Sonics fans still fighting to get an NBA team again

By Percy Allen | Seattle Times • Published April 13, 2009

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Save Our Sonics supporters are returning to Portland tonight to stage a rally in the Rose Garden during the Trail Blazers’ game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Seattle’s former NBA team.

It’s the second time the SOS group has organized a trip to Portland. A few hundred Sonics fans wearing green and gold colors watched Portland defeat Oklahoma City 106-92 two months ago.

SOS co-founder Steven Pyeatt said the Feb. 11 game, which was the Thunder’s first game in the Northwest, gave fans a chance to vent their frustrations over last year’s settlement between Mayor Greg Nickels and owner Clay Bennett, which allowed him to relocate the team to Oklahoma City.

"The message we want to continue sending is we still believe we are a viable NBA town even with the downturn of the economy," Pyeatt said. "As we saw with soccer here, you bring something in and you develop some excitement around it, we’re going to pack the house.

"We do believe this is the message we have to send to the NBA to remind them they made a big mistake letting this team leave and it’s a mistake they can fix."

Tonight’s rally is intended to draw attention to Senate Bill 6116, which would extend hotel, restaurant and car rental taxes and allow King County to redirect those funds toward tourism promotion, youth sport activities, regional centers, low-income housing and publicly owned stadiums and arenas such as KeyArena and Husky Stadium.

The bill would also provide revenue for future improvements to Qwest and Safeco Fields.

The Senate Committee on Ways and Means held a public hearing on SB 6116 on March 18, but no action has been taken. Many lawmakers are asking whether it’s proper to use public money on sports facilities considering the state’s projected $9 billion budget deficit.

The bill is competing against House Bill 2252, which would provide similar services, but excludes funding for sports facilities.

SOS organizers fear time is running out and SB 6116 will die in committee before the state legislative session ends April 26.

"We tried to remain behind the scenes and let them do it quietly, but now we’re just pulling out all the stops at this point," SOS media director Adam Brown. "This is kind of our last-ditch effort. We’re going to rally and hopefully generate one last little push."

Last year, Nickels stopped a lawsuit to force the Sonics to play one more season at KeyArena and agreed to a settlement that paid the city $45 million. Bennett has to pay the city an additional $30 million if KeyArena renovation plans are approved by the end of 2009 and Seattle doesn’t receive a new franchise within five years.

A local investment group led by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer pledged $150 million toward a $300 million KeyArena renovation. The city promised $75 million and had hoped to make up the difference with funds from SB 6116.

"I’m always optimistic," Brown said. "But my optimism goes on a roller coaster with the latest word from ⅛SOS co-founder⅜ Brian Robinson, and the latest word from him was not so optimistic."