Editing Climate Pledge Arena (section)

====Seattle SuperSonics relocation controversy====
{{main|Seattle SuperSonics relocation to Oklahoma City}}
[[File:Last Sonics Game 2008.jpg|thumb|200px|Last Sonics game in 2008]]
In 2001, ownership of the [[Seattle SuperSonics]] (who had called KeyArena home on-and-off since their establishment in 1967) transferred from Barry Ackerley to [[Starbucks]] CEO [[Howard Schultz]]. Schultz claimed that in the five years he owned the SuperSonics, the team suffered heavy financial losses, which led him to seek funding from the [[Washington State Legislature]] for a newer, more modern arena. After failing to reach an agreement with the city of Seattle over a publicly funded $220 million expansion of KeyArena, the Basketball Club of Seattle, led by Schultz, put the SuperSonics and its sister team, the WNBA's [[Seattle Storm]] up for sale. After failing to find a local ownership group to sell the team to, Schultz talked to ownership groups from [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]], [[St. Louis]], [[Las Vegas]], [[San Jose, California|San Jose]] and [[Anaheim, California|Anaheim]] before agreeing to sell the team on July 18, 2006 <ref name="initialsale">{{cite news|author1=Angela Galloway|author2=Phuong Cat Le|title=Sonics sold to ownership group from Oklahoma City|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/basketball/277945_sonics18ww.html|work=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]|date=July 18, 2006|access-date=July 18, 2006}}</ref><ref name="BasketballClubOfSeattleAnnouncesSale">{{cite news|title=Basketball Club of Seattle Announces Sale of Sonics & Storm|url=http://www.nba.com/sonics/news/sale_060718.html|publisher=Seattle SuperSonics|date=July 18, 2006|access-date=July 19, 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060719194751/http://www.nba.com/sonics/news/sale_060718.html|archive-date=July 19, 2006}}</ref> to an ownership group from [[Oklahoma City]], who was pursuing an NBA franchise after [[Effect of Hurricane Katrina on the New Orleans Hornets|hosting]] the [[New Orleans Pelicans|New Orleans Hornets]] franchise successfully for two seasons as the city of [[New Orleans]] rebuilt from [[Hurricane Katrina]]. The sale to [[Clay Bennett (businessman)|Clay Bennett]]'s ownership group, [[Professional Basketball Club LLC]] (PBC) for $350 million<ref name="initialsale" /><ref name="BasketballClubOfSeattleAnnouncesSale" /> was approved by NBA owners on October 24, 2006.<ref>{{cite news|title=NBA Board of Governors Approves Sale of Sonics & Storm|url=http://www.nba.com/sonics/news/pbc061024.html|publisher=Seattle SuperSonics|date=October 24, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061108052504/http://www.nba.com/sonics/news/pbc061024.html|archive-date=November 8, 2006|access-date=May 7, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Allen|first=Percy|title=NBA board approves sale of Sonics, Storm|url=http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/nba-board-approves-sale-of-sonics-storm/|newspaper=[[The Seattle Times]]|date=October 24, 2006|access-date=October 24, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=NBA approves sale of Sonics, Storm|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=2637335|publisher=[[ESPN]]|date=October 24, 2006|access-date=October 25, 2006}}</ref> Terms of the sale required the new ownership group to "use good faith best efforts" for a term of 12 months in securing a new arena lease or venue in the [[Seattle metropolitan area]].

In 2006, 74% of voters in Seattle voted to pass Initiative 91,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/horsefeathers-the-legacy-of-i-91/|title=Horsefeathers: the legacy of I-91|date=2006-11-13|website=The Seattle Times|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-29}}</ref><ref name="I91SeattlePI">{{cite news|last=Galloway|first=Angela|title=Initiative 91: Seattle rejects sports subsidies|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Initiative-91-Seattle-rejects-sports-subsidies-1219229.php|newspaper=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]|date=November 7, 2006|access-date=June 18, 2017}}</ref> a measure that prohibited use of tax dollars on arena projects in the city unless it could be shown the city would turn a profit on their investment.<ref>{{cite news|last=deMause|first=Neil|author-link=Neil deMause|title=Your Votes Don't Count: How Sports Stadium Welfate Deals Shut Out the Public's Voice|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/your-votes-dont-count-how-sports-stadium-welfare-deals-shut-out-the-publics-voice/|publisher=[[Vice Media|Vice Media LLC]]|date=April 14, 2015|access-date=June 18, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170606180443/https://sports.vice.com/en_us/article/your-votes-dont-count-how-sports-stadium-welfare-deals-shut-out-the-publics-voice|archive-date=June 6, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> The limitation of tax dollars that could be spent on the arena, combined with earlier losses under recent ownership groups, "likely doomed the Sonics' future in the city".<ref name="I91SeattlePI" />

On February 12, 2007, Bennett proposed using tax money to pay for a new $500 million arena in [[Renton, Washington|Renton]], a [[suburb]] of Seattle.<ref>{{cite news|author1=Jim Brunner|author2=Ralph Thomas|title=Sonics choose Renton|url=http://www.seattletimes.com/politics/sonics-choose-renton/|newspaper=The Seattle Times|date=February 13, 2007|access-date=February 13, 2007}}</ref> After failing to reach a deal by the end of the legislative session, Bennett gave up his attempt in April 2007.<ref>{{cite news|author1=Jim Brunner|author2=Ralph Thomas|title=Sonics owner: "Little hope" team will stay|url=http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/sonics-owner-little-hope-team-will-stay/|newspaper=Seattle Times|date=April 16, 2007|access-date=June 13, 2008}}</ref> On November 2, 2007, the team announced it would move to Oklahoma City as soon as it could get out of its KeyArena lease.<ref name="Post-Intelligencer">{{cite news|last=Johns|first=Greg|title=Bennett says Sonics going to Oklahoma|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/basketball/337871_arena03.html?source=mypi|newspaper=Seattle Post-Intelligencer|date=November 2, 2007|access-date=November 3, 2007}}</ref> Seattle's mayor, [[Greg Nickels]], maintained a stance that the Sonics were expected to stay in Seattle until their lease expired in 2010 and said the city did not intend to make it easy for Bennett to move the team early. Over concerns the city would accept a buyout of the lease, a grassroots group filed a citywide initiative that sought to prevent the city from accepting such an offer from Bennett's group.<ref>{{cite news|last=Brunner|first=Jim|title=Initiative aimed at holding Sonics to KeyArena lease|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003808219_keyarena27m.html|newspaper=The Seattle Times|date=July 27, 2007|access-date=February 23, 2008}}</ref> Seattle City Council later unanimously passed an ordinance modeled after the initiative.<ref>{{cite news|last=Brunner|first=Jim|title=Council votes 8-0 to enforce Sonics' lease|url=http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/council-votes-8-0-to-enforce-sonics-lease|newspaper=The Seattle Times|date=September 11, 2007|access-date=February 23, 2008}}</ref> On August 13, 2007, [[Aubrey McClendon]], a minor partner of Bennett's ownership group, said in an interview with ''[[The Journal Record]]'' (an Oklahoma City newspaper) that the team was not purchased to keep it in Seattle but to relocate it to Oklahoma City. Bennett later denied such intentions, saying McClendon "was not speaking on behalf of the ownership group". Due to his comments, McClendon was fined $250,000 by the NBA.<ref>{{cite news|last=Allen|first=Percy|title=Sonics co-owner McClendon fined $250K|url=http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/nba/sonics-co-owner-mcclendon-fined-250k|newspaper=The Seattle Times|date=August 23, 2007|access-date=March 10, 2008}}</ref>

On October 31, 2007, Bennett informed [[Commissioner of the NBA|NBA commissioner]] [[David Stern]] that the ownership group intended to move the Sonics to Oklahoma City as soon as it was legally possible. The timing of the announcement, one day after the Sonics' home opener, drew critical comments from Tom Carr, Seattle's attorney, who said "Mr. Bennett's announcement today is a transparent attempt to alienate the Seattle fan base and follow through on his plan to move the team to Oklahoma City ... Making this move now continues the current ownership's insulting behavior toward the Sonics' dedicated fans and the citizens of the city."<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=3091416 | title=Sonics tell NBA of intent to move SuperSonics to Oklahoma City | publisher=ESPN | date=November 3, 2007 | access-date=April 25, 2008}}</ref> Bennett also reiterated that the team was not for sale and dismissed attempts by local groups to repurchase the team.<ref name="Post-Intelligencer"/>

On September 23, 2007, the City of Seattle filed a lawsuit in an attempt to keep the Sonics from leaving before the end of their lease in 2010.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.seattlepi.com/basketball/332923_arena25.html| title=City sues Sonics to enforce arena lease | newspaper=Seattle Post-Intelligencer | first=Greg |last=Johns | date=September 24, 2007 | access-date=April 22, 2008}}</ref> In the midst of the lawsuit, Microsoft CEO [[Steve Ballmer]] offered to pay half of a $300 million renovation of KeyArena; the rest to be provided by the city and county.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mayor Nickels announces local effort to buy Sonics, renovate KeyArena|url=http://www.seattle.gov/news/detail.asp?ID=8243&dept=40|publisher=City of Seattle|date=March 6, 2008|access-date=March 26, 2008|archive-date=November 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118022805/http://www.seattle.gov/news/detail.asp?ID=8243&dept=40|url-status=dead}}</ref> However, when the state legislature did not give approval for the county to provide funds by an April 10 deadline, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels said that the effort had failed and the city's hopes rested in its lawsuit.<ref name="lawsuitdate">{{cite news|author1=Chris McGann|author2=Greg Johns|title=Impasse could sink KeyArena offer|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Impasse-could-sink-KeyArena-offer-1266768.php|newspaper=Seattle Post-Intelligencer|date=March 10, 2008|access-date=March 10, 2008}}</ref>

The last SuperSonics game played at KeyArena was on April 13, [[2007–08 Seattle SuperSonics season|2008]], a 99–95 win over the [[2007–08 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas Mavericks]].<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Seattle Times |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nba/2004347118_sonics14m.html |last=Eskenazi |first=Stuart |title=Sonics' home finale stirs memories, recriminations |date=April 14, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106030154/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nba/2004347118_sonics14m.html |archive-date=January 6, 2010}}</ref>

The NBA Board of Governors approved the relocation of the Sonics on April 18, 2008.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://old.seattletimes.com/html/sports/2004358405_websonivote18.html | title=NBA approves Sonics' move to Oklahoma City | newspaper=Seattle Times | first= Percy| last = Allen| date=April 18, 2008}}</ref>

On June 16, 2008, the grassroots organization "Save Our Sonics" organized a well-publicized rally, which reportedly drew over 3,000 participants, at the [[United States District Court for the Western District of Washington|U.S. District Courthouse]] in Seattle to protest the proposed relocation of the team.<ref>{{cite web|last=Raley|first=Dan|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/basketball/367296_rally17.html|title=3,000 rally loud and proud to keep Sonics in Seattle|work=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]|date=16 June 2008|access-date=16 June 2008}}</ref> The rally was held on the first day of the city of Seattle's lawsuit against the PBC to enforce the remaining two years on the KeyArena lease.

On July 2, 2008, two hours before a ruling in the city's lawsuit was to be given, it was announced that the team and the city had reached a settlement where PBC would pay the city $45 million immediately in exchange for breaking the lease, and an additional $30 million if Seattle was not given a replacement team in five years. According to the conditions of the settlement, the Sonics' name and colors could not be used by the team in Oklahoma City, but could be taken by a future team in Seattle, although no promises for a replacement team were given. The newly renamed [[Oklahoma City Thunder]] would retain the franchise history of the SuperSonics, which could be "shared" with any future NBA team in Seattle.<ref>{{cite news|last=Aldridge|first=David|title=Two years later, pain of losing Sonics still stings Seattle|url=http://www.nba.com/2010/news/features/david_aldridge/12/13/morning-tip-seattle-sonics/|publisher=National Basketball Association|date=December 13, 2010|access-date=March 28, 2016|quote=The history, actually, is in Oklahoma City. As part of the settlement between the team and the city, a 'shared history' arrangement was created. All of the old Sonics' records are now the Thunder's. The championship banners, retired jerseys and the 1979 NBA championship trophy now reside in Oklahoma City.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160222125424/http://www.nba.com/2010/news/features/david_aldridge/12/13/morning-tip-seattle-sonics/|archive-date=February 22, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release|title=THE PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL CLUB, LLC AND CITY OF SEATTLE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT|url=http://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/CityAttorney/Reports/2008SonicsSettlementAgreement.pdf|publisher=City of Seattle, Washington|website=Seattle.gov|date=July 2, 2008|access-date=May 6, 2016}}</ref> The team moved to Oklahoma City immediately and announced it would begin play in the [[2008–09 Oklahoma City Thunder season|2008–09]] season.<ref>{{cite news|author1=Jim Brunner|author2=Sharon Pian Chan|author2-link=Sharon Chan (journalist) |title=Sonics, city reach settlement|url=http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/sonics-city-reach-settlement/|newspaper=Seattle Times|date=July 2, 2008|access-date=July 2, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=NBA Commissioner David Stern Statement on Settlement Between Sonics and the City of Seattle|url=http://www.nba.com/news/sternsonicsstatement_080702.html|publisher=National Basketball Association|date=July 2, 2008|access-date=July 2, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170401085225/http://www.nba.com/news/sternsonicsstatement_080702.html|archive-date=April 1, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>