It appears that Seattle is one step closer to getting a new arena in the thought that it could attract one, if not two, professional sports franchises...
NHL and/or NBA...
The City Council voted 6-2 to pass the South Downtown plan. Hedge fund billionaire Chris Hansen's plan to build a $490-million calls for $200 million in public funds. But construction won't start until the plan passes environmental reviews and the actual franchise showing up on the doorstep.
Hansen has also said that he would guarantee to cover any debt if the arena financing doesn't happen.
Seattle sources also say that the Katz Group, the owners of the Edmonton Oilers, visited the town to check on the viability of a possible move.
Here's how the story broke this afternoon...
The Katz Group confirmed to the Edmonton Sun that they visited Key Arena: "I can confirm that Daryl Katz, Patrick LaForge, Kevin Lowe and others from the Oilers leadership group are in Seattle for meetings and to attend the Seahawks game," Bob Black, executive vice president of the Katz Group, said in a statement.
"We remain committed to working with City Administration to achieve a deal commensurate with what Winnipeg and Pittsburgh have done to sustain the NHL in those small markets. If we can achieve such a deal, the Oilers will remain in Edmonton and we can get on with the important work of developing the new arena and investing in the continued revitalization of Edmonton's downtown core.
"Nonetheless, and as the City of Edmonton is aware, the Katz Group has been listening to proposals from a number of potential NHL markets for some time. After more than four years of trying to secure an arena deal and with less than 24 months remaining on the Oilers' lease at Rexall Place, this is only prudent and should come as no surprise.
"We are extremely grateful to Oilers' fans for their patience and loyalty as we work through this process towards what we sincerely hope will be a long and successful future for the Oilers in Edmonton. We have no further comment on the status of our discussions with other markets at this time."
Which, really, only means that Katz, Patrick LaForge, and Kevin Lowe are using Seattle as leverage to get their arena deal done in the next little bit.
There's no way...
That Edmonton will never...
Lose that hockey team to any city, government, or municipality not named "Edmonton" unless the province of Alberta wants a riot on its hands...
Which it won't get...
Katz is Katz... and it's a lockout...
More when we know more...
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