It's not just "breaking news" anymore -- it's straight up official: Seattle's getting a new basketball (and hockey) arena. At a press conference this morning, Seattle City Council members led by Mike O'Brien, Sally Clark, and Judy Clibborn officially announced their agreement to team up with Chris Hansen to build Seattle a new stadium.
As we outlined this morning, a few major revisions were made to the original plan in regards to how funds would be accumulated and later allocated -- namely that $40 million would be used to address the future transportation needs of the SODO area and the Port of Seattle. Publicola quotes Burgess at the press conference who stated that the new deal" recognizes the opportunities Chris Hansen brought to us and...brings in nearly foolproof protections against the inherent risks associated with these kinds of agreements."
And as though news of the arena deal weren't happy enough, Hansen wants to celebrate, to show his appreciation of Seattle's support any and all of legal imbibing age to grab a brewski on him. He told the people himself on the sonicsarena website:
I would personally like to buy you all a beer at FX McRory's this Thursday from 5-7. First beer for everyone is on me. Free beer and a new stadium -- is it too soon to call Chris Hansen Seattle's favorite person of 2012?
We'll cheers to that.
[Photo by MyNorthwest]
· Come Back, Sonics -- Seattle Got its Arena Deal! [Curbed Seattle]
· The Arena Deal: Council Gets Personal Guaranty From Hansen [Publicola]
· With Tentative Arena Agreement Reached, Chris Hansen Wants to Buy Seattle a Beer [Seattle Weekly]