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The National Hockey League is looking for a local buyer and possible move of the financially troubled Phoenix Coyotes. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Tax the players to build a new NBA arena in Seattle

BY Bill Swartz  on January 10, 2012 @ 6:45 am (Updated: 10:23 am - 1/10/12 )

Before the Seattle SuperSonics were peddled off to Oklahoma City, Washington state legislators refused to even consider using public money to help pay for a new NBA arena.

Now comes an idea to make the basketball and hockey players help cover the cost of a new building.

State Rep. Mike Hope of Lake Stevens is floating a proposal in Olympia to charge National Basketball Association and National Hockey League teams a license fee each time they play in the potential new arena. The money would be used as leverage to sell $62 million worth of bonds.

Hope is optimistic he can get support from republicans and democrats because no taxpayer money is involved.

"When you're looking at this proposal, it's not going to affect a single person in Washington state," Hope explained. "The people who are going to pay for this are the athletes themselves."

Tennessee and Ohio have used a similar plan to finance new arenas.

The NHL is looking for a local buyer and possible move of the financially troubled Phoenix Coyotes. The NBA has a couple of franchises which could be relocating in the near future.

There is one Chicago businessman interested in locating a hockey team on a Bellevue, Wash. property. Another investor group just purchased a possible arena site south of Seattle's Safeco Field.

There could be hearings on the plan in the next few weeks.

Bill Swartz, 710 ESPN Seattle
Sports anchor, news reporter, emcee, and a man of many voices, Bill Swartz has been a jack-of-all trades during his career, especially at KIRO Radio and 710 ESPN Seattle since 2002.
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Comments (37)


  • Add A Comment

  • Forrest wrote...
    IT'S A BUSINESS
    January 10, 2012 7:39 am
    If it is commercially viable, private investors will build the arena.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Sean wrote...
    I like it.
    January 10, 2012 7:55 am
    If the pro sports leagues, who continually hold cities hostage because the teams themselves cannot seem, or are not willing, to operate within the limits of normal business models like the rest of us (not spending more than you bring in), absolutely -- let's tax them and their rich players. If it has to be this way, it has to be this way. But remember, fans, the NBA has already shown us here in Seattle what we mean to them. I sure as he11 won't attend any NBA game ever again. What kind of fools are we?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • demo wrote...
    I like it, too!
    January 10, 2012 8:50 am
    Sean, you're right on! Not only should the team and the league be taxed, but each player should have to pay to play in our stadiums. I am sick and tired of these teams and their players sucking all the money out of our pockets and communities. Some of these players hit the lotto every time they step on the court or the field. And, no, not one of them is worth the money they are being paid.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    demo
    January 10, 2012 9:32 am
    Of course the players are worth every penny they are being paid,Why? Because they are among only a handful of athletes world wide who can compete at the highest level and these players generate the incredible revenue that enable them to be paid the high salarys they receive.Now I ask you why you believe that employees of a team should also be required to pay for the arena that they play in? I thought it was the owners when did that change? Should movie stars be required to pay part of the production costs of a movie they appear in?How about a chef paying for the kitchen at the restaurant he works in or a constrution worker paying part of the equipement costs at the project he is working on?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Sean wrote...
    Messiah, you're wrong
    January 10, 2012 12:13 pm
    They are clearly not worth what they are paid because they are not being paid a fair-market value. The owners want better teams so they sign more- and more-expensive players -- even when the team's income WILL NOT justify it. So the market certainly is not justifying their salaries -- those salaries are only earned when the teams extort the cities they're in, and force the cities to build them new arenas to play in. When's te last time a local furniture-store dealer or hardware store told a city that they'd move out of town unless the CITY built them a new more-efficient, more profitable store??? Players' salaries are in NO way justified by fair-market practices; the market is completely and artificially inflated and it's time for some EQUITY in the situation. And "EPH" the NBA, by the way.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rational wrote...
    messiah101
    January 10, 2012 8:44 pm
    Are you possessed or something?! Would you say the same thing about people who are job creating entrepreneurs...say the CEO of a company making decisions that few others would making bank? Or would they be the greedy rich to you still?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    rational
    January 11, 2012 7:19 am
    Its much much easier to find a MBA to successfully run a company then to find a person who can throw 30-40 TD passes in a season or hit 35-40 HRs,or get 25pts and 5 assists in a NBA game.Do you actually believe that the CEOs of those Wall Street Banks were actually astute businessmen? I think they were criminals.You really need to look at the TOTAL picture to be truly Rational
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rational wrote...
    messiah101
    January 11, 2012 5:24 pm
    Not just any MBA can run a huge business. I don't know if you've been in meetings with leaders of big companies but they aren't your average MBA sort of person. It might be harder to find someone who can hit the homeruns and baskets, and those guys tend to get paid higher than most CEO's as well.

    My point is that you are holding a double standard...you're willing to acknowledge a free market for sports figures but not for business figures...you have a bias and I suspect you're blind to it.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    rational
    January 11, 2012 6:23 pm
    No bias,only the ability to understand that lots of people can run a business and make lots of money.Our system should be based on supply and demand and it is not and thats the problem.Your correct when you say that "not just any MBA can run a huge business" but believe me that there are a ton of people with MBAs that can.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • manicpop wrote...
    business
    January 10, 2012 9:57 am
    Demo: The players and owners recently agreed to a deal that more or less splits income 50/50. If people are willing to pay the amount they do for tickets (they do, Portland sells out all their home games), if advertisers are willing to pay what they do to advertise, if merchandising/broadcast rights/all that stuff is financially viable, why are the players overpaid? Who should get the profit instead? It's a business, right?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    Sean
    January 10, 2012 9:38 am
    First of all the arena will not get built without up front $$$,no teams have committed to moving here. This politican wants to build a cart before he has a horse to pull it.The recent failure of the new arena in Wenatchee that was supposed to be financed by money made from development (and the taxpayers are getting nailed) should show that we should run not walk away from this scheme.I agree with Forrest that if arenas and stadiums actually made money then business would be competing to build them
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Sean wrote...
    No argument there, Messiah.
    January 10, 2012 12:16 pm
    So if no arena gets built because there are no tax dollars involved, fine -- no arena gets built. When the NBA starts operating within the same fundamental business model that virtually the rest of the world does, THEN maybe an arena could be built with private money. As I said before, "EPH" them.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HLD wrote...
    Easy Fix
    January 10, 2012 9:38 am
    Allow the voting 48% that want an arena to donate $100 each into an arena fund. That would generate at least $200,000,000 (more if people donate more than $100). Combine that with Corporate donations and it would more than cover the expenses of a new arena. Give all of the donation supporters a brick in a walkway and they will be happy.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Brilliant!
    January 10, 2012 11:58 am
    That is exactly how this could be handled. As long as the money collected stays in an account that cannot be raided by the thieving hands of government. It would come time to build it and they would say; there's a shortfall, we're gonna need to raised more taxes...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Idocalex wrote...
    HLD..I like it...
    January 10, 2012 7:55 pm
    That's how my college built a new library...is there a way to make that tax deductible though?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Bucket Dad wrote...
    Great idea, should be expanded..
    January 10, 2012 10:30 am
    to the politicians as well. How about a nickel out of every dime they raise in an election campaign go to pay for the State/Federal deficit?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Market72 wrote...
    YES!
    January 10, 2012 11:38 am
    Whatever it takes! Bring in the NBA and/or NHL!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Sean wrote...
    Whatever it takes???
    January 10, 2012 12:17 pm
    Are you KIDDING me??? Wow -- just bend over once again and take it, huh? What a foolish opinion.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • C"mon Man wrote...
    Here we go again
    January 10, 2012 12:26 pm
    Isn't their some group of investors who can purchase land, zoned for a venue, build one, convince Stern to sell them the Hornets, and the only taxes paid would be on the tickets sold,hot dog's eaten and beer consumed? Voting down the convertible did not keep M's ownership from breaking ground and imploding the Kingdome. Money talk's, and taxpayers pave the walking path.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • jstumbo wrote...
    Tax them all
    January 10, 2012 12:29 pm
    We could use the approach that the state is going to with the 520 bridge. Also tax the teams and players at Safeco Field and Century Link Field. Then use that money to pay for the new arena for basketball. After all, if we only tax the players and teams at the new arena, then teams will just play at the existing fields. So to prevent them from avoiding the new arena, we need to also tax the other fields.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • soo purletiv wrote...
    @ jstumbo
    January 10, 2012 8:36 pm
    That is freaking hilarious, yet so apropos..... ;-)
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • kels916 wrote...
    Question here
    January 10, 2012 1:02 pm
    I'm from Sacramento and was curious, as Sonics fan, do you guys cheer for the OKC Thunder or did you guys just gave up watching NBA? I really hope Seattle gets a new team soon. I visit Seattle maybe once every 2 to 3 years because the city is so beautiful.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • manicpop wrote...
    to kels
    January 10, 2012 8:16 pm
    I gave up on the NBA for a year or two, then started really missing basketball and decided to start following the Portland Trail Blazers. Since we have no team here now we get all their games on cable (we're in their expanded market). Portland's close enough that I can attend a game or two per season. I know a few people who follow the Boston Celtics because of Ray Allen. I don't know anyone who roots for OKC. When Seattle gets a team back we'll all come home.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • NWGUY wrote...
    don't cheer for OKC
    January 10, 2012 9:53 pm
    don't watch NBA
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Tonic99 wrote...
    kels916
    January 10, 2012 1:36 pm
    We do not watch the Thunder. We view our Sonics as being stolen, David Stern a scumbag, Howard Schultz a traitor, Clay Bennett a greedy opportunist, and our local government officials incompetent. I think that about somes up the views of most sports fans around here.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Sean wrote...
    Pretty much agreed
    January 10, 2012 2:34 pm
    Yes, that "sums" it up. And after the NBA showed Seattle what our decades of loyalty meant to them, they'll never get another dollar from me. I don't blame Schultz for selling -- it was losing money -- how is he expected to keep doing that??? And I frankly don't miss the NBA at all. You down in Sacramento are on the verge, too, of getting the big screw-job from mister Stern and his millionaire buddies. How sad...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rangerhawk wrote...
    God Speed!
    January 10, 2012 3:09 pm
    "If you build it, they will come." I'm all for an NHL Thunderbirds team, but cold to the NBA. I say make them grovel to come back.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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