SUING IN SEATTLE? CITY CONSIDERS LAWSUIT AGAINST SONICS

          As the NBA lockout continues, the city of Seattle "is
     considering suing the Sonics to recover money the team owes
     in unpaid KeyArena rent," according to Byrnes & McOmber of
     the SEATTLE TIMES.  The city's legal department is reviewing
     the contract with the Sonics "to see how the city might
     enforce the lease obligation."  The 13 exhibition and
     regular-season games that the NBA has canceled so far have
     cost the city $1.3M.  A season-long lockout "would create" a
     $4.8M budget shortfall, and refunds totaling as much as
     $1.2M may have to be paid to luxury-suite owners.  Event
     revenue goes toward retiring the city's $73M share of the
     arena's recent renovations (SEATTLE TIMES, 11/21).