Sonics Owner Bennett To Meet Next Week With Seattle Mayor

Bennett Looking To Reopen Arena Talks In Seattle

BENNETT FRUSTRATED BY SEATTLE: In Seattle, Johns & Thiel write despite Thursday's conversation with Nickels, Bennett “sounds increasingly frustrated by his inability to garner support for a new multi-purpose arena.”  Bennett: “I’m increasingly convinced that the economic viability of the team in Oklahoma City is better than it will be here.  It (would be) the only pro franchise in the state.  There’s enormous enthusiasm for the NBA.  There’s not the dilution of the broad entertainment activities in this marketplace.”  Johns & Thiel note Bennett has set a deadline of October 31 for an arena plan to be in place, or he will file for relocation.  Nickels spokesperson Marty McOmber said, “We’ve said all along, the lease goes through 2010 and we expect the Sonics to honor it” (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 7/20).   Bennett: "Everybody in Seattle has my business card.  I'm wide open, and that's precisely the question: Do you want the NBA, or not?" (DAILY OKLAHOMAN, 7/20).

ONE STEP UP, TWO STEPS BACK: In a separate piece, the POST-INTELLIGENCER’s Art Thiel writes, “Nearly every time something positive develops with the team, it is accompanied by a dose of bad news about the club’s future. Including Thursday, when it was somewhat encouraging to see Bennett actually doing something, and discouraging to hear his outlook” (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 7/20).

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