot

  12. MarkS Says:

    Hmmm

    All I know for certain there is a press conference tomorrow. This was announced on the TNT’s Sonics blog. We’ll found out more soon.

  13. EJ Says:

    I Really REALLY hope this is legit. But could this be confused with what Eric Williams at the New Tribune is reporting?

    “The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe will host a question and answer session on Monday with the consultants who performed the feasibility study.”

  14. Brian Robinson Says:

    So many mixed signals. It sounds like tomorrows Q&A press conference has been cancelled but there is no report of another press conference to replace it. What the heck is going on?

  15. James B. Says:

    http://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/sonics/story/149912.html

    Here’s the article on the Muckleshoots from a week ago. The article does imply that a decision on moving forward or not with the arena would be made around now.

  16. adp Says:

    We needed this after the Seahawks debacle…

  17. Brian Robinson Says:

    This guy is very confident in his report. He advises he has made the distinction between a “deal annoucnement” and an informative press conference. He’s going to re-confirm that…

    If this happens it is amazing. The muckleshoots have been lying low for a long time but very much involvde in this game from day 1. Crazy.

  18. Alex Says:

    I’m going to take this with a grain of salt just so that I don’t get my hopes up. It seems like this would have happened really fast if it is true, the Muckleshoots haven’t even publically released the results of the feasibility study and yet an agreement is supposed to have been reached?

    I’m skeptical, it seems too coincidental that the Q&A session is happening tomorrow, I would bet that there has been some sort mixup between the meaning of the announcement on Monday. Although Brian has said that the Q&A session has been cancelled so I have no clue at all…… I hope this is true.

  19. EJ Says:

    I agree with you Alex. Not gonna get my hopes up too much. Guess we’ll see tomorrow.

  20. George Says:

    What the hell is going on??? I hope this is true. I have called to many people. hahahhah Please be true. Are you in contact with this guy and if so what is your gut reaction?? Wouldn’t Sabey counter with something?? I just hope this is true

  21. Brian Robinson Says:

    I have spoken to him and he was confident. The thing is that we all sometimes get misinformation and sometimes sources are simply wrong. It is possible that he is 100% confident in what he heard but the guy he heard it from is wrong, or the guy that guy heard it from, etc.

    Right now I simply don’t know. I don’t know whether there is a Q&A tomorrow. I don’t know whether there is a deal. I do know that I’m supposed to sleep and am not sure how that will go. THen I head to Auburn tomorrow in hopes that this madness is behind me.

  22. seattle_brett Says:

    Yeah. This sounds way too good to be true. There was a meeting scheduled for 10 am monday for the consultant thing. I think someone got some misinformation… i really, really hope i’m wrong, though, but it seems like we would of heard more about this before Bennett just goes out and says, “alright, that sounds good i’ll go ahead and accept it.” I don’t know.. something seems fishy. But, if this is true, the muckleshoots must of made one heck of an arena propsal.

  23. sonicej Says:

    I’m trying not to freak out yet but oh my God…if this is true then this is one of the best day’s of my life!

  24. chncasper Says:

    Let’s just hope that its not the worst case scenario, where there is no deal and no information session.

  25. Dork1013 Says:

    Wait Hope Wait Hope Wait Hope Wait Hope Wait Hope Wait Hope

  26. Alex Says:

    Yeah, that would be bad. I’ve been waiting FOREVER to hear from the Muckleshoots and what the feasibility study will say and if I don’t at least get that then I’ll be really disappointed. Although if they don’t have the Q&A because they are negotiating with the Supes then I would be fine with that.

    Brian, do you have any idea how connected this guy’s source is supposed to be with the situation?

  27. ichiro998 Says:

    Hallelujah, I hope this development is true about the arena deal. Go Sonics and Storm. Woo Hoo!!

  28. GP are you wit'me? Says:

    OH God COME ON MAN!!!
    This anticipation is killing me..
    Please deliver the good news tomorrow Muckleshoot.. PLEASE!!!!!!

  29. EJ Says:

    How are we supposed to sleep tonight?

    I have this huge “this is too good to be true” feeling right now that I’d love to shake.

  30. Alex Chan Says:

    I haven’t seen anything updated on the seattletimes.com webpage as of yet regarding this potential agreement.

  31. durantula Says:

    Initial blogger - what is the nature of your “sources” beyond the gov. link, could you please give us the 411?

  32. Jeff Says:

    Well after going to the Seahawks football game today and being heckled by retarded Cardinals fans this would just cheer me right up. Let’s hope even part of this is true. We need something to happen with this situation. GO MUCKLESHOOTS!!!

  33. Crow Says:

    ‘inside sources”, are they inside the Muckleshoots or inside the Sonics?

    It could be real

    or it could be someone within Muckleshoots related camp trying to create buzz

    or Bennett now trying to prematurely knock down their proposal before it is ready

  34. Crow Says:

    I hope the inside source is a verified insider.
    I want to trust the website but this strike me as way too sudden to be a “deal”. Maybe a deal to work together to try to make a deal with the government bodies?

  35. Crow Says:

    100% private funded could happen in secret but I am not sure it could fully happen fast. Are we to believe they’ve worked out financing and a lease? That would surprise me given the Muckleshoot process so far and talk about it.

  36. EJ Says:

    Anybody see this comment on the history guys’s blog? You think it’s somebody from OKC?

    “This is a very bad, very false rumor. It is NOT TRUE!! Not even close. Check your facts, your sources are fooling you. You have embarassed yourself with an inaccurate story”

  37. Crow Says:

    http://thehistoryguy.typepad.com/seattle_wa_politics/2007/09/index.html

    He says “I was born and raised in Washington and have participated in the political system in this state as a voter, appointed commissioner, and as a teacher of Civics and American Government.”

    But the blog is just 2 weeks old.

    Now sometimes people know people and sometimes tips are given to small media. (Sometimes with a purpose.)

    There are arena opponents of several stripes out there. I can’t conclude this is misinformation yet or whose but it is possible and possible for any direction. Or it could be on to something.

    I’m going to sleep.

  38. Crow Says:

    should be … possible “from” any direction

  39. Crow Says:

    One more

    here is the website author’s bio
    http://www.historyguy.com/Biography.html
    was an Auburn school teacher but now a prinicipal at the coast. I see 6 months of material on history related topics. The politics section is just a new section.

  40. Fed Up Says:

    If this is false then his whole reputation and credibility would be zero.

  41. Fed Up Says:

    My guess is that he’s just trying to get hits.

  42. SonicBaller Says:

    YES!!! NOW I CAN TAKE MY GREAT GRANDCHILDREN TO GAMES IN THE GREATER SEATTLE AREA!!!

  43. Patrick Says:

    hmmmm….not getting my hopes up yet….though any rumour generally has some truth to it….

    this may mean that positive progress has been made…perhaps clay agreed to TALK to someone.

  44. SonicComic Says:

    I’m a bit confused about something. I remember one of the stumbling blocks of the arena deal was that Mayor Nichols had to have the new arena be built in the city of Seattle (so that the city could get the money, thus his proposal to renovate The Key) I take it Auburn is outside the city limits. If the rumor is true, then the stadium won’t be utilized until after the lease expires on The Key? Or did Nichols cave? This doesn’t make sense.

  45. chncasper Says:

    “I’m a bit confused about something. I remember one of the stumbling blocks of the arena deal was that Mayor Nichols had to have the new arena be built in the city of Seattle (so that the city could get the money, thus his proposal to renovate The Key) I take it Auburn is outside the city limits. If the rumor is true, then the stadium won’t be utilized until after the lease expires on The Key?”

    At this rate it would take awhile for the arena to be built. Sonics would probably finish the lease and stay an extra 2 years even to pay off the bonds.

  46. Scott Says:

    “At this rate it would take awhile for the arena to be built. Sonics would probably finish the lease and stay an extra 2 years even to pay off the bonds.”

    Probably now that we’re heading into winter. That area of land is pretty wet once the rainy season starts. I’d assume that if something were done in the next month or so you’d see a push by the tribe to see if they could get a parking structure starting to be worked on this winter. That structure could hold the parking for Emerald Downs while the new complex would be built.

    All speculation of course.

  47. James B. Says:

    So, I’m assuming that Dave Ross is the “history guy.” Does he still work for KIRO 710 AM? Let’s hope he kept his day job because if the rumor isn’t true, he’s kind of sabotaged his political aspirations. On the other hand, if it is true, he’ll be known as the messenger and bring a lot of attention to himself. Any clues about why the press conference was cancelled?

  48. James B. Says:

    Maybe the source is someone from KIRO?

  49. Brian Robinson Says:

    Update:

    Media sources reporting that the Muckleshoots director of communications is “vehemontly denying” the content of the blog.

  50. TJKK Says:

    Was there anything at all to the rumor? It did seem too good to be true (too fast if anything), but as someone said earlier, often rumors have some truth to them. Brian?

  51. Alex Says:

    Shocker. It seemed obviously too good to be true. Is there at least still a press conference regarding the results of the feasibility study?

  52. FreedomX1 Says:

    I have high hopes up too, but keep grounded. You have to realize where info came from. Although, possible rumors, let’s keep some rumor control before we get too far ahead.
    Where, I agree if some false rumors may affect someone’s credibility, we need to keep our own head and wait it out.
    I work close to where some of the speculation is coming from, but info is not flowing here. Any info of this type would blow the lid off anything else we have had.
    I feel for everyone too. We’re in need of some good news here too. But until something solid happens will try to keep my enthusiasm to a minor roar for now.

  53. Ben Ellingsworth Says:

    Even on the other end of the continent, we’re keeping our fingers crossed for you guys. Judging by the support that all of your teams get, I’m sure you’ll fill up the arena no matter where they end up putting it. Good luck!

  54. Crow Says:

    Thanks Ben. Looks like you have a solid website.
    Charlie Bell would be a nice enough pick up for the price if the Bucks don’t match.

    P.S. I scanned the history guy’s bio too quick. He is back in Auburn. Not that it really matters, except I think accuracy is a good thing and strive for it and correct my errors when I can.

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