NBA Facility Notes

In Seattle, Mike Lewis cited sources as saying that the Seattle Center’s Memorial Stadium “has emerged among the possible locations” for a new Sonics arena. City leaders “have wanted to redevelop the underused,” 12,000-seat stadium, which hosts “occasional concerts and sporting events such as high school football games.” If an arena project “moved ahead at the stadium site,” construction crews at KeyArena “would punch out arena walls and remodel it into a smaller, roofed, open-air amphitheater” that seats 7,000-10,000 (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 8/26).

Drying The Lane: Monarchs, Sparks Have Trouble With Floor During Playoff Game

SLIP SLIDING AWAY: Before Saturday’s Monarchs-Sparks WNBA playoff game at Arrowhead Pond, “players reported the area inside the key remained slippery 40 minutes before tipoff, and players from both [teams] appeared to have problems finding traction during the game.” The floor was brought in from Staples Center and installed at the arena because of a scheduling conflict with the American Idols 2006 tour (SACRAMENTO BEE, 8/27).

CUTTING LOOSE: Sacramento-based attorney and California state Senate candidate Darrell Steinberg, who has helped the NBA Kings lobby for a new arena, “is ready to cut his ties” with the team. Steinberg: “From the start, the plan has been that my relationship with them would be strictly a temporary arrangement.” He added that he will “still support the ballot measure” for arena funding (SACRAMENTO BEE, 8/28)....The Kings’ arena naming-rights deal with Arco expires next year, and Kings President John Thomas said “extension discussions are under way.” He said that the team “hopes to extend its contract with Arco ... [and] transfer the deal to a new facility.” Arco currently pays $750,000 per year (SACRAMENTO BEE, 8/28).