Seattle VII: SoDon't? To Kwila or not To Kwila (RayB to apply for expansion)

[WeTheNords]

Why so threatened by Seattle? If that's what he said you should be celebrating in the QC thread.

p.s. Of course he said *yet* which leaves a door open.

I dont feel threatened? Why you saying that? I hope Seattle gets a team.

 

[Major4Boarding]

We have heard nothing of plans By Jac Sperling in Bellevue.

Never intended to mean that he was . Remember, he's also tied into the what's happening in Tukwila. Because it was stated that it was a glancing look in that article sometime ago doesn't do the situation justice in my opinion. The man does his homework, runs down all facets and nuances, and if he ultimately decided to reach over to Bartoszek and say "let's partner up on Tukwila" I wouldn't be shocked in the least.

Hell. I wouldn't be shocked at all if it came out that Sperling had a call into Hansen at some point asking "What's it gonna take?"

 

[brewski420]

I dont feel threatened? Why you saying that? I hope Seattle gets a team.

Sorry if I misinterpreted your intentions on a Seattle thread.

 

[Melrose Munch]

Agree with all this. That they are starting a process, let's see who's interested phase, is extremely positive to me. Tukwila has time and maybe Hansen gets a message as well. This is the first step, albeit a important one, in a process where Seattle is very much in the game IMHO.

I am feeling positive about it for first time in a while.

IMO the time for talk is over.

 

[Llama19]

That was a story from April so it's not like he said it today. They decided on this process to start now and I am sure conversations have taken place with all the interested cities that they have already had conversations with (Seattle included) what the plan is. I am confident that Seattle is on their radar. I view this as positive for Seattle!!

An NHL storm is approaching...

 

[danishh]

having an arena built isnt necessarily better than having solid plans for one. Remember hamilton in the 90's.

 

[powerstuck]

The wake up call has landed. Now it's really time for Seattle to wake up.

One could have thought they would open door for a 16-17 expansion and Vegas would be ready for it...but stating it won't happen before 17-18 is a clear sign NHL wants Seattle to go for it and they are giving them more than enough time to do so.

 

[gstommylee]

The wake up call has landed. Now it's really time for Seattle to wake up.

One could have thought they would open door for a 16-17 expansion and Vegas would be ready for it...but stating it won't happen before 17-18 is a clear sign NHL wants Seattle to go for it and they are giving them more than enough time to do so.

Go for it with a 500m price tag when any NHL group no matter if it Seattle, tukwila or Bellevue has to pay for significant cost of the arena if not all of it.

 

[brewski420]

That $500m price tag is ridiculous imo and just don't see how it can be justified by a potential Seattle owner also going 100% on an arena. If that is truly the cost, don't really believe it will be, than I don't see expansion for Seattle.

 

[powerstuck]

Go for it with a 500m price tag when any NHL group no matter if it Seattle, tukwila or Bellevue has to pay for significant cost of the arena if not all of it.

So, if you are right, Seattle is relocation only.

Honestly, without a new arena, Portland > Seattle. I know it is expensive but, it's that or no team.

 

[gstommylee]

So, if you are right, Seattle is relocation only.

Then ALL us expansion candidates are relocation only with 500m price tag even Vegas. I'm just not talking about Vegas i'm taking about the entire country. No us expansion city is worth 500m fee.

And there are 3 teams that are having problems you can't ask for 500m for expansion when there are cheaper options to get a team that doesn't work.

 

[brewski420]

Then ALL us expansion candidates are relocation only with 500m price tag even Vegas. I'm just not talking about Vegas i'm taking about the entire country. No us expansion city is worth 500m fee.

And there are 3 teams that are having problems you can't ask for 500m for expansion when there are cheaper options to get a team that doesn't work.

I agree with this. That is why this $500m doesn't make sense to me. I think the NHL needs to look at each market realistically not all under one umbrella, but they won't and I guess I don't blame them at the start of the process. Hopefully smart business decisions outweigh an all or nothing approach in the end and the benefit of a team in Seattle or Portland wins the day.

 

[Seattle Totems]

Chris Johnston ‏@reporterchris 5 hil y a 5 heures Voir la traduction
Gary Bettman: "Nobody has their arena act together yet in Seattle."

Yeah, I think the reporter has an obvious bias towards Quebec and is paraphrasing. These are not fresh quotes from Bettman.

 

[Seattle Totems]

There is enough interested parties to get it done in Seattle. The problem is and will always be Chris Hansen wanting control of SODO.

 

[gstommylee]

There is enough interested parties to get it done in Seattle. The problem is and will always be Chris Hansen wanting control of SODO.

NHL doesn't need Sodo arena to get done for hockey, they have Ray B and Tukwila arena to go do if that gets done.

 

[Seattle Totems]

Seattle needs SODO if it wants to work as an NHL market.

Tukwila is the worst place to put an NHL arena. No one across the border is going to travel to Tukwila to watch a game, transit options or not. I've driven down to Seattle many times during the week and on weekends. I'd rather drive through an active war zone than venture down to Tukwila. You can absolutely forget it on a weekday.

The NHL should know this after all the problems in Kanata, Glendale. and Sunrise Fla. South of Seattle is the wrong location. Too far from downtown and too far from potential fans in the North.

 

[gstommylee]

Seattle needs SODO if it wants to work as an NHL market.

Tukwila is the worst place to put an NHL arena. No one across the border is going to travel to Tukwila to watch a game, transit options or not. I've driven down to Seattle many times during the week and on weekends. I'd rather drive through an active war zone than venture down to Tukwila. You can absolutely forget it on a weekday.

The NHL should know this after all the problems in Kanata, Glendale. and Sunrise Fla. South of Seattle is the wrong location. Too far from downtown and too far from potential fans in the North.

And if Sodo arena is not an option for the NHL group with terms that will work for them, then what? Your looking into the suburbs.

Remember Hansen is in it for the NBA not the NHL and he also controls the arena. Arena revenue is a major sticking point for a NHL team.

if it requires have the team and the arena in the suburbs in order to get team under the right situation revenue wise then that's what take.

Tukwila isn't that terrible of a location compared to Glendale and those other cities. So we stop comparing it to those cities thank you.

 

[tank44]

Seattle needs SODO if it wants to work as an NHL market.

Tukwila is the worst place to put an NHL arena. No one across the border is going to travel to Tukwila to watch a game, transit options or not. I've driven down to Seattle many times during the week and on weekends. I'd rather drive through an active war zone than venture down to Tukwila. You can absolutely forget it on a weekday.

Agreed SoDo is the #1 option but there are many worse places in the Seattle metro area than Tukwila such as Auburn, Kent or Tacoma. Just because this arena is less convenient for Canadians to get to on weekdays shouldn't matter. If not SoDo then Tukwila is a decent 2nd option for the Seattle metro-area & Seattle fan base.

 

[gstommylee]

Agreed SoDo is the #1 option but there are many worse places in the Seattle metro area than Tukwila such as Auburn, Kent or Tacoma. Just because this arena is less convenient for Canadians to get to on weekdays shouldn't matter. If not SoDo then Tukwila is a decent 2nd option for the Seattle metro-area & Seattle fan base.

Actually in order based on convenience its Seattle, Bellevue then Tukwila.

Only reality is its Seattle, Tukwila Bellevue based on where things are at publically.

 

[serge2k]

NHL doesn't need Sodo arena to get done for hockey, they have Ray B and Tukwila arena to go do if that gets done.

hope not.

I'd jump on a chance to get season tickets. Don't really want that to mean having to ride out to Tukwila all the time.

 

[gstommylee]

hope not.

I'd jump on a chance to get season tickets. Don't really want that to mean having to ride out to Tukwila all the time.

Well we may be in a situation of NHL has no choice but to go to the suburbs.

 

[powerstuck]

Then ALL us expansion candidates are relocation only with 500m price tag even Vegas. I'm just not talking about Vegas i'm taking about the entire country. No us expansion city is worth 500m fee.

And there are 3 teams that are having problems you can't ask for 500m for expansion when there are cheaper options to get a team that doesn't work.

I agree with you. I don't think even in Canada a 500M pricetag is justified. The day they announced the expansion process, all medias were having ''financial experts'' talk about the risk involving the 500M pricetag.

Only city I could see cough up that price is Toronto, but even then, it's a hell of a risk.

The thing is, NHL cannot give a team to Seattle, no matter how much they would like to, without a new arena at least under construction.

They can't do it because they will never ever have the leverage again. Why do you think they are fighting so hard to stay in Glendale ?
There are talks to have Coyotes moves to DT Phoenix with Suns and group up for a bigger leverage in getting a new arena DT...Ain't gonna happen if NHL gives another city a team if that city has a 30+ years old arena.

I mean even Hamilton, people think Copps would work. Heck it won't. NHL will want a brand new arena in the GTA for a 2nd team to even become a dream.

All I am saying is, it sucks to be a hockey fan in Seattle right now. Because the brake being applied for getting a team in town is out of yours control.

 

[snovalleyhockeyfan]

Seattle Times NHL to Seattle column

http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/hockey/the-time-is-now-to-make-nhl-expansion-to-seattle-happen/

Seattle Times column today on NHL to Seattle, written by someone OTHER than a certain Mr. Baker......

 

[Fugu]

http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/hockey/the-time-is-now-to-make-nhl-expansion-to-seattle-happen/

Seattle Times column today on NHL to Seattle, written by someone OTHER than a certain Mr. Baker......

Hmmmm...

And who knows what’s going on behind the scenes in Bellevue? By all accounts, something is.

Always been my preferred destination for an NHL team.

 

[snovalleyhockeyfan]

Hmmmm...