SEATTLE, Wash. - April 24, 2009
Contrary to published reports in the Seattle Times this week, Senate Bill 6116 is not "really dead." Sen. Jeanie Kohl-Wells, co-author of the bill, said Thursday at a budget press conference that she has the votes to get it passed through the Senate, and Seattle Deputy Mayor Tim Ceis said the City has not given up on the bill. Sen. Kohl-Wells has been in contact with SOS leadership about getting the bill onto the Senate floor for a vote.

SB 6116, sponsored by Senators Ed Murray and Jeannie Kohl-Wells, passed through the Senate Ways & Means Committee last weekend. The bill would allow King County to extend and use current restaurant and car rental taxes on such projects as youth recreation, the arts, low-income housing and regional public facilities such as Seattle Center. These taxes are collected exclusively in King County, and the bill's proponents note that it simply allows the county to distribute its own funds without involving any state money.

SB 6116 meets requirements for Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's offer to contribute $150 million (50%) in private funds for a remodel of KeyArena. It would also qualify the City of Seattle to receive a cash payment of $30 million from the Oklahoma based ownership of the former Seattle SuperSonics if a replacement team is not acquired in five years.
Clayton Bennett, the principal owner of the former Sonics franchise, received the Oklahoman of the Year award this week for his role in uprooting Seattle's 41- year franchise and moving it to Oklahoma City.

"Just bringing an NBA franchise to Oklahoma is one of the most exciting things that has happened in our state in my entire lifetime," Okla. Governor Brad Henry said at an event honoring Bennett. "It was because of his vision, his leadership and, quite frankly, his fearlessness. This guy had death threats, as you could imagine, when he had to go spend some time in that city to the northwest of our state."

Save Our Sonics (SOS) encourages citizens to call the Legislative Hotline at (800) 562-6000 and express support for SB 6116 while demanding that similar legislation is sponsored in the House of Representatives.

The Greater Queen Anne Chamber of Commerce (QACC) also joins hundreds of local business representatives in hoping the state will pass Senate Bill 6116.

"Major economic drivers in the lower Queen Anne neighborhood include Seattle Center and the events that are held there, and the Sonics were a major part of that," QACC director Jill Arnow said. "In the past eight months alone, three restaurants have closed on the street that KeyArena fronts (First Ave. North). I'm sure there are more to come if SB6116 does not pass."

Please direct any media inquiries to Save Our Sonics:
• Adam Brown, Media Director: (206) 919.3778
• Steven Pyeatt, Co-founder: (206) 276.6708
• Brian Robinson, Co-founder: (206) 349.6447