Metropolitan King County Council Briefing: Arena Review Panel Report, Monday, 4/16/2012, 9:30 am

This is a Briefing to the Committee of the Whole, not a Hearing, or Executive Session. This is how and where proposals are introduced to the council. Somebody would sponsor a bill and refer the bill to a committee that addresses the topic. In that sub-committee the work will be done in collecting data, information, testimony (that is staff, expert, and public testimony) etc, and then the bill could be voted on in Executive Decision to recommend back to the Committee of the Whole for them to move forward (or not), referencing their reasons based on the facts gathered in their committee.
That is how our legislative bodies work. If you have kids, this is a very public example of civics in action.

Briefing
4. Briefing No. 2012-B0064 Arena Review Panel Report
Jan Drago, Former City and County Councilwoman – Panel Co-Chair
Lenny Wilkens, Former NBA player and Coach – Panel Co-Chair
Maud Daudon, President & CEO, Seattle Northwest Securities, and Interim President & CEO,
Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce – Financial Adviser to the Panel

We will be able to watch it live using the link, on the right hand side of the page, on King County television (that's right, government access television, welcome to the dark side of the political sports nerds universe).
On this page you see on the right a graphic link to council agendas! Watch it live. That takes you to committee information, including archived video of the council meeting if you can't watch it live.

When this gets turned into a bill and referred to a committee you can get to the council materials, video, agendas, etc, through the King County web site. City of Seattle is the same way.

Hansen, a Seattle native who has preached patience throughout the process, declined to comment specifically on the Kings situation.

"However, these developments are a reminder that franchise opportunities may arise quickly and in an unpredictable fashion," he said in a statement. "And so we should continue with our joint efforts to find an 'Arena Solution' that best works for our City, County and the various constituents of our community and in as timely a fashion as is feasible to ensure we are in a position to take advantage of an inevitable opportunity when it arises."

The collapse of the deal left both Sacramento and the Maloofs scrambling.
. . .
Seattle officials, meanwhile, said their focus remains getting an arena deal done that could lure a team. The Metropolitan King County Council is scheduled to be briefed Monday morning from Lenny Wilkens and Jan Drago, co-chairs of the Arena Advisory Panel that was asked by Mayor Mike McGinn to gather information and make a recommendation. It will be the first time the full council takes up the issue.

County Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer said the news out of Sacramento gives local decision-makers reasons to go slow and remain careful rather than rush a proposed deal.

"Sacramento is a cautionary light rather than a green light," von Reichbauer said. "Sacramento is an opportunity. It's also a reminder of how important due diligence is, because the owners had an agreement with the NBA and backed out. It shows the importance of a clearly understood legal agreement."

McGinn and King County Executive Dow Constantine are expected to send legislation to the city and county councils this month, requesting approval of a memorandum of understanding between the city, county and Hansen's ArenaCo group. Hansen has requested that the councils approve legislation by early June.

Hansen has said he has several local investors interested in joining him to bring an NBA franchise to Seattle and help build a $490 million, 18,000-seat arena for pro basketball and hockey. Hansen wants taxpayers to pitch in $200 million in construction bonds, which he says would be repaid by revenue from the arena.

Hansen is paying for a study on the traffic impact of a new arena in Sodo. That study is expected to be completed next month.

Von Reichbauer said "the devil is in the details," such as the traffic study, but he credited Hansen with quickly paying for it.

"My primary take-away from Sacramento is how important it is to build a relationship between Mr. Hansen, the city and the county on a solid foundation so everyone knows what they're getting into," said von Reichbauer.

Seattle Times, Sacramento Kings' future unclear as arena deal there falls through.

I will be following this, but I will not post everything at SonicsCentral.com that happens. It's a different kind of sport, not basketball, I will be following this here.

Moving forward with King County Executive Dow Constantine

On Wednesday, September 8th, at the invitation of our super friends at Sonicsgate.org, a few of us had the good fortune of meeting with King County Executive Dow Constantine and his Director of Government Relations Sung Yang.

After some handwringing over the past, and well deserved compliments of the film Sonicsgate, Camp Jones brought us back to the present by asking what can we do now, and Brian Robinson asking Dow if he was willing to be proactive in working towards a new team.

Adam Brown, Jason Reid, Camp Jones and Brian Robinson provided Dow with smart answers to good questions. I think our conversation kept returning to our desire to get something, anything, moving in the future.

My favorite question was the "why me" question.

I'll answer that now as I think all of us did then, we need political leadership. Turning to the City of Seattle just hasn't worked out so well in the past (it's true). And... a solution anywhere in King County is a solution.

To me, turning to the city now this is what I see:

rumor: Things are so testy between certain council members and Mayor Mike McGinn that certain council staffers are not allowed up on the 7th floor.
Publicola.net, Moring Fizz, 9/14/2010

Seattle may not be the solution in the end, and they just do not look like they can agree and lead on who presses the button in the elevator, or signs a draft document. I am sure they will sort things out, soon.

When I look at King County, and in particular Dow Constantine, this is what I see:

“There’s simply no substitute for being there when it comes to getting a feel for a community, its people, and its issues,” Constantine said in a news release. “I met every mayor in King County on their own turf and let them set the agenda for our discussion.”
, IssaquahPress.comKing County executive completes sojourn to 39 cities, 9/15/2010

I am the mayor of my own opinion, and that's about it. But, you know, he was that way with us too.

Back to the answer to Camp's question; what we can do now is work with all of our friends in getting legislation passed at the state level that would bring home our tourism taxes.
I know that this makes people crazy.
We all have to try to keep an open mind and look at different ways to get something accomplished.

With Husky Stadium no longer in the picture, and our friends at 4Culture looking at "evaporating" if something does not pass this legislative session, it is in King County's best interest in helping all of us get a bill passed this legislative session.
As we know more, you will know more.

Let's move forward together.

Thanks,
Mike Baker

(originally posted at Sonicscentral.com)

Sonicsgate Trailer, full viewing 10/12/09 at siff

So, how does the media event on 10/12/09 Impact the Seattle and King County the elections being held three weeks later?
Since so many media members are in it there will be a great deal of attention to this event by the media.

iPhone users, there is a YouTube link at the bottom of this post.

Sonicsgate Trailer from sonicsgate on Vimeo.

The SONICSGATE documentary film premieres for free on the internetz Monday, October 12.

Peep the trailer live in HD at www.sonicsgate.org.

Featuring exclusive HD interviews with more than 35 key characters including Kevin Calabro, Sam Perkins, Brent Barry, Desmond Mason, Nick Collison, Doug Christie, Jamal Crawford, Aaron Brooks, James Donaldson, Slade Gorton, Paul Lawrence, Brad Keller, Tom Carr and Chris Van Dyk. 

Special Preview Screening October 9 @ SIFF Cinema in Seattle (321 Mercer St.)
Tickets on sale now at the SIFF Website

$5 -- includes admission to Sonicsgate Afterparty at Spitfire! (2219 4th Ave)

SONICSGATE.ORG

I lifted this text right off SonicsCentral.com

http://www.sonicsgate.org/   WATCH TRAILER HERE and the countdown clock.

Check out the video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILmtdQGxZUU

Have a great day,
Mike Baker

Sent from my iPhone
Visit me here:
http://ManyWordsForRain.blogspot.com

Steve Balmer, tell how supporting a Portland Trailblazer "home game" helps Seattle Center's KeyArena become home again to a Sonics team

At first blush I hated the idea of supporting the Portland TrIlblazers in any way (still do), and hated the idea of supporting the political entities that emptied the building of an NBA franchise (still do).

I still have a problem with Seattle Center's KeyArena not having an anchor tenant that regularly draws people to the city and fills the building all the way up into upper bowl with patrons that can afford an NBA season ticket, and suites.

I do not see how one preseason game with two out-of-town teams helps the Seattle Center's KeyArena get authrization from the state to tax sports fans parking/eating/drinking to fund a remodel the facility so it can compete with Safeco Field and Quest Field for high end patronage.
A remodel is the ONLY thing that would elevate KeyArena in the eyes of suite buyers, and the NBA entertainment seller.
And the city's facility plays second fiddle to the county facilities until things change.

In 2000 KeyArena began to lose suite owners to the new local facilities. The city and the Sonics did not anticipate such a thing happening way back in 1994 when working out the funding plan for KeyArena. In fact, in 1994 is was quite possible the the Seattle Mariners might leave their King Dome home to Tampa Bay.

The Mariners stayed, Seahawks stayed, both got new buildings with restuarants, bars, suites and club suites, everyday like a trip the county fair. So, the big money left KeyArena, and no matter how many "Joe fans" filled KeyArena stands the facility would not (will not) compete in Seattle.
Still, "Joe fan" kept coming after 2000 and it did not matter. They could fill almost every seat on every night and the Sonics were not going to turn an operating profit, and the city would lose money since much of their revenue was to come from suites.
The Mariners MLB and Seahawks NFL business models were not supported by the King Dome, and they were heading out of town for the same reasons as the Sonics.
The worst season the Sonics ever had, the last, the dead duck year, they still sold 13,000 ticket per game, and they lost more money.

No matter how many fans filled that hole, the hole could not be made whole, not the city, not the team owner. The fans did their part and it did not matter to the city, the team, or the NBA.

For some strange reason Seattle Times Sports Columnist Steve Kelley did not think fans would boycott the October 14th, meaningless, preseason game between the Portland Trailblazers (NBA media market "home" team for Seattle) and the Phoenix Suns.
And I had never thought of calling a Portland anything a "home" team, even for a meaningless NBA preseason game.
In fact, some people might be borderline offended by the very idea. I call them "Sonics" fans.
Poor tone-deaf Steve Kelley, he could hear the single note song of millionaire players asking why, and failed to remember the chorus of the 3,000 fans at the rally on the federal courthouse steps just more than a year ago.
Will local businesses rent suites? See Steve, that is what has been missing for nearly a decade.
It aint me, Steve, you can not hang the leaving or returning of the NBA to KeyArena on the fans showing up, or not.

And the the city, seeing this trainwreck coming since the groundbreak of Safeco and Qwest Fields got nothing done in making its building competitive with the real competition, not Oklahoma City, but King County.

To be sure, KeyArena manager Edie Burke does not have a clue why Joe Fan left KeyArena, or is just putting on a happy face for the press, either way the publc is not well served, and neither is Seattle Center and the surrounding businesses that made business investments based on a 15 year lease and 41 nights of Joe Fan.
The city council got nothing done for the long-term viability of KeyArena and the Seattle Center. The Seattle Center master plan was released last year with a half of a billion dollar price tag, price not including doing anything with KeyArena. Jan Drago has been on the council the entire time, maybe she could have done something, like lead.
Maybe the mayor could have been less of an asshole to everybody.
Maybe, maybe,maybe neither will lead the city in making the Seattle Center master plan and KeyArena remodel happen.
To be sure, not maybe the fans. They, we, were there no matter how poorly the Sonics owners and city officials responsible for all the other stuff involving KeyArena.
Hosting the Portland Trailblazers now is a risk, and if it does not go well then that is on the city and NBA. For it to go well could only be measured by what counts for the city and NBA, suite sales for the event, because the fans showing up did not keep the old team here and will not bring one back.

The only way KeyArena lands an anchor tenant that fills the upper bowl, and suites, is by remodeling the facility to compete with Safeco and Quest Fields.

So, the only way I could see supporting an NBA event at KeyArena is if Steve Ballmer told me why anybody should support the Portland Trailblazer NBA preseason game.

Steve Ballmer would have come on over to my blog and tell me why it is a good idea for me to support this game, and how it would help the effort to remodel the facility. He is the guy picked by the NBA to be the next Seattle Sonics owner.

Ya know, I have been writing about this thing for a while, and I have gotten and answered some strange emails from a variety of folks. Why not Steve Ballmer?
Mr. Ballmer, my consumable email address is next to my Facebook picture on this page, send me an email and tell me how it is (or become my Facebook Friend and write it on my Facebook wall, not holding my breath). I'll keep your email address supersecret.

I do not owe anybody any favors, and I have zero monitary interest in this (other than as a citizen). I think I have made the effort, I think a direct answer from the next NBA owner is not too much to ask for.