<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Sonics owner Clay Bennett says he's "out of ideas." Fortunately, that's a state of being completely foreign to Bob Santos. The 73-year-old has spent a lifetime plotting the future of Seattle's International District. Now retired, with "nothing much to do," Santos was driving to Auburn one day when he had a new inspiration. "I was going by the Emerald Downs horse track, with those huge parking lots and all that unused land," Santos recalls. "And I thought: 'Why not here?' " As it happens, Santos was headed to watch a football game with some friends in the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe. The same tribe that owns about 200 acres under and around Emerald Downs. Santos pitched his idea to the tribe: Why not build a new arena for the Sonics? The tribe has the land. It has a casino full of money. It runs a summer-concert venue, the White River amphitheater, and could use that operation to book concerts for an arena in the winter. Muckleshoot leaders such as John Daniels Jr. don't get excited much, Santos says. Or if they do, you'd never know it. "But his eyes lit up at the thought of the tribe saving the Sonics. They've become very energized about it." Last week, the tribal council asked its staff to pursue the idea, including putting together a financing plan that would likely propose a sharing of costs among the Sonics, the tribe and the state. It's far from a done deal. The tribe's chairwoman, Charlotte Williams, confirmed the tribe is interested but cautioned, "The matter has not progressed to the point where any serious discussions have taken place." Still, it means a wealthy private investor is considering paying big money to help solve the Sonics' dilemma. It's no ordinary investor. This tribe gets things done. Recently it built the $30 million amphitheater, a tribal college and a $19 million health clinic. It also bought back 1,800 acres of land on the reservation. "The Muckleshoots are good at everything they do," says Ron Crockett, who runs the Emerald Downs track. "They are fast, they are professional. They don't mess around. If anyone can build this arena, it'd be them." Basketball is huge in Indian country, and tribes increasingly are seeking to get involved with pro teams. The Mohegan Tribe owns the Connecticut Sun, a women's pro team in the WNBA with the Seattle Storm. The Sun play next to the tribe's casino. In 2005, the Yakama Nation bought a minor-league team, the Sun Kings. And yet, since meeting with the Muckleshoots in February, and saying he wanted to visit the Emerald Downs site before talking further, Bennett has not done much, Santos says. "He hasn't made it out to Emerald Downs," Santos says. Odd, since he sure found the time to visit Kansas City. "He keeps saying publicly there's no private money interest here. Well, he's wrong about that. And he knows it. "The way this is coming together with the Muckleshoots, I don't see how the NBA could let him move the team out of the Seattle area. It's too good of an opportunity to pass up." Yes it is. Your move, Mr. Bennett </div> Link
Good. I live in Auburn, and that would be incredible to have the Sonics here, although it would probably mean more traffic and whatnot. There has already been a huge increase in traffic and a population boost since Emerald Downs and the Supermall were built here. But regardless, if it means keeping the Sonics in King County then i'm all for it.
I'm all for it. Although being up in Mill Creek sucks because I'll have traffic up the a$$ whatever route I choose. But hey, you said it...if it means keeping the Supes in the region, then why not? The Pistions are 30 some miles away from Detroit I think.
Word on the street is Clay blew off the Muckleshoot meeting last week. If a solution to your problem falls in a forest and you aren't there to hear it can you still leave town saying Seattle left you no options?
Bennet is an ass. Simple as that. I was listening to KJR last Thursday and the main Muckleshoot guy (I forgot his first name, something Santos) was on. He sounded very enthusiastic about the whole thing. Old Clay Clay had blown him off earlier too I believe. I'm no business man, but the Muckelshoot option seems very viable to me. The Muckelshoot's are planning to build hotel's and shopping centers in that same area which will attract more people. Also, there would be very little public money used. The only thing the public sector would need to provide would be infrastructure, off-ramps and such. But I think that those will go up regardless if a new arena/mutli-use facility gets built or not.
<div class="quote_poster">monty001 Wrote</div><div class="quote_post"> The only thing the public sector would need to provide would be infrastructure, off-ramps and such. But I think that those will go up regardless if a new arena/mutli-use facility gets built or not.</div> Especially with the White River Amphitheatre right in that area now too. I drive down that way all the time and theres pretty much one main street for everything and it's nuts. So they should be adding regardless.
I barely make enough each month to cover my rent, bills and food. How am I supposed to save this basketball franchise?
