Sunday, April 13, 2008 - Page updated at 12:00 AM
E-mail article
Print view Share:
Digg
Newsvine
Sonics group spent bundle on arena vote in Oklahoma
Owners of the Sonics provided almost half the funds in a successful campaign to get Oklahoma City taxpayers to pay to renovate that city's Ford Center, according to campaign reports released Friday.
The project was designed to attract the Sonics to Oklahoma City.
In March, Oklahoma City voters approved the tax proposal. The Big League City campaign spent $843,000 on backing the measure, which will pay for $120 million in improvements to Ford Center and construction of an NBA practice facility.
According to campaign-expense reports, the Professional Basketball Club, the ownership team led by Oklahoma businessman Clay Bennett, gave $385,000.
The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber ran the campaign and contributed $268,000.
The Bennett group's contributions were made well after expiration last fall of its "good faith" promise to try for one year to keep the team in Seattle.
Bennett's spokesman, Dan Mahoney, declined to comment on the campaign-expense report. A representative from the Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce could not be reached.
Oklahoma City resident David Glover, who has long opposed tax subsidies for the Sonics, said he was surprised at how much Bennett's group contributed.
"We knew they had spent a lot of money, but we didn't know they had spent that much," Glover said.
The voter-approved sales tax expires in June 2009 if an NBA team does not come to Oklahoma City.
At a meeting this week, the NBA Board of Governors is expected to discuss Bennett's proposal to move the Sonics to Oklahoma City. Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels has vowed to continue his efforts to keep the team in town.
Reporting by Seattle Times staff reporter Lauren Vane and The Associated Press was used for this story.
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
UPDATE - 01:44 PM
List grows; 9 Seattle schools could be cut
UPDATE - 11:45 AM
Starbucks CFO: Company may miss 1Q profit estimate
Jerry Large: Correction? Try a connection
NEW - 02:49 PM
Abuse charges filed in assault of 2-year-old now in a coma
NEW - 11:57 AM
All viaduct options are unfriendly to pedestrians, study finds

nwjobs


Michelle Goodman blogs about work/life balance.
Dotcom Reunion Party -- tonight, Dec. 1
Post a comment
nwautos

Choosing a new SUV? Weigh the impact your choice will have on your wallet and on the planet.
Post a comment
nwhomes

Find a new home or condo that fits your lifestyle.
Search New Developments
Builder Directory
- Baby dies sleeping in car with parents in Lakewood
- Huskies Coaching Search | Texas Tech coach Mike Leach meets with UW
- Relative of slain Carnation family talks about the aftermath
- Mariners sign free agent Russell Branyan, hire Rick Adair, John Wetteland as coaches
- USC's Steve Sarkisian is added to Washington's coach list
- Atheists want God out of Ky. homeland security
- "Impeach Bush" ornament nixed
- State suspends Seattle doctor's license in sex case
- Mumbai attackers went high-tech
- Fox shows Olympia sign; calls come pouring in
- Danny Westneat | Real-estate bargains in the mist
- Michelle Obama's family: From slavery to White House
- Ancient pot stash found in China
- Washington banks trail industry in key indicators
- No woman is an island — unless she's on San Juan, offseason
- Ex-prosecutor's review finds fraud at Port of Seattle
- Nancy Leson | Good old Abruzzi's is back
- Huskies Coaching Search | Texas Tech coach Mike Leach meets with UW
- List grows; 9 Seattle schools could be cut
- "Impeach Bush" ornament nixed






