It is true that both the Mayor and Bennett said the Ford was a short term solution and would need to be replaced, but that was before they came up with the remodel scheme. Mayor said after the remodel, it will be like a brand new arena and should last 10 to 15 years (but why that long when the current Ford only lasted 5 years before needing more money put into it than it cost to build and the talk of needing to replace it?). The City Manager said when the original naming rights agreement was reached with Ford that the $400 thousand, mol, a year was what the City needed for capital improvements and maintenance. The Ford was built to the NBA and NHL standards to begin with. Supposedly, the naming rights money was going to take care of the future needs of the Ford (yet we were told during the Ford campaign that it needed $100M in additional improvements to be NBA ready). How could the City have been so wrong in its calculations (it calculated roughly half a million a year and it ends up costing the equivalent of $20M a year..that's 40 times as much as projected)? Bennett has said it will meet the needs of the team for the "foreseeable future" (what ever that means, as he didn't give it a time frame). Of course all of this ignores the fact that the Ford was built to small. These improvements do nothing to fix that (taking out 500 seats which drops the seating capacity from #14 down to #24). The Mayor has said before the vote that the support for a permanent team should be "astronomical" and after the settlement of the Seattle case he admitted we don't have enough seats. Yet, the City is going full-steam ahead with the renovations.

Jess wrote: "We are already rebuilding the Ford Center with the knowledge it will need to be replaced. All these issues have been brought up already. People act like we are completely naive and blind." Please show me in any of the campaign literature or website link where the Mayor or Chamber spelled that out. Wasn't on the ballot either. You are naive and blind if you knew this and voted for the tax increase anyway. But glad to see you are admitting we are flushing $100M down the improved Ford toilets!

Jerome wrote: "We in OKC have no problem with making sure that our team has a venue that's competitive with the other NBA cities." You are correct, it is in the lease that the City is on the hook to keep upgrading the Ford (or whatever it's new name will be) for the 15 to 30 year term of the lease (but no way to pay for it). The Ford tax increase "only" lasts for 15 months and is only going to pay for the first $100M in improvements and the $25M practice facility.

I knew it I knew it! I knew Howard would drop his suit once the NBA got involved!!!! I knew it. I called it right here on the DOK!!! I knew he would quietly dismiss once the NBA got involved and Pechman ruled in favor of Bennett with the submitted motions!!! I knew it, OKC is free and clear!!! I knew it. Congratulations.

""""But, here's hoping Seattle fans vote people into office who will help get an arena built, and a new Sonics team plays in Seattle again in the near future.
Jill, Oklahoma City - Aug 29, 2008 6:50 PM"""" - thanks for the civility in your comment...maybe you can teach that maturity to some others who post hate for each other here. As for the NBA returning to Seattle, I think this may have been the final straw for some - they perceive the league as corrupt and would rather go without than have to endure getting behind a team and league only to have it ripped out from under you. I know I'm starting to feel that way...

So paul, yukon is now also D, Houston. Look at the time differences from the responses. Pathetic.

I kept telling you Seattle trolls that this was a completely baseless suit, yet you continued to get on these blogs and spout your stupidness. Now I have one thing to say to you: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Where are all the Seattle morons that kept saying that this lawsuit would go through?

And paul gets to drive by the Ford Center on his way to and from Tinker every day. You know that has to warm the cockels of his heart.

We in OKC have no problem with making sure that our team has a venue that's competitive with the other NBA cities. We'll always have the Larry's and paul's whining like 13 year old girls about it, as well.

D, trust us. They day what Paul thinks is going to happen actually happens is a loooong way off. He is always wrong. Think he is about 0-9 on this NBA move so far.

It's not a negative attitude, simply a matter of different priorities. No one is accusing anyone of being naive or blind, simply stating this type of debate is what you've signed up for now that you're a big league city - it comes with the territory. It will be more impactful in OKC since this is the only game in town.

They already have asked for financial assistance from the community and the state... and it was given to them. We are already rebuilding the Ford Center with the knowledge it will need to be replaced. All these issues have been brought up already. People act like we are completely naive and blind. I don't have any worries about attendance, this area is a huge sports market. Take your negative attitude somewhere else. As for the story, this further proves to me that he just wanted to make a PR campaign.

Yup. But like us here in Houston, we're a bit flush with cash for the moment, no better way than to share it with the NBA.

Don't be gone for long, D from Houston...the day when your post comes true is closer than you think...

Congrat's OKC, you're home free. I'll check back in when the NBA and your ownership want to upgrade you're arena, whine about low attendance, and seek financial help from the community. Welcome to the NBA!

Kind of ironic that he drops the lawsuit the day the moving vans are arriving! I guess he is tired of wasting his money.

It's about dang time. That complaint was ridiculous on its face from the law -- borderline sanctionable, in fact. It was a clear PR move for him from the start. He had to live in Seattle, after all.

Happy news for us. But, here's hoping Seattle fans vote people into office who will help get an arena built, and a new Sonics team plays in Seattle again in the near future.