Arena of the near future Plans to upgrade Ford Center carries sway with visiting NBA officials Plans to upgrade Ford Center carries sway with visiting NBA officials
As much as I appreciate Mayor Mick, he came across as heavy-handed before the March 4 special election.
Cornett insisted if a 15-month, penny tax extension was not approved by voters, Oklahoma City no longer would be a viable player for an NBA franchise.
It seemed an unnecessary scare tactic, given how OKC had proven itself worthy as the Hornets' temporary home.
NBA commissioner David Stern previously had tagged the Ford Center an acceptable facility and proclaimed Oklahoma City as the No. 1 candidate should a franchise ever relocate.
If Oklahoma City already had Stern's blessing, were $100 million in improvements to the Ford Center (and roughly $21 million for construction of a practice facility) truly necessary for us to become a relocation destination?
Apparently, yes.
After a day filled with tours, commerce presentations and get-togethers with state dignitaries, members of the NBA relocation subcommittee decided they will recommend Oklahoma City as the new home of the Seattle SuperSonics, who will relocate between now and 2010.
According to several people who partook in Tuesday's visit, improvement plans for the Ford Center carried a lot of weight.
Had funding for the Ford Center not been secured, would the Sonics be on their way here.
"No. No chance,” Stern said. "The Ford Center is a great temporary facility. It is not a facility of tomorrow, and the $100-plus million that were allocated and approved overwhelmingly by the taxpayers was a huge statement. And actually how that is going to be spent in the ways — for locker rooms and every possible amenity — is really what makes this into an NBA arena.”
Stern obviously has Mayor Mick's back.
But part of me believes had the tax extension not been approved, subcommittee members still would be giving OKC the thumbs-up for relocation.
League officials said they were impressed with many aspects of Tuesday's visit, in addition to the renovation plans.
Then again, had Ford Center funding not been secured, Sonics chairman Clay Bennett could have withdrawn his relocation request and Tuesday's visit never would have occurred.
All speculation ended March 4, by a convincing margin of 61.9 to 38.1 percent.
The vote sealed Oklahoma City's fate, and it's a good thing.
"I didn't even have a Plan B,” a smiling Cornett said Tuesday.
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See the the Mayor is still claiming he didn't have a "Plan B" (Bennett has had "Plan B's" since he bought the team) ... course we will never know for sure if it is true or not (unless some memo comes to light). Seems incredibly foolish NOT to have some sort of back-up plan if the vote failed. Good to see though, that someone at this paper is putting something thoughtful out there. Even called the Mayors rhetoric "heavy-handed" and "an unnecessary scare tactic". Just a shame there wasn't more of it BEFORE the vote.
"Oh yes, Chris Paul is going to play in OKC in 2010. He is up for free agency. He is my cousin. Go Chris!!!" Kim, that would be a dream come true. It wouldn't break my heart to have Byron Scott back here either. I'm pretty sure he still has his house here.
Jill, www.okcthunderfans.com - Mar 27, 2008 at 6:01 am
"This is how much the rest of the professional sports world cares about oklahoma city. Go to espn.com, click on nba at top of page. Not ONE story of joke-lahoma city getting a team. Nobody cares about you guys getting a team. It's just another thing Texas can beat oklahoma in." Actually, it was the top story on CNN for a good part of the day. And it's nice you can beat us in that, since it doesn't seem to happen in football that often lately.
Jill, www.okcthunderfans.com - Mar 27, 2008 at 6:00 am
If you don't care about us okies, why are you here reading about it and taking the time to comment?? I've seen plenty of publicity on major websites about it. Once they actually vote YES on the relo then I'm sure there will be a front page story. Also, regardless who gets richer, I'm happy we have continued the momentum forward with the new arena and NBA team.
This is how much the rest of the professional sports world cares about oklahoma city. Go to espn.com, click on nba at top of page. Not ONE story of joke-lahoma city getting a team. Nobody cares about you guys getting a team. It's just another thing Texas can beat oklahoma in.
And Cooly, what did Seattle say when Stern was pushing for renovation? Wasn't the gist of it "up yours?" It seems Stern is having the last laugh.
MartzMimic, Oklahoma City - Mar 26, 2008 at 8:48 pm
You guys are DREAMING when it comes to Stern. He lies more than Bennett! 2 years ago he pushes a Key Arena renovation (Shultz era of Sonics ownership), yesterday (in a clearly public attempt to squash any Seattle support) he says there's no way a Key Arena renovation would be 'NBA ready'
One thing I haven't heard or seen mentioned by anyone is the person responsible for the getting the NBA here in the first place. Brad Lund (Okc Blazers G.M.) was the guy who approached the City about bringing the Hornets here after the hurricane. I here guys like Mayor Mick and Okc business leaders patting each other on the back but no one would have given Okc a shot at the NBA without Brad Lund and his idea.
What is the deal with everyone hating on Bennett, McClendon, and other rich folk? I'm certainly not one of them, but I understand that the philanthropic efforts of the wealthy benefit so many of you who are griping the most. If you only knew or realized the level of philanthropy and took an accounting of all the things here in OKC that are either in existence and/or sponsored by some of these folks (and their predecessors), you might have be a little more objective. I know it's an American thing to engage in some level of class warfare, but it's baseless for argumentative purposes. I wasn't suckered at all. Whether or not this team was headed here, I'm all for moving forward, making investment, and improving what we currently have.
It's the right thing for another reason - survival. OKC has done LOTS of things to improve the quality of life to stop the loss of corporate jobs to TX and NY. Either we grow and thrive or stagnate and fall behind. The city leaders have done marvelous things the past 10 years to make OKC a better place to live and do business.
Yes Jill, we did the right thing. The NBA team is not going to be the only thing happening at the Ford Center. The sales tax was NOT just for an NBA team. Big time arenas draw big time events, all throughout the year, not just basketball season. We've done something we can be proud of and enjoy for many years to come. So Robert in Seattle, Ssshhhhhh.
Oklahoma City is a small market. We had to do more than Seattle, or some of the other larger cities, has done to make ourselves attractive to the NBA. David Stern is usually pretty honest, and sometimes bluntly so. I believe him. Why would they agree to move the Sonics from a city because it won't build a new arena to a significantly smaller city that wouldn't pass a penny sales tax to upgrade their arena. That is a completely illogical concept. We did the right thing, I believe.
Jill, www.okcthunderfans.com - Mar 26, 2008 at 12:01 pm
I voted yes on the upgrades not because I was afraid the NBA wouldn't come if it didn't pass. I voted yes because like many others, I wanted a first class facility to enjoy myself in. I didn't have season tickets when the Hornets where here but I did go to quite a few games. My sons and I had lots of fun at the games but I think with the improvements that are planned, we could enjoy ourselves just that much more. Say we get to the arena a couple of hours before tipoff and have a nice dinner, play some games, and meet some people without ever having to leave the arena. I'm not sure if this is in the plans or not but at Dallas' AA arena, depending on what section you're sitting in, you can even order food and drink without having to leave. Someone brings the food out, swipes your credit card, and you're chomping away on nachos without missing the half time entertainment. Again, I don't know if anything like that is in the plans for the Ford Center but if we get even something similar the Ford Center will be a destination spot for tourists from all over the region, not just the OKC and Tulsa metro areas. Am I a sucker for wanting something like this? I don't think so.
You should all be proud of Bennett and the ownership group, they now have the lowest rent payment for any pro sports team in the country. By moving to OKC they now pay the city 1.6 million for a years lease, they save almost 6 million per year on rent, you taxpayer are a gift from god to these guys.
Now that we have a world-class arena, we should take back what Vegas stole from us 24 years ago - the National Finals Rodeo. That's a wound that never healed for people around here who remember that event.
I still say the people of OKC were suckered into this. The team was bought with the intent of moving it here, McClendon said so. The people who voted yes don't know anything about negotiating. Why give up the farm when your opponent has already tipped their hand and let you know you don't need to? Those people who voted yes probably pay sticker price on cars too.
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Oklahoman City and the Ford Center impressed NBA commissioner David Stern and brass Tuesday. BY PAUL HELLSTERN, THE OKLAHOMAN
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I voted yes on the upgrades not because I was afraid the NBA wouldn't come if it didn't pass. I voted yes because like many others, I wanted a first class facility to enjoy myself in. I didn't have season tickets when the Hornets where here but I did go to quite a few games. My sons and I had lots of fun at the games but I think with the improvements that are planned, we could enjoy ourselves just that much more. Say we get to the arena a couple of hours before tipoff and have a nice dinner, play some games, and meet some people without ever having to leave the arena. I'm not sure if this is in the plans or not but at Dallas' AA arena, depending on what section you're sitting in, you can even order food and drink without having to leave. Someone brings the food out, swipes your credit card, and you're chomping away on nachos without missing the half time entertainment. Again, I don't know if anything like that is in the plans for the Ford Center but if we get even something similar the Ford Center will be a destination spot for tourists from all over the region, not just the OKC and Tulsa metro areas. Am I a sucker for wanting something like this? I don't think so.