Seattle Mayor Paul Schell has sent a letter to The
Ackerley Group, the Sonics' ownership arm, "confirming the
city is willing to sweeten the KeyArena lease to minimize
start-up costs for a new women's pro team," according to
Vecsey & Goldsmith of the SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER.
Sources said that Full House, the Sonics' marketing group,
has "been jockeying for months to take control of KeyArena"
and to "scrap" the current KeyArena lease. City Council
member Tina Podlodowski said that Full House "has not
formally requested full control of KeyArena as a stipulation
to start a WNBA franchise," but "in the past, what they have
requested is the ability to book and manage KeyArena for 365
days a year." Mayor Schell has reportedly offered The
Ackerley Group reduced rent for all potential WNBA home
games to actual operating costs plus $2,500, "about a tenth
of that paid by the Sonics," plus the allocation of all
ticket/concession revenue to Full House and the right of
"priority scheduling" to the team during the summer. The
city would keep all parking and admission tax revenue from
WNBA games and control staffing (POST-INTELLIGENCER, 5/12).
