Seahawks QB Russell Wilson has joined a group led by investor Chris Hansen that is "working on building an NBA/NHL arena" in Seattle, and he "plans to have an ownership stake in the basketball team, should the NBA return" to the city, according to Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com. Wilson said, "I've been really authentic about wanting to own a team one day and being a part of something really special and doing that. And even though I'm young, I definitely have a business mindset. And I want to be able to help people and give back and help change this community, continue to change this community for the better." Wilson added, "For a long time, I have wanted to own a team and be part of that. Really for the past year, I'd say, (I've) really kind of been really processing it and thinking about it and trying to understand, and trying to get information from the people of Seattle. It's such a great city. It's a financially prospering city, a place where we can change people's lives and give new jobs and help people around the city" (ESPN.com, 11/17). In Tacoma, Gregg Bell writes Wilson wants to "become even more of a civic hero than he already is." Wilson is "setting roots in the Puget Sound region for the long haul." Wilson: "We got to find a way to get the Sonics here first. That’s the first mission, is to build the arena. Obviously partnering with Chris Hansen is a pretty cool situation. He loves this area and all that, and also [former NBAer] Wally Walker and also [Nordstrom co-Presidents] Eric and Pete Nordstrom. It’s an exciting thing, an exciting time. Just walking around, seeing people, being with people, wearing old-school Sonics hats, old-school Sonics throwback jackets, it’s a great city to have an NBA team. I think the same about the NHL. It’s a great sport, as well" (Tacoma NEWS TRIBUNE, 11/18).
NO FEAR ABOUT INVOLVEMENT: In Seattle, Bob Condotta reports Wilson "wouldn't say how much he has invested" in the Hansen group, but he plans to do "whatever lobbying the group asked." He said that he has "'no fear' about getting involved in a project that has generated and been politically divisive." Wilson: "Our focus is building a state-of-the-art facility that's nowhere else. We want to do something that is really, really cool, really, really special" (SEATTLE TIMES, 11/18).
