Results coming
7:25 p.m.
Chamber President Roy Williams and his staff are making calls to the county election board to get the first round of results. Williams just told the growing crowd he’ll break the news to them in about five minutes.
More city council members have showed up, and rumors of Mayor Mick’s arrival are floating around - but no sighting yet.
John Estus, staff writer
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Comments
KJR is reporting that with 10 precincts in (of 200+) that OKC is leading SEA 58% to 42%. But as we saw with the M’s in ’95, this might be a long night.
Mayor Cornett had to stop at Taco Bell to yell at them about nutrition content in their Beef Meximelts… he’ll be at Bricktown shortly
It takes a simple majority to pass. You Seattle people can go get a cup of coffee or something now. It’s early but it seems to be a landside. This will pass by a big margin.
My father always told me to take responsibility for my actions. I think its ironic that Seattle people are here ripping our city and our people. Seattle and its residents need to take accountability for this situation. They could have made sure the City of Seattle kept the Sonics and they decided to sit back and do nothing. Now they have to pay attention to an OKC election, praying that it fails. Pretty sad really.
Just a simple majority… 50 percent plus one vote.
With 20 percent in and it being basically 60-40 YES, this vote is just about over. That’s a very comfortable lead this early.
Well, this does figure into the drama of where Seattle Supersonics will be playing in the future. I am a six year season ticket holder and I do have a small stake invested in my team.
Seattle will need to get their house in order and then the NBA will return there.
I was looking at some pictures of Key Arena and now I fully understand why Schultz and now Bennett want a new arena. That thing looks like it’s 45 years old,Oh,it is!!!
@Gary: Your father would have approved of stealing? Take responsibility for that. Your businessmen tricked our numbnuts previous owner into selling them the Sonics under the lies that they would try everything to keep them here, which they did not. The entire intention was to move them. 60% of your city approves of that sort of thing.
i don’t get it… why can’t the millionaire owner just pay for these upgrades? The team is coming whether we pass this or not. It’s all about who is footing the bill.
bennett is a cheap bastard and will try to weasel out of paying for anything, ship him back to okc with the supes, bad owner he is.
Key Arena has the smallest seating capacity in the NBA, but it is a great place to watch a game. I have two seats at center court in the upper deck and I can see the whole court very well. I do not need binoculars to see the court like some of the huge arenas in other NBA cities.
I agree with flip wilson. Example – Paul Allen foot 85% of the construction cost of the Rose Garden in Portland. Take a hint Clay…
Stay in Seattle: Schultz wanted to sell locally at first, right? Then after a year or two he gave up, correct?
Don’t shed tears here… your big boys had a chance to step up but didn’t. Now they’re trying to buy a team that’s NOT for sale.
And Flip… do you really want Bennett and other private interests to OWN part of a city-owned building? Come on. The city built, owns and maintains the building. I voted yes primarily because we built the Ford bare-bones hoping to draw pro sports. Now that we’re on the cusp of that, we need to go back in there and put in the good furniture. 
But the fact remains… WE THE PEOPLE OF OKC own the building and we needed to step up and improve it. We have and now we’re going to be rewarded for it.
“Stay in Seattle: Schultz wanted to sell locally at first, right? Then after a year or two he gave up, correct?”
Not correct.
These improvements will still belong to OKC, nobody is giving money to millionaires! OKC will have a lease and the Sonics or whomever will pay rent. This is an investment and shows this city is progressive and not passive.
I know Clay can afford this, but why should Oklahoma City pay him revenue to lease the center everytime the Blazers, Yard Dawgs, major concerts and conventions are in HIS arena. Much better to have OKC own the arena.
Oops, I just realized that there is another Gary posting here.
I am the six year season ticket holder.
RickT — If the NBA is willing to move a team with 41 years of history, a championship, 5 retired jerseys hanging in the rafters and great attendance with a very bad team in a recently remodeled building, they would do it again when they need a second remodel of the Ford Center in 5-10 years. Obviously you have never been to the Key to see a game. The building is not 45 years old, it’s closer to 15. They gutted it completely, only leaving the four large girders and started over. Fantastic place to watch a basketball game (hockey is a completely different matter though).
“Don’t shed tears here… your big boys had a chance to step up but didn’t. Now they’re trying to buy a team that’s NOT for sale. ”
You mean “step up” as it give in to Bennett’s ridiculous demands for a $500 milion blackmail?
Well, at least it will be another two years before Bennett is allowed to steal the Seattle SuperSonics franchise. It is really too bad that the City of Oklahoma and its citizens has to result to hijacking another City’s franchise that has been well supported for the past 41 years. It would have made a lot more sense to wait for an expansion team rather than to resort to stealing someone else’s. Well, maybe that’s what Oklahoma City is all about.
The NBA will not make OKC world-class. It isn’t already world-class for a reason — and it has nothing to do with sports.
Would you call Charlotte world-class? They’ve had 2 teams.
ChrisM — That business model doesn’t work for the NBA anymore. The owner of the OKC team will need parking and concessions for the other 170 nights the arena will need to be filled to make it work. The Key seats 17K+ and has nice suites. To make the model work it’s more about the building, parking, restaurants and 250 nights a year of bookings. The NBA is broken, as you will soon find out.
Gary and other Seattle fans I feel for you. You have a beautiful city and I wish it didn’t have to be this way but as a native of the OKC metro I am so happy to see us pull this place up by the bootstraps and make it something special.
GO Oklahoma City Sonics!
Wow… you Seattle people are pricks.
Can’t wait to come up there for the OSU-WSU game in OKC Sonics gear. Losers.
I don’t think this decision was made primarily on your opinion of how fun Key is. And how many retired jerseys do you need before a team is not allowed to be moved, regardless of how crappy you treat them? You have a championship! Cool! In 41 years, you have one championship…how many NBA teams are there and have there been? I’d say you’re behind average on championships.
I’m sorry Kemp and Payton and Shrempf can’t pull a last second victory out for you, but it looks like OKC is going to pass this tax extension.
If you get the team please leave us the name. Shawn Kemp, GP, Sikma, Lenny, xman, detlef, downtown freddy brown, gus williams, nate never played in OKC. SuperSonics is a Seattle name. If they teams goes there I think you should start fresh.
Jay- Who is being a prick? There are passionate fans here. I’m sure you are too. There is a lot of sports history in this town, including the 1985 Orange Bowl.
P.S
OKC is a small time town with big time hillbillys. And by hillbilly i mean clay bennet and the rest of the hate filled anti basic human rights rednecks
I am checking out the vote totals that have been released by this newspaper. It says that “YES” is winning rather handily. 80 out of 271 precincts have been counted, representing 19,616 total votes.
If the average votes per precinct continues to be the same amount, approximately 245 votes per precinct, it appears that this particular issue is being decided by less than 70,000 voters.
That does not sound like very many people voting on this issue, does it?
BTW the tax does not mean your are going to get this team. the courts will never allow it along as there is a local group willing to put up the cash. and as of this week there is
If you added up the net worth of all 7 owners it would be almost unbelievable and might prob. be in the top of the NBA. But that is not the point. Just because these people have money doesn’t mean they should pay for the upgrades. There are many other things that they use the Ford Center for besides basketball. This is a city owned building that is paid in full and when the upgrade are finished they will be paid in full. OKC will not be dragging around debt on the Ford Center. This will make it much easier when a new arena is needed. OKC fully expects to build a new arena in 10-15 years. After remodel the Ford Center will be a top 10 arena in the US and will draw the best concerts in the US. That is a good thing and the city will make big money on this in the long run.
a continued sales tax AFTER it should expire IS a NEW tax. the hornets played to sellout crowds? yet this team needs all these improvements? let them practice at the cox center. that way, the building will actually get SOME use. this is just a big huge guilt trip. passive agressive at it’s best. what new high paying jobs are coming? the players? oh yeah, what pro nhl team was SUPPOSED to come to this city based on the vote to build the ford center in the first place? we shall see.
okc minimum wage is $5.85 wow i did not know that, that is hella low http://www.dol.gov/esa/minwage/america.htm#Oklahoma thank god i live in cali
OKConics– My point was that when a team moves to your town and you follow them, and you bring your kids up to follow them — even when you win a championship and have your those cool names in the rafters, the next Ford Center or new arena vote will come up and your team may move to another city. This isn’t Seattle vs. OKC. David Stern wants to expand the NBA into China. There is room for 31, 32, 40 teams. It can be global. This is about extorting money for parking, suites, restaurant space from Oklahoma City and Seattle. Both cities will end up with teams. There is too much money in the back room.
OKC city limits have about 600k people. So if we end up with anything under 80k total votes it will be considered a light turnout. This issue is the only thing on the ballot so a light turnout was expected. If this was a metro area vote where the more afluent subs. were voting we would see a much wider margin of victory IMO.
@cody: $5.85 juuuust beats out Wyoming and…. Puerto Rico. Get those places NBA teams too! “World-class” for everyone tonight.
damn i just didnt realize how cheap and how badly they treat you when you work lol, not even 6 bucks for an hour of work, wow ^_^
Shawn Kemp you are dreaming. “The courts will never allow it as long as there is a local group willing to put up the cash” That has NOTHING to do with ANYTHING. If a business isnt for sell it doesnt matter if there are 1,000 potential buyers in Seattle. The court is not going to base its decision on “potential” buyers in Seattle. I dont think this issue will be decided by the court anyway. I think there is going to be an offer of about 40-45 million by the Sonics ownership to buy out the lease (plus leaving the Sonics name in Seattle). The city will accept it so its not stuck with a huge debt.
OKC is NOT a major league sports town……you hicks won’t pony up any cash to watch the team, so why spend more on your sales items….enjoy your moment in the sun OKC, cause if you think Bennett won’t screw OKC like he’s screwing Seattle, your delusional…..if, and I really mean if, the Sonics move to OKC, I give that team 5 yrs there, before there off and moving again!
Cody, the cost of living in OKC is probably 1/3 of CA and the quality is probably better. Sorry that OKC is pushing through an arena vote- something that Seattle couldn’t do.
if you lived in seattle than you would know that they were going to give 300 mil to upgrade the key arena and bennett did not want that, doesnt make sense.
Its not our fault seattle was being cheap. Its time for OKC to shine. They didn’t start the MAPS project to stop now! Sorry Seattle, guess the better city won!
RickT — Absolutely. OKC is a growing city and I think (again) there is room for more teams. There are 32 NFL teams, only 30 NBA. Imagine divisions like the NFL has. Seattle BB fans are passionate, and we like the Portland-Seattle rivalry. Imagine adding teams for OKC and KC — to go along with Dallas, Houston and SA. Since the Ford Center can be a great thing for civic pride and profitable, I hope it gets whatever this improvement calls for. But the Supes needs to stay here, It is not one over the other. This is extortion of the taxpayers.
I am really suprised at all the things the state politicians can do when it comes to building business. However, it is really sad that we can’t do anything to help with our childrens education. I am very disappointed with the people of OKC that really think we need to spend more money on sports rather than for our classrooms and teachers of the states education system.
Now 166 of the 271 precicts have been counted totaling 40,994 votes. That’s an average of 247 voters per precinct.
It does indeed look like this issue will be decided by less than 70,000 voters. That does not sound very high.
The 2000 US Census says that there are over 376,000 people aged 18 or older in OKC. I expect that most of those people are registered voters. It looks like a majority of eligible voters did not vote today.
if it was a better city they would had an nba, nfl, or mlb franchise at least 30 years ago instead of struggling to get 1 team in 2008 damn i am good.
better city? baaaaaa you guy think you are a big time city becuse you sell out keri underwood concetrs?
thats cause Clay Bennett is a jerk, and his using his croonie friends, like David Stern, to hi-jack a team from a loyal fan base….get a clue, OKC should be whining to the NBA about how they spent their hard earned dollars($5.85 an hour, for more than just high school kids) and time on rooting for a team(Hornets)that is good, and now they get the Sonics….how did that all work out? I mean logically speaking the Hornets are in a losing situation in New Orleans, yet they still play there, even though their owner wants to move to your hick town. So why does the NBA insist upon moving the Sonics there? The Hornets are a better fit.
I seriously would like to see Seattle come to an agreement to keep the Sonics name. They should be able to do that but if I am Bennett I wouldn’t just give it away. No matter how bitter some of you Seattle people are you must remember that Schultz had this team on the market for almost 2 years. The sad fact is,there were no local buyers that wanted to pony up 350 mil. and be strapped with the worst lease in the NBA.
Furthermore, I believe that if the NBA is really needed in this town, then they should be the one to foot the bill for the facilities. Let them spend their millions in their own bank accounts and let us spend our tax dollars to educate our children.
Don’t speak so soon Sam…..I’m not convinced Seattle’s going to go softly into that night….we got the team for 2 more years…
You guys are pathetic. Hope Seattle sinks into the ocean or Mount Rainier blows her top. How many people commited suicide in Seattle today? Seems to be a regular thing there.
Doesnt Seattle have one of the largest gay populations in the world??? Don’t worry, about losing ur team, you can come to OKC and be away from the rain for a couple of hours. And you can actually get a seat in the Ford Center.
Markis: Education is a federal and state issue, not city. And money for schools mainly comes from property taxes. So if OKC grows, that means more of a tax base for schools. Who knows how OKC will grow in the future, but the fact that voters are dedicated to improving The City could mean new companies moving in in the future.
Gary S: This is a very normal turnout for single-issue, non-party races. I’m not surprised at all.
i like how everyone is using my $5.85 they make in okc and thats not even the minimum wage, i read that they can pay as little as
$2 an hour to bus boys and stuff like that omg this is just funny.
A million dollar facility for the EXCLUSIVE use of the $4,000,000
salaried prima donnas with the income benefits going to their
billionaire owners. Doesn’t make “CENTS.” And, our Major thinks that we are not utilizing our ballpark to its full capabilities. Yet, he
wants this EXCLUSIVE practice facility for about 20 men and their
entourage.
Yes i have heard of maps for kids. However I believe that if we need to spend milliions more then it should be millions more on education. Not an ignorant sports team.
@Seattle is Pathetic: I won’t even bother touching topics from OKC’s past. Out of respect for the departed who are now in a (much) better place.
You Seattle folk coming on here making all these hillbilly, 5.85 an hour generalizations really make yourselves look immature. We are proud of our city and state and for good reason. There are a lot of good people here as I am sure there are in Washington. Too bad some of them can’t come here and give you a good scolding for making your state look like a bunch of idiots.
RickT — I’m not sure where you came up with two years. Howard Schultz (schmuck!) put the Sonics up for sale in May of 2006, and Clay Bennett bought the team in July. And yes, it is the worst lease in the NBA. If Clay Bennett could buy the Key, he would have. That’s some lucrative real estate downtown.
Markis: Over half of the state budget is spent on Education… around $3 billion… how much more do you want?
I find funny people in Sattle have nothing better to do than to hang out on an OKC website taking shots at OKC. Pretty sad if you ask me.
lol everyone was using my wage thingy in there comments im not trying to be hurtful but how can you afford to go to games on that, especially if you get an NFL or MLB team its the truth the games wont be sold out or anywhere near it.
I am all for business growth neighbors. But the fact is that education should come first. No matter where the money comes from in the state. When we are having problems putting gas in the metro school busses to get our kids to school then there is a problem. The problem is that people spend to much money on sports in this country and not enough on learning. Which is why china is so much smarter than we are.
Jay: Thanx for the response. I now see that this was the only issue on the ballot in OKC. Good night, I am going home.
Markis should we just commit the entire state budget to education? You think China is so smart, move there please.
We need to spend as much as it takes. Apparently 3 bill isn’t enough. So what do you do when there isn’t enough money to pay the bills? You need to get more. Where do you get more? You have to prioritize. That doesn’t mean let it go and spend more sports. If we can do this then we shouldn’t be having problems paying the educational costs of this state.
tell me im wrong how can you possibly go to nba nfl or mlb games if you make that little, im not wrong i know that, especially if you get an nfl or mlb franchise.
I understand the whole Education thing, But the city had no choice but to try this. If this didnt pass, it would be an embarrassment to the city. Its time for OKC to grow!
Kyle, it is apparent that you are not intelligent enough to have a mature statement with your fellow neighbors so please do not respond to my thoughts.
That is sad Markis. Damn educators want the entire state budget and it STILL isn’t enough for them. Geez, go to China. They are as they are apparently better and smarter than us.
This city stepped up and showed we can support a NBA team for two years. Now we will be rewarded with a team we dont have to share. If you people in seattle dont like go cry in your starbucks.
Cody I went to Hornets games and I will go to Sonics games. There are a few of us here that make a little more than 5.85 an hour. I could even afford to pay to hitch my horse during the game.
Kyle, I am just a caring father of three. I would like for them to have a nice education. If parents don’t get involved with the decisions this state makes then we all have hope for nothing. If you have children I hope they forgive you someday for not caring about their success in life.
lol that Josh guy was saying go cry in your starbucks, they have 16 starbucks within 8 miles of each other down there ^_^ another thing, its up to the NBA BOG to decide if the sonics will be able to relocate.
OKC Sonis Fan — I think it’s great that the organization is called “Citizens for a Big League City.” We had (still have) “Citizens for More Important Things” that worked hard to prevent any new stadiums built here. But, the stadiums were built, even after a no vote (for Safeco Field in 1995) for a 0.1% tax increase. And the arena Clayton Bennett craves up here will be built too at some point soon. He just won’t be the owner of the team. And, someone in the above thread mentioned a court case. That is slated to happen, and if the move is blocked for two years, cooler heads will prevail. Both cities will end up with teams.
So why does education need the entire stat budget? Maybe we should just stay home and do nothing and give all the money in the state to education and tear down every building in Oklahoma with the exception of schools since education should be the only thing we spend our money on.
I agree Supes Fan, eventually both Cities will have teams. OKC proved they can support one, and Seattle has had one for years.
All the courts can do is delay the move. GO OKC Supersonics. Oh and by the way once the move is completed Clay will go out in Free agentcy and upgrade the team personnel..
Education and civic pride are mutually exclusive. Same argument goes on up here. Does OKC vote on school levies and then school (building) bonds? Those dollars can’t be traded either. The entire argument is pointless.
well i believe that the hornets will end up in okc in 2009 and the judge will hold the sonics to there lease until 2010 then, who knows.
Funny, Josh. He’s already fired all of the coaches and everyone associated with the team and it’s history, then traded most of the team last month. There are only 3 player contracts remaining after next year.
The delay with the court case will cost Mr. Bennett $80 million (he reportedly will lose $40 m this year). He, a local (Seattle) group and Stern should go into a conference room and create a 31st team. Everyone wins. Not that hard. I can’t believe anyone in OKC has any attachment to the “SuperSonics” name. You want your own history. Your first team. The one you follow.
Josh — I think they’re already $11m under the cap and have several first-round draft pics. But, if the court case prevails, Kevin Durant and Jeff Green will be eligible for free agency when the team moves.
But unless there is an agreement with the city, whether they are called the OKC Supersonics or not Clay will still own the name and as such no one would be able to use it.
OK. What’s your point? Do you think Clay Bennett cares about the team name and colors? Or do you care (if so, great! The more Sonics fans the better).
cya everyone, we cant say the will leave or stay we will wait and find out in the next 1-3 years good luck guys.
I am orginally from New Orleans so personnally I would prefer the Hornets. But When they moved i didnt care they didnt chage the name from charlotte.
I’d rather it be the hornets myself. At the very least, can we rename the team? I don’t think OKC Sonics sounds good when the only “Sonics” we have is a fast food chain headquarters.
For all the other chatter, I don’t really think it matters. Sports is a business and has always been such. I’d wager that no team aside from the Yankees or the Lakers are immune to the whims of the big business owners, and tradition doesn’t add enough to the bottom line to save a team.
The big losers here are the Sonics fans, and I can’t blame them for being upset and bitter, even if I think lashing out at Oklahomans is short sighted. You’d have to be naive to think that Clay Bennett would truly try to keep the team in Seattle when he was a large part in having the Hornets in OKC to begin with.
On the other hand, it’s no fault to either city really, Seattle has been through the song and dance, and most of the voting public didn’t want to pay for what owners could. Oklahoma City wants to expand their venues, and see this as a key measure (which it is), of luring a professional team there. It’s not about what the minimum wage is (which isn’t normal pay for most working people in the city), or what cost of living is or anything else really.
I don’t live in the OKC limits, so I didn’t have a vote in the matter. However, I saw the Hornets when they were in town and would see the Sonics if they end up moving. The NBA is in the business of making money for the owners, and they’ve played the “new arena” card many, many times. If those from Seattle don’t want to pony up the cash again for it, it’s their right. I sympathize for them, because they’re just the latest victims of the games professional sports leagues play with city and local governments.
Fine. You want an NBA team, we want ours. We support one. They carry 11-12 guys. We have colleges that carry more than that. If this whole deal is who gets Clay Bennett and Kevin Durant, I would trade Kevin Durant. Jeff Green and all of the contracts for OKC getting Clay Bennett and all of his first round draft picks and start his own thing down there. We’re THREE players from having an expansion team now. I’d go 0-82 to have our history back. Stern is not that much of an idiot.
The “Sonics” are a name because of Boeing and the airplane-making history here. Makes no sense to have the “Jazz” in Utah or the “Lakers” in Los Angeles.
Supes Fan: I wasn’t saying I didn’t see the logic in having a “Sonics” team in Seattle, I was merely stating that I don’t think it’d be good for Oklahoma City, since Sonics is a fast food chain centered out of Oklahoma City. I don’t like the idea of it looking like a team is named after a fast food franchise, which is what it would seem like if they kept the Sonics name.
It would also allow Seattle to take back the name, because I don’t think the NBA would really keep the city without a franchise for long.
Oh well. With the vote passing its up to the NBA now and out of both OKC and Seattle’s hands. So we will see what happens.
Roger (again) “If those from Seattle don’t want to pony up the cash again for it, it’s their right.”
1. Clay Bennett demanded a $500 million center to be built in Renton, about 12 miles from Seattle. Not $100 million, but five. Our legislature didn’t cower to the pressure and didn’t do anything in their short session.
2. He offered for the city to buy out his lease last month for $26.5 million. He offered the city 24 hours to accept it. That’s extortion.
But, when we act (and Seattle will here too), we have places like Safeco Field and Qwest Field.
Just be aware that this vote won’t be your last to do it. We voted to remodel the Key in 1994. Then the M’s wanted to move from the Kingdome using the same tax base, then the SeaHawks too. All three got done. Specifically with the Key, David Stern called it a “model arena” when it opened.
Read this article: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/080228&sportCat=nba
I really hope you know what you bought tonight. We do, and we’ll buy it again.
Roger — Good thought. Part of what makes the NBA model work is having several restaurants making it so you have dinner there as opposed to the neighborhood. That’s part of what makes Safeco Field (Seattle Mariners) work — you have all kinds of food fare available. The lease for the Key is bad for (any) Sonics owner is that parking is owned by the city (the property is owned as part of the 1962 World’s Fair, so there is no parking revenue) and you can’t expand the restaurant base on city property for now (If you’ve been there, the “Fun Forest” is gone after next year and they’re working to re-do the entire property). It just takes time.
Supes fan:
I never said I disagreed with you. Like I said, it’d be naive to think that Mr. Bennett had any other intention than to move the team. His actions have all pointed to it. I don’t see what you’re trying to argue with.
You act as if people aren’t aware as to how these things work, many of us are aware of how it works. That doesn’t mean that people aren’t willing to try it, to see if they can get benefits out of it.
For the article, I read it before, when it was first posted. I don’t really see why an article that is comprised of a bunch of Sonics fans who are upset by them leaving is supposed to change my mind, although I did laugh when Simmons said that this would set a dangerous precedent, as if its the first time a team owner has threatened to move a team if the city didn’t build a new arena.
One thought: If Seattle enforces their lease and the Hornets do not draw their attendance number for their revised lease, one ends before the other. You might get the Hornets.
Roger — I didn’t disagree with you. I just think the NBA model is a bit broken and that it comes down to everyone needs Pepsi Center-type buildings to be competitive. We were told that the KeyArena was great by the NBA commissioner just a decade ago. Does that mean that every 10-15 years every arena everywhere in the NBA needs to be scrapped?
I’m just arguing with extortion, I guess. I’d like to see the Supes stay here, and I think if logic prevails, you and I can sit together with a beer either here or in OKC and watch the Seattle SuperSonics play Oklahoma City in an NBA game.
What will the new Dallas Cowboys stadium do the the NFL landscape? Does that officially kill Jacksonville or Green Bay when they don’t get those extra dollars? What about new Yankee Stadium? Over a billion dollars and counting.
We have passionate fans. If that isn’t enough to save this game here, then it can’t save it anywhere. Even in OKC in 10 years.
Just a quick note & bit of feedback on this blog/effort. As you know it has been almost three hours since the last update. So just what are you providing here outside of a place for comments? If you’re going to live blog an event you need to at least try and keep it active. You could have linked the election tally from your own site increasing the page hits at a minimum.
Perhaps I just expected too much but you could have provided anecdotal comments, general feelings from the room, quotes from audience members, etc.. This type of information keeps viewers for newsok.com and moves the comment discussion away from tired themes IMHO. The vote is over, the audience is likely gone, and you’ve told me the Mayor may arrive soon.
If you don’t like doing this kind of work or don’t appreciate the medium don’t even try.
Must be some strong beverage flowing along with the good spread for Mr. Estus. Isn’t the Daily Oklahoman owned by Gaylord, and didn’t Clay Bennett marry into that family? Perhaps there is a hush on the news tonight moving forward, now that the measure has passed. I, too, thought there would be more information.
I agree with that entirely, really, except for Green Bay, because they’re a rare exception since the city owns the team, something no league would never allow now.
That’s more or less it, 10-15 years from now, whoever owns the team will likely want a new stadium if they deem it profitable. At that point, the city has to evaluate if they think the team is a valuable enough investment to put city money into it.
In reality, I think OKC would rather have the Hornets, anyways, and if there were a vote, the Hornets would win easily. The problem is that it’s not up to the city to do anything more than saying that they want a team. At this point, it’s the NBA’s choice if they want a team there and, if yes, how that will occur.
And that’s where we are. It’s $500 million for a new building 10-15 miles out of town or nothing. As fans in Seattle, it’s out of our hands. We have local ownership ready to do buy the team, and an ownership/city to make the Seattle Center and the Key great place for everything. I love the key, and would only be one mile from the proposed new center that was floated last year in Renton.
keep the updates coming, john! You’re our only source of information right now!!!