NBA in Seattle

Billionaire Chris Hansen must pay the California Fair Political Practices Commission $50,000 for his role in a secretive effort to funnel money to a group trying to thwart Sacramento's efforts to build a new downtown arena.

Seattle billionaire Chris Hansen says he regrets funding a secretive effort to block a new downtown arena for Sacramento's professional basketball team.

Hansen's involvement was disclosed by California's campaign watchdog Friday.

NBA owners voted Wednesday to reject the Sacramento Kings' proposed move to Seattle. 

The 22-to-8 vote followed a recommendation made last month by the NBA's relocation committee and may have finally brought an end to an emotional saga that has dragged on for nearly three years.

"This was not an anti-Seattle vote; this was a pro-Sacramento vote," said NBA Commissioner David Stern.

It appears there will be no professional basketball in Seattle this year.  

The NBA’s relocation committee has favored keeping the Kings franchise in Sacramento, turning down a bid to revive the Sonics. 

The unanimous vote leaves a number of questions about what happens next for investor Chris Hansen and his attempts to bring the Sonics back to Seattle.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson has announced a new investor to help fill the role vacated by billionaire Ron Burkle in the city's bid to keep the Kings from moving to Seattle.

Johnson said at his weekly news conference Tuesday that Sacramento developer Mark Friedman has joined the group. The announcement comes a day after Burkle backed out because of a conflict of interest stemming from his ownership stake in Relativity Sports, which manages some NBA players' careers.

Investor Chris Hansen says his group’s website has seen “stunning" interest from Seattleites who want to bring an NBA team to the city.

“We received requests for over 44,000 full season tickets, 268 suites and had 983 businesses interested in sponsorship opportunities,” he said, adding 32,000 of the requests for full-season tickets came within the first 24 hours after the priority ticket waitlist went live on sonicsarena.com.

Chris Hansen and his group of investors have released preliminary design renderings of Seattle’s next basketball arena.

The plan features “non-traditional elements” including three stacked balconies in lieu of top rows above the seating bowl, Hansen’s group said on sonicsarena.com.

Two people familiar with the decision says the Maloof family has agreed to sell the Sacramento Kings to a Seattle group led by investor Chris Hansen.

The people spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press on Sunday night because the deal is still pending approval from the NBA Board of Governors.

One person said the Maloofs are selling all 65 percent of their share for $525 million to Hansen, who will move the team to Seattle and restore the SuperSonics name.

The Maloofs will still be allowed to look at other bids until the league approves the sale.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson says he has received approval from NBA Commissioner David Stern to present a counteroffer to the league from investors who would keep the Kings in California's capital city.

Speaking at the annual State of Downtown Breakfast on Tuesday, Johnson says the city is in a "six-week sprint" to put together a proposal for the NBA's Board of Governors to consider. The league's deadline for teams to apply for relocation is March 1.

City and county officials said yes to the $490 million deal, so Chris Hansen et al. have submitted a preliminary design for the proposed NBA arena to be located in Seattle’s SODO neighborhood.

The King County Council approved an agreement with the investors who want to build an NBA arena in the SoDo district of Seattle. The council voted 6-3 to ratify the "memorandum of understanding" and "interlocal agreement," documents which define the terms of the arena deal.

"There is intrinsic value in this arena," said county councilmember Julia Patterson. She added that she had voted against Seattle's other sports arenas in the past, when she was in the Washington State Legislature, but voted yes on this deal.

In opposition, councilman Pete von Reichbauer said transportation issues had not been resolved. 

"If you build it, they will come – they can't come if they're stuck in traffic," he said.

The level of intensity around the proposal to build a new NBA arena in Seattle is growing by the minute.

The group of investors – which we learned yesterday includes Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and the Nordstrom family – drew hundreds to a "bring back our Sonics" rally in Pioneer Square today. It was a well-timed event to put pressure on the Seattle City Council and King County Council to back the deal.

“This is a very carefully orchestrated PR campaign," says KPLU sports commentator Art Thiel. "At the same time, the old Sonics – the Thunder – are in the NBA Finals this week. The angst could not be more intense in Seattle among sports fans who care about this because their 41-year passion is being thrown back in their face, mocked by the Thunder’s presence in the league’s championship series.”