And so it begins... a Tulsa World Article (//%22http://www.tulsaworld.com/sports/article.aspx?articleID=071221_2_B3_spanc68406%22) today talks about the prospects of getting the Hornets to move to OKC. They need at least another $100,000,000.00 and a practice facility to have a shot.
I'm afraid that is just the start, what else will the league and owner demand? Pro sports are addicting, once there for a few years why not demand the new $400,000,000.00 arena they demanded of Seattle?
Oklahoma City has done a very good job making themselves into a destination city. Conventions, sports tournaments, and even a home for a pro team. But I'm curious if the City will gain from having an NBA team in town. I have not put the time in needed to come to a finite conclusions - but with the tax payers funding the arena and practice facility, and the OKC area fans handing over money for games and a small market team getting reduced revenue sharing from the league I wonder if this will be a net gain for OKC or a white elephant.
Is the publicity of being a pro-sports city worth it alone? Will it increase tourism? Will the team demand more and more (demand $400mil from rich populous Seattle and move to a $150mil facility in OKC)? What, if any, effect on Tulsa will this have (I have heard no talk of an "Oklahoma Hornets" or even advertising in Tulsa for fans - would that matter to you)?
Just curious what others are thinking on this note or if anyone has a good feel for how these things usually work out.
From a native North Carolinian, avoid George Shinn and the Hornets franchise at all cost.
It's not Shin and the Hornets, it's the Sonics and a OKC businessman (I don't remember his name) that married into the Gaylord family already owns the team and has announced he's moving to Oklahoma City. "Announced" is far from "moved", the move has to approved by he NBA and a lease in Seattle has to be broken, but it does appear likely that sooner or later the Sonics will be in Oklahoma City.
Cannon, just to shed some light on part of your question about what if the owner/league asks for a new $400,000,000.00 arena just like they did in Seattle. That little trick was started by the OKC business group. They initiated that dialogue as an excuse to move the Sonics because they knew the city wouldn't fork up the cash and therefore the owners would have no choice but to move the team to...oh no...OKC. Perfect plan huh? :-)