Sonics fans packed a hearing on Tuesday night encouraging the city to build an NBA arena on two blocks of the SODO district.
About 200 people are attending the meeting. Watch live here.
Sports is a true unifier. I've been to Pride parades, and I've been to tea party rallies, and 90 percent of the people there want us to get a team back," said Kris "The Sonics Guy" Brannon.
Most of the crowd sported green and yellow Sonics gear, while others carried NHL hockey signs. A small group associated with the Port of Seattle, who oppose the deal, held signs saying, "Save Sodo."
While the NBA has no immediate plans to return a team to Seattle, supporters are anxious to have an arena plan in place so Seattle will be competitive if that changes.
The Seattle City Council could reject the plan to vacate the stretch of Occidental Avenue South, citing traffic concerns. But that decision will not be made until April.
Forty state lawmakers wrote Seattle City Council in opposition of the new Seattle Sonics arena in effort to protect maritime jobs, a letter released Monday revealed.
"This action is intended to pave the way for a professional sports arena in the south downtown industrial area. We understand the strong desire to bring professional basketball back to our state and strongly support that intended goal," the letter said. "However, that must not come at the expense of middle class jobs, which are largely created by our maritime, manufacturing, and industrial sectors," it said in part. <a href="http://www.kiro7.com/news/kiro-news-app/40-state-lawmakers-oppose-new-seattle-sonics-arena/161696236">See full letter here.</a>
A group called Sonicsgate film released a video in early March showing what they claim is a "high traffic" day, when the largest cargo ship to ever visit the U.S. landed in Seattle. The group's timelapse showed minimal traffic.
But John Persak, vice president of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, said Occidental Avenue is a relief valve when traffic gets unbearable on 1st Avenue South.
Persak said with added congestion, businesses might choose to use other ports.
“I think it sends a message to the broader business community and maritime that Seattle just doesn’t want to be a maritime port anymore,” Persak said.
Cox Media Group
