Arena Games in Seattle as Hansen Offers to Privately Finance Arena,City Explores KeyArena Renovations

Oceanside, New York (MPN) - Just when it seemed like the Arena efforts in Seattle, had died, things started to heat up again, as San Francisco Investor Chris Hansen issued a statement saying he would privately fund a proposal to build a 19,000 Seat NBA arena in the SoDo (South of the Old Kingdome) neighborhood back in October. Hansen said that he would pay for the arena, as well as to help provide funding for a proposed overpass in exchange for a street vacation, which the Seattle City Council voted 5-4 to reject last May.

Hansen and his investors have been working to get an arena build in SoDo since 2012. In 2013, Hansen along with Microsoft Executive Steve Ballmer attempted to purchase the Sacramento Kings and move the team to Seattle to play there beginning in the he 2013-14 Season, but the bid was rejected by the league as David Stern and Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson were able to secure a group of owners willing to keep the team in Sacramento.

A day later, Chris Daniels of KING5 and Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times both reported that AEG as well as a separate group headed by former AEG executive Tim Leiweke, had contacted the City of Seattle about renovating the KeyArena into a modern facility.

Attempts to renovate the KeyArena, date as far back as 2008, when the Sonics ownership announced they would move the team to Oklahoma City in time for the start of the 2008-09 NBA Season. Steve Ballmer, along with other investors, had put together a $150 Million dollar proposal to renovate the KeyArena and keep the team in Seattle. A Court settlement had been reached however, allowing Bennett to proceed with moving the team while keeping the name and legacy in Seattle, resulting in the cancellation of the arena bid. Ed Murray had told Chris Daniels last Monday that a decision on which arena plan the city would pursue would come in the Early part of Spring in 2017.

As of November 14th, the NBA has stated that they have no plans to expand, despite the reported agreement of a new CBA, while the NHL has yet to comment on the news, but past reports indicate that if Seattle had an arena plan in place. they would put a team there. Keep It here for more updates