Bennett turns attention to outside Seattle

SEATTLE – Seattle voters’ passage of an initiative to restrict public financing for new sports arenas in the city has caught the attention of SuperSonics owner Clay Bennett.

Bennett has declared what has long been assumed: Seattle has “second-tier status” in consideration for a potential new arena for the NBA team and its WNBA partners, the Storm.

As of Wednesday, voters were overwhelmingly approving Initiative 91, which requires that teams pay “fair-market value” for new facilities in the city – instead of leaving the overwhelming majority of the costs for taxpayers.

Bennett, who last week told a regional planning commission that he would oppose any public vote on a new arena, released a statement soon after the result of Tuesday’s vote became apparent.

“The passage of I-91 makes it much more difficult to build a multipurpose arena to serve as a new home for the Sonics within the city of Seattle,” Bennett said. “While Seattle will now be relegated to second-tier status, we will continue to seek other sites within King County.”

Bennett has already toured potential sites and met with civic leaders on the east side of the Seattle metropolitan area. Bellevue is particularly appealing to Bennett and his seven Sonics co-investors, who officially became owners on Oct. 31. Team studies show Bellevue and its surroundings are home to the majority of the team’s ticket holders.