Bill to finance new Sonics arena to be introduced

A bill outlining a $300 million tax package for a new Sonics arena will be introduced in the Legislature in the next day or two, but many of the details about the building — including a site — may not be announced until next week.

Team owner Clay Bennett will speak to the Senate Ways and Means Committee on Feb. 13, and that's when most of the details about the arena will probably come out, said team spokesman Jim Kneeland.

The arena financing bill will be filed by Sen. Margarita Prentice, D-Renton, the team's biggest booster in Olympia and head of the Ways and Means Committee.

Last month, the team said it would ask for $300 million in taxes from hotels, restaurants and car rentals in King County, and that is not expected to change, Kneeland said.

The total cost of the arena will still be more than $500 million. The private sector will also pay for a large share, though the team may not say how much it plans to pitch in, Kneeland said.

The team's exact share of the cost could depend on how much money comes from future arena partners, such as an NHL hockey team, he said.

The Sonics are still deciding between arena sites in Bellevue and Renton, and may not announce their choice until the Senate hearing next week. There is a small chance, if discussions are finalized with the two cities, that a preferred site could be included in the financing bill, Kneeland said.

The Sonics are looking at 14 acres on Bellevue's Auto Row, just east of downtown, as well as 21 acres of Boeing land in Renton, at the south end of Lake Washington.

The team is still getting information from both cities about how they would address parking, road and pedestrian improvements. The team needs to make sure an arena would fit with Boeing's plans in Renton, for example, and find out the cost of Bellevue's idea for a "people mover" between the arena and downtown.

Kneeland said the team is not looking for a handout and is not leaning toward one city or the other. There's "still enough issues up in the air about what one works best," he said.

The full arena proposal, including architectural sketches and other building details, will be released by Bennett when he speaks to the Senate committee next week, Kneeland said.

Ashley Bach: 206-464-2567 or abach@seattletimes.com