Sonics fans, arena supporters enjoy a beer on Chris Hansen’s tab

Sonics fans, a few Seattle City Councilmembers, the King County executive, the Seattle mayor and a gubernatorial candidate arrived at a Seattle bar for a beer on arena mastermind Chris Hansen’s dime.

Hansen put down his credit card and opened his tab before the doors opened to basketball fans earlier than expected, at 4:30 p.m. instead of 5. He offered to buy the city of Seattle a round of beers to celebrate a tentative agreement with the city council.

F.X. McRory’s spent their afternoon putting the final touches on preparations for the major celebration.

The bar spent most of the day setting up fencing, the PA system, and making sure there’s enough beer. Capacity is 399, but the city has fenced off part of Occidental to allow for a beer garden. The outside space is limited in a different way – there are only two beers on tap – Red Hook and Bud Light.

Hansen offered a few words to the crowd around 5:30 p.m. His speech included, a “cheers” to hopeful future of a Seattle arena. But, the free beer stopped at 7 p.m.

City councilmembers Tim Burgess and Sally Bagshaw were among the patrons. Just as fans began arriving at the bar a Seattle City Council committee approved the revised arena agreement. The full council will vote on Sept. 24.

Beer-drinking fans were eager to talk about the future of the arena too – including its current opponents. Sullivan said many say that while they understand concerns of traffic congestion, they don’t understand the Mariners’ opposition to a potential SoDo arena. Some were asking ‘Why couldn’t they share?’

Hansen shared concerns of his own with Sullivan before the doors of FX McRory’s opened on Thursday. He said there is still a long road ahead, and anything can happen in an environmental impact study. And there is the matter of a team, which Hansen says may take some time to acquire.

Hansen will be in studio with KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson Show on Friday at noon.