Metro Seattle: NHL, NBA and Arena - Part IV

[snovalleyhockeyfan]

New investors for Seattle arena deal

http://twitter.com/#!/ChrisDaniels5

The big news that Schrempf was tweeting has been picked up by Chris Daniels over at KING, and he is reporting that Hansen has just announced Steve Ballmer and the Nordstrom's have joined his arena investment group.

This is HUGE news on this front. Many of you know who Steve Ballmer is, the head of Microsoft, but not as many of you, especially those of you outside of Seattle, probably know who the Nordstrom family is, but do know the stores they own. They own the Nordstrom department store chain, which is pretty big up this way but I believe there's stores around the U.S. if I'm not mistaken, and were the original owners of the Seahawks before Ken Behring got them back in the late 1980's.

 

[superdeluxe]

Steve Ballmer, Eric Nordstrom and Pete Nordstrom are some of his investors in the group.

HUGE. Steve Ballmer CEO of Microsoft, The Nordstroms have been a part of the community for years and are executives at Nordstroms.

 

[superdeluxe]

This is Huge news honestly. The Nordstroms are one of the major local important families.

And Steve Ballmer. Very Nice.

 

[snovalleyhockeyfan]

This is Huge news honestly. The Nordstroms are one of the major local important families.

And Steve Ballmer. Very Nice.

I certainly am not the only one who feels this is huge. Perhaps now this can get some more people in the business community to step forward and put their money into this, too.

 

[snovalleyhockeyfan]

I just was over at KJR's website and they mentioned in their Twitter feed that Hansen supposedly made this announcement in an interview w/Mitch a little while ago. Any of you hear that interview?

 

[superdeluxe]

I just was over at KJR's website and they mentioned in their Twitter feed that Hansen supposedly made this announcement in an interview w/Mitch a little while ago. Any of you hear that interview?

I heard a part of it (I was in meetings for most of it). But they usually put a podcast of it up.

Also speculation that a NHL ownership group would consist of the Mccaw family, Along with Don Levin

 

[superdeluxe]

http://www.king5.com/news/arena/Han...er-Nordstroms-as-arena-backers-158885985.html

Letter to City Council and county council about the new investors.

 

[gstommylee]

This is huge. Ballmer and Nordstorms involved is pretty big and Hansen is not done naming who's involved. There is more to come.

 

[Melrose Munch]

This is Huge news honestly. The Nordstroms are one of the major local important families.

And Steve Ballmer. Very Nice.

What are the other major local families?

 

[superdeluxe]

What are the other major local families?

Mccaw (Former Vancouver owners), Weyerhauser are a few.

 

[snovalleyhockeyfan]

What are the other major local families?

Well, you have the Gates' (Bill) for starters, then you have the Weyerhaeuser's (timber) that I can think of off hand as current-day major families locally.

 

[Melrose Munch]

Mccaw (Former Vancouver owners), Weyerhauser are a few.

Well, you have the Gates' (Bill) for starters, then you have the Weyerhaeuser's (timber) that I can think of off hand as current-day major families locally.

I hope this works out despite previous comments. If Denver can do this why not Seattle.

 

[snovalleyhockeyfan]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ht...018421308_in_ballmer_seattle_nba_team_ge.html

Interesting item here about Ballmer, from Seattle Times tech writer Brier Dudley.

 

[Awesome Sauce]

This is great news for Seattle!

 

[snovalleyhockeyfan]

An interesting tweet here from Daniels:

Councilmembers had plenty of questions about investors, and the names today will likely prompt even more...

And we know what kind of questions those will be. All the more reason, folks, to keep calling and emailing the two councils, and educating your friends and neighbors about this.

 

[gstommylee]

An interesting tweet here from Daniels:



And we know what kind of questions those will be. All the more reason, folks, to keep calling and emailing the two councils, and educating your friends and neighbors about this.

Of course why are they paying for it all type of questions: shakehead

There is a reason why Hansen is going local. Major local people with political influence and campaign contributors

 

[snovalleyhockeyfan]

Just flipped on ESPN 710, and Bob & Groz show just announced they'll be talking about the arena after 1:00 (PDT) with several guests over the course of the next little while.

www.mynorthwest.com is the website for those who want to listen online.

Not sure what they'll be doing on 950, but I'd guess Furness will be busy with it, too....

 

[snovalleyhockeyfan]

Of course why are they paying for it all type of questions: shakehead

There is a reason why Hansen is going local. Major local people with political influence and campaign contributors

http://mynorthwest.com/11/692464/Microsoft-CEO-Steve-Ballmer-Nordstroms-investing-in-arena

And now those questions start...

This is an interview Dave Ross did this morning with Constantine on this. Listen to the first two questions Ross gave Constantine.

 

[Nuclear SUV]

THERE IS ZERO interest in the NHL in Seattle, Nuclear, you're lucky Seattle had 40 years w/ the Sonics before being driven out by said arena..... How come the Thunderbirds aren't even there by virtue of said arena, but they could rebuild both Safeco and Century Link Field? Why do you think Bennett moved the Sonics to OKC, why is Stern promising that if an arena is built, the Sonics will return to Seattle, but the deal w/ OKC about shared history... Where does the fault lie? Solely on Mayor Sickels and the moritorium instituted by Gov. Gregoire....

Since when is Washington State pro-business?

- There is enough NHL interest in the Greater Puget Sound area to warrant a team. The two WHL teams in the Seattle area have had combined per game averages over 10,000 fans many years. There is over 10,000,000 people between Salem & Squamish, plenty of fans are out there. Plus Seattle is the major center of the NW and would also draw fans from Alaska and Montana.

- The Sonics weren't driven out. There were plenty of people interested in buying the team & keeping it in Seattle. In fact just today one of the Jr. owners, who tried thwarting Howie Shultz's late night sale to the man who was already on the record as vowing to bring the NBA to OKC, has joined in with Chris Hansen. Our team was stolen. The Sonics were hugely successful setting numerous attendance records & sold out almost every game in the latter half of the 90's despite the league 2nd highest ticket prices.

- Thunderbirds got a fancy new arena. With the expansion Silvertips in Everett gnawing off the northern part of their fan base, it made sense to move south.

- Team moved to OKC because the OKC native owners wanted a team there. They had no intentions of keeping the team in Seattle. None. If Howard Schultz wasn't a greedy idiot, the team would still be in Seattle.

- Fault: Howard Schultz 90%, David Stern 5%, Greg Nickles/Seattle Council 4%, Gregoire 1%.

- Washington has been largely pro-business throughout much of its history. Unlike Oregon, Washington has had a lengthy pro-business attitude that exists to today. No income tax, booming economy despite the rest of the nation stuck in a recoveryless cycle. From Boeing, to Kenworth, to Amazon.com, to Microsoft, the Seattle area is one of the best business centers in the country.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

- There is enough NHL interest in the Greater Puget Sound area to warrant a team. The two WHL teams in the Seattle area have had combined per game averages over 10,000 fans many years. There is over 10,000,000 people between Salem & Squamish, plenty of fans are out there. Plus Seattle is the major center of the NW and would also draw fans from Alaska and Montana.

- The Sonics weren't driven out. There were plenty of people interested in buying the team & keeping it in Seattle. In fact just today one of the Jr. owners, who tried thwarting Howie Shultz's late night sale to the man who was already on the record as vowing to bring the NBA to OKC, has joined in with Chris Hansen. Our team was stolen. The Sonics were hugely successful setting numerous attendance records & sold out almost every game in the latter half of the 90's despite the league 2nd highest ticket prices.

- Thunderbirds got a fancy new arena. With the expansion Silvertips in Everett gnawing off the northern part of their fan base, it made sense to move south.

- Team moved to OKC because the OKC native owners wanted a team there. They had no intentions of keeping the team in Seattle. None. If Howard Schultz wasn't a greedy idiot, the team would still be in Seattle.

- Fault: Howard Schultz 90%, David Stern 5%, Greg Nickles/Seattle Council 4%, Gregoire 1%.

- Washington has been largely pro-business throughout much of its history. Unlike Oregon, Washington has had a lengthy pro-business attitude that exists to today. No income tax, booming economy despite the rest of the nation stuck in a recoveryless cycle. From Boeing, to Kenworth, to Amazon.com, to Microsoft, the Seattle area is one of the best business centers in the country.

totally disagree, otherwise the Sonics remain in Seattle, All they asked for was to be treated equally, if not equivalent to the other 3 franchises.....Nickles is to blame as is Seattle and the state for putting that roadblock because you have the same issues, Nuclear, if any franchise, as Stern stated that Key is unsuitable, and even the Tacoma Dome is as untenable an option as Key is.....

the same issue Seattle faced with the Sonics, how is that any different from what Karmanos did while waiting for CTDA to replace the XL Center in Hartford..... IT'S NOT......

 

[Nuclear SUV]

totally disagree, otherwise the Sonics remain in Seattle, All they asked for was to be treated equally, if not equivalent to the other 3 franchises.....Nickles is to blame as is Seattle and the state for putting that roadblock because you have the same issues, Nuclear, if any franchise, as Stern stated that Key is unsuitable, and even the Tacoma Dome is as untenable an option as Key is.....

- You disagree, but provide zero evidence to support your assertions. In many instances you are factually wrong. Gregoire issued moratorium? Sonics were driven out (rather than stolen)? Nickles deserves bulk of blame when much the situation fell into his lap after sale to the OKC natives who were committed to moving team to OKC for civic rather than investment purposes? The Thunderbirds ordeal? There is more, in just two brief posts!

- Nickles didn't throw up any road block. He is just an idiot that got pwned by the crafty OKC businessmen. Gregoire showed zero leadership and zero clue by multiply putting her foot in her mouth. All Gregoire could do was be a vocal cheerleader; she wasn't. Nickles could have held team in Seattle until 2010; he didn't. The blame is squarely on Howard Schultz, who sold the team in a late night sale to the man who was on record vowing to bring the NBA to OKC. Jr. Sonics partners revolted, because they knew they could put together a local ownership group to buy the team and keep it in Seattle.

- Howard Schultz, the Starbucks guy, deserves a lions share of the blame. David Stern is #2, because he allowed it to happen. A capable commissioner would have nixed the deal allowing the locals time to match the bid. Sinegal & Ballmer interest proved that big $ really wanted to buy the team and keep them in Seattle. Ballmer & Sinegal also pledged $150,000,000 towards Key Arena remake if the Okies could have been compelled to sell (by the Schultz lawsuit, which was quickly dropped after Nickles terrible settlement that allowed the team to be moved prematurely).

 

[Nuclear SUV]

More:

- Ballmer & Sinegal pledged $150,000,000 towards new Seattle Center arena. City of Seattle pledged $75,000,000. Needed a $75,000,000 from state & for the Okies to sell the Sonics. State didn't bother to act because they knew the Okies would not sell the team. Gregoire herself said so right from the beginning. Aubrey McClendon, Thunder partner said that they never had any intentions of keeping team in Seattle. None.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

- You disagree, but provide zero evidence to support your assertions. In many instances you are factually wrong. Gregoire issued moratorium? Sonics were driven out (rather than stolen)? Nickles deserves bulk of blame when much the situation fell into his lap after sale to the OKC natives who were committed to moving team to OKC for civic rather than investment purposes? The Thunderbirds ordeal? There is more, in just two brief posts!

- Nickles didn't throw up any road block. He is just an idiot that got pwned by the crafty OKC businessmen. Gregoire showed zero leadership and zero clue by multiply putting her foot in her mouth. All Gregoire could do was be a vocal cheerleader; she wasn't. Nickles could have held team in Seattle until 2010; he didn't. The blame is squarely on Howard Schultz, who sold the team in a late night sale to the man who was on record vowing to bring the NBA to OKC. Jr. Sonics partners revolted, because they knew they could put together a local ownership group to buy the team and keep it in Seattle.

- Howard Schultz, the Starbucks guy, deserves a lions share of the blame. David Stern is #2, because he allowed it to happen. A capable commissioner would have nixed the deal allowing the locals time to match the bid. Sinegal & Ballmer interest proved that big $ really wanted to buy the team and keep them in Seattle. Ballmer & Sinegal also pledged $150,000,000 towards Key Arena remake if the Okies could have been compelled to sell (by the Schultz lawsuit, which was quickly dropped after Nickles terrible settlement that allowed the team to be moved prematurely).

sorry, Washington state turned anti-business when they stated no arena construction, Nuclear, you should know that, more than anyone, otherwise why wasn't this Hansen arena done years ago, same that happened w/ TNSE and Winnipeg..... Again, how is the Sonics transfer any diiferent than Karmanos and the Whaler to Hurricane transition in 1997.....

I don't blame Bennett one iota, and Schultz was already gone the minute he sold the franchise

 

[Nuclear SUV]

sorry, Washington state turned anti-business when they stated no arena construction, Nuclear, you should know that, more than anyone, otherwise why wasn't this Hansen arena done years ago, same that happened w/ TNSE and Winnipeg..... Again, how is the Sonics transfer any diiferent than Karmanos and the Whaler to Hurricane transition in 1997.....

I don't blame Bennett one iota, and Schultz was already gone the minute he sold the franchise

- Washington isn't anti-business. Our economy is currently one of the tops in the nation, driven by private enterprise. Your home state is anti-business, not mine.

- When did Washington stop sports venue construction? AAA Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, new Wenatchee Arena, ShoWare Center, Comcast Center, HUSKY STADIUM!? Have you even set foot into Washington before? You have said many incorrect things in your three brief posts!

- Read my above posts. New arena was ready to happen, but Okies needed to sell the team to Microsoft's Ballmer & Costco's Sinegal first. S-B were hoping the Schultz lawsuit and the city forcing the team to honor lease would force Bennett's to sell.

- The only reason the Sonics are gone is Howard Schultz sold team in a quick, late night sale, despite objections from junior partners. So quick that the Kansas City media got whiff of it first and yours truly had to tip off the Seattle Post-Intelligencer (R.I.P.) that the man buying the team was on record (in USA Today) as vowing to bring the NBA to OKC. Aubrey McClendon, founder of Chesapeake Energy admitted while team was still in Seattle that they had zero intention of keeping team in Seattle. That forced Howard Schultz to sue Bennett-McClendon to save face. That lawsuit was dropped after Nickles and Ceis caved in and settled the city's lease lawsuit.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

- Washington isn't anti-business. Our economy is currently one of the tops in the nation, driven by private enterprise. Your home state is anti-business, not mine.

- When did Washington stop sports venue construction? AAA Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, new Wenatchee Arena, ShoWare Center, Comcast Center? Have you even set foot into Washington before? You have said many incorrect things in your three brief posts!

- Read my above posts. New arena was ready to happen, but Okies need to sell the team to Microsoft's Ballmer & Costco's Sinegal first.

- The only reason the Sonics are gone is Howard Schultz sold team in a quick, late night sale, despite objections from junior partners. So quick that the Kansas City media got whiff of it first and yours truly had to tip off the Seattle Post-Intelligencer (R.I.P.) that the man buying the team was on record (in USA Today) as vowing to bring the NBA to OKC. Aubrey McClendon, founder of Chesapeake Energy admitted while team was still in Seattle that they had zero intention of keeping team in Seattle. That forced Howard Schultz to sue Bennett-McClendon to save face. That lawsuit was dropped after Nickles and Ceis caved in and settled the city's lease lawsuit.

goes back to Washington state footing the bills after the construction of both SAFECO/Centurylink Fields, Nuclear, Sonics were asking then and were told no..... Key Arena was renovated once and isn't the issue that Key isn't up to standards, and was silenced for 18 months, fwiu.... add to that, isn't KA a historic site?