New owner of Sonics cool to arena vote

New Sonics owner Clay Bennett said Wednesday the team does not support a public vote for a new arena, an opening salvo in what will presumably be tough negotiations with lawmakers in Olympia next year.

On his first day as lead owner, Bennett took questions for about 25 minutes from the King County Regional Policy Committee in Seattle and laid out the team's expectations for a new facility: 15 to 30 acres, with lots of amenities paid for by the Sonics and other private investors and with "significant" taxpayer money approved only by the Legislature.

A public vote would be a "very difficult proposition and a very difficult achievement," Bennett said.

Bennett, the leader of an Oklahoma City-based ownership group, also had strong words about Initiative 91, a measure on Tuesday's ballot in Seattle that would require the city make a profit on any publicly financed sports arena in the city. The measure was written after the Sonics' previous owners tried to get $200 million or more in tax money this year for a KeyArena expansion.

If approved by voters, I-91 "could be the fatal flaw" for a new arena at Seattle Center, Bennett said, and the team is taking the measure into account as it identifies potential arena sites around the county.

Bennett said the initiative is "bad policy" because "you have to have latitude to look at deals one-by-one."

Apart from I-91, the new ownership group's hard-line stance on a public vote is sure to have political repercussions.

A public vote on taxpayer financing was a major sticking point when the previous Sonics owners, led by Starbucks Chairman Howard Schultz, unsuccessfully lobbied in Olympia for arena funding this year.

The team opposed a vote, while legislative leaders, Seattle officials and Gov. Christine Gregoire supported it.

Larry Phillips, chairman of the Metropolitan King County Council, asked Bennett about a public vote at the meeting Wednesday, prompting Bennett's comments. Phillips said he was disappointed by what he heard.

"The public has been very clear that they want to weigh in on this," he said

A Gregoire spokesman said it was too early for her to comment because there is no proposal before lawmakers.

Marianne Bichsel, spokeswoman for Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, had no comment about Bennett's remarks but said the mayor has supported a public vote for any major renovations at KeyArena that would require new or extended taxes.

Chris Van Dyk, the leader of the I-91 campaign, attended the meeting and said he was shocked by what Bennett said.

"They'll get nothing through the Legislature without a public vote," he said. "Impossible."

Bennett was in town to meet with local leaders and attend the Sonics season opener at KeyArena on Wednesday night. The sale of the team became official at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, Bennett said.

The regional policy committee is made up of County Council members and officials from several cities, including Seattle, Renton and Redmond. County Councilman Pete von Reichbauer, who chairs the committee, told Bennett that regional leaders were more supportive of a new arena than some Seattle officials. "We do want to walk down that road with you," von Reichbauer said.

The new owners have hired a real-estate firm to evaluate "more than 20" arena sites around King County, including Seattle Center and former Safeway land near downtown Bellevue, spokesman Jim Kneeland said. The owners will unveil a detailed arena plan, with one or two potential sites, this month.

Bennett said Wednesday the clock has begun ticking on a one-year deadline for an arena deal to be completed, or the new owners might move the team to Oklahoma City.

Staff reporter Jim Brunner contributed to this report. Ashley Bach: 206-

464-2567 or abach@seattletimes.com