<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Renton doesn't have Seattle's cool or Bellevue's bling, but the South King County suburb might soon have the Sonics. Renton officials met Tuesday with Sonics executives to discuss the possibility of moving the team south to a brand new arena off Interstate 405 -- marking yet another chapter in the political saga surrounding the team's threat to leave Seattle unless it gets a better lease and a $220 million KeyArena renovation. "If they are going to leave the city, we want them to know that there's an opportunity here for them to consider," said Alexander Pietsch, Renton's economic development administrator, who requested the meeting with developers and Sonics President Wally Walker and Vice President Terry McLaughlin. Meanwhile, posturing continued in advance of today's meeting of the Seattle City Council's park committee, which is expected to approve a resolution directing Mayor Greg Nickels' negotiations with the team. Tuesday, Nickels' office offered grim thoughts on how those talks would go. Not to be left out, the Sonics -- who weren't invited to this afternoon's City Council meeting -- offered their 2 cents Tuesday. Team owners sent the City Council more than six pages of objections to the proposed resolution. The resolution says any deal should be funded by visitor taxes, be approved by voters, include funding for the arts and require the Sonics to pitch in a "significant amount." The Sonics responded with a letter that they'd contribute at least $18.3 million, far less than many Seattle politicos say is enough. The Sonics told the city Tuesday it should keep negotiating for a lease regardless of state politicians' rejection Monday of Nickels' request for a tax package pledge because the team is "evaluating and working with proponents of possible projects for alternative facilities elsewhere in the county." "Blah, blah, blah," responded City Councilman David Della, chairman of the park committee. "They just need to sit down and talk to us. We have a commitment to sit down and talk. "Let's let the discussions bear out what resolution could occur on this thing or not." And if the two sides hit an impasse, Renton is ready.</div> Source Find Renton on Shard's Shoe
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Jurassic:</div><div class="quote_post">At least they're not going to Tacoma.</div> Hey, woah... Take it easy.
Well they cant really go to Tacoma. The current owners want to keep the team within King County..so I guess Tacoma is out. That shoe sure is fugly...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Dr. J:</div><div class="quote_post">they should go to kent instead of renton. its not as "ghetto"</div> I didn't know that Renton was all that "ghetto"; my aunt and uncle live there, and the last time we visited them (2 years ago), all I saw were upscale homes and high end cars (don't you just hate rich relatives ).
Anywhere south of Seattle has its ups and downs as far as "ghettoness" goes. I have lived in a trashy part of Kent growing up, so therefore Dr. J is a noob.
As much of a Sonics fan as I am, I can't get into all this speculation about what Seattle suburb the Sonics could land in. Once the talks turn to what major US city the Sonics could vacate to I will be more interested in the discussion. That is like you guys caring about whether the Pittsburgh Pirates turned into the Latrobe Pirates. I don't think that it would generate a lot of conversation in this forum.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Iron Shiek:</div><div class="quote_post"> That is like you guys caring about whether the Pittsburgh Pirates turned into the Latrobe Pirates. I don't think that it would generate a lot of conversation in this forum.</div> I don't think any news concerning the Pirates has been interesting since the Bonds/Bonilla days.
renton is pretty slum, but it's okay =) i like renton better than tacoma..or bellevue even though bellevue is closer.
Well...the Seahawks will be training in Renton in 2008. Maybe the Sonics might be going to Renton afterall...it seems like a good fit. A nice big open space.
