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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Sunday, July 6, 2008 Replacing Sonics falls to Olympia By Jerry Cornfield, Herald Columnist The final play in the SuperSonics saga unfolded just as team owner Clay Bennett and Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels drew it up. Bennett won, gaining the ability to move the now nameless club to his Oklahoma City hometown and into a new arena he'll help build. Nickels didn't lose, pocketing enough cash to cover his wide political behind and replenish city coffers depleted by the Sonics getting out of their lease with KeyArena two years early. The fans lost their team. And the state Legislature is the one looking liable for ensuring the NBA returns in the future. Nickels and Bennett crafted the deal in a way that makes the state the linchpin to providing a $300 million makeover to KeyArena that NBA Commissioner David Stern can love. Some business guys with moxie and money -- led by Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer -- have said they'll put up half. Nickels committed the city to putting up a fourth. Completing this financial puzzle requires the state authorize the final piece: $75 million in public funds. The settlement gives lawmakers until Dec. 31, 2009, to give either Seattle or King County power to tap an existing stream of tax revenue for the dough. If the settlement doesn't put enough pressure on them, Stern issued a very clear threat Wednesday that without "authorization of the public funding" there is little chance of the NBA returning to Seattle in the next five years. So the lawmakers and governor are duly warned: It's your fault and the fault of your constituents if the NBA stays away from Seattle for a long time. Such intimidation failed to secure similar legislation sought by Bennett and Nickels this past session. Success may be as difficult to attain in 2009. Expect there to be little public pressure next year, like last. More fans will show up to a parade celebrating an NBA championship than amass outside the Capitol to demand more taxes. While full-throated fans are seething now, the number of the angered and enraged won't add up to enough votes to drive any incumbent lawmaker from office or swing the outcome in the race for governor this year. (They could very well matter when Nickels seeks re-election in 2009) Outside the city limits of Seattle, the focus of legislators is on other matters There's a projected $2.7 billion state deficit to erase and lawsuits to comply with that require injecting gobs of money into education and foster care. Regional issues abound, such as pursuing a university in Snohomish County and rebuilding flood-damaged Lewis County. "Most of our people are saying don't do anything for them," said Rep. Hans Dunshee, D-Snohomish, referring to the NBA. "We've got more important things to do." Just like Bennett and Nickels drew it up. Political reporter Jerry Cornfield's blog, The Petri Dish, is at www.heraldnet.com. He can be heard at 8 a.m. Mondays on "The Morning Show" on KSER (90.7 FM). Contact him at 360-352-8623 or jcornfield@heraldnet.com.

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