SoDo arena investor Wally Walker says dream isn’t dead

Though Seattle Mayor Ed Murray’s support for the Oak View Group’s KeyArena redevelopment proposal makes it seem as though all other options are off the table, an investor involved with the Sonics Arena group says the SoDo plan isn’t dead.

“I haven’t heard that and I don’t believe that to be the case at all,” former NBA player and Sonics GM Wally Walker told KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson. “We own the land and we’ll see what happens as they try to negotiate a deal between [Oak view Group] and the city.

“We’ll just stand by. We’ve just said all along we just want a solution where an arena in this town gets built that attracts the NBA and NHL. If we’re on the path, that’s great.”

Murray’s comments Wednesday morning did make it seem as though SoDo was being phased out, Dori pointed out.

“The council, before I became mayor, felt fairly burned by some of the processes around arenas,” Murray said. “Several councils over several mayors. We’ve been working very closely to keep them updated.

“I think they have an open mind. I think they would like to see KeyArena work.”

Essentially, Murray said that if KeyArena wasn’t redeveloped and another arena was built, the Key would just be a drain on the taxpayers.

The SoDo arena group, led by Chris Hansen, canceled the public financing element of its plan to build a $550 million arena. The group also offered to help mitigate impacts to traffic in the area.

Dori asked Walker if he felt burned, despite his belief that their investment group’s efforts aren’t dead.

“Not really,” he responded. “The process is the process. People have their own political viewpoints and agendas.”

For now, it appears as though the SoDo group will sit on the sidelines and see what comes out of the Oak View plan. Despite receiving support from Murray, it still has to be vetted by the Seattle City Council.