KJR Radio, Seattle, is reporting that Wayne Gretzky is meeting with Bellevue officials regarding the possibility of bringing an NHL franchise to Bellevue.
Investor Chris Hansen has said that he and his investment group would bring in an NBA team to Seattle if his arena plan is approved by the Seattle City and King County councils. He left the opportunity for a professional hockey team to other interested investors. Hansen’s plan, however, has been designed specifically for Seattle’s SoDo district.
Meanwhile, Bellevue promoters have rooted for the NBA/NHL facility to be located on the Eastside. Until now, investors haven’t appeared to seriously consider Bellevue.
The arena project calls for about $290 million in private investment, along with $200 million from the city and county through the municipal bond market. Chris Hansen has spent more than $35 million on land in the SoDo district for a potential NBA arena.
It would be best for the region if all the interested parties pooled their resources together and come up with a single united plan.
Agreed LD. When the Sonics were threatened, many came out as individuals to save them, but they didn’t band together. I have a feeling it is either an arena in Bellevue or an arena in Seattle and Bellevue. I know the NBA and NHL compete (though they dance around it) but if other arenas can share, Seattle can. Having worked in Columbus, where OSU didn’t want to share so there are two arenas, it is awkward and cannibalizes business. Now the Blue Jackets are always mentioned in relocation talks (obviously OSU won’t move). I prefer Seattle because suburban arenas are always…vanilla.
I’d like to see this mysterious ‘Stadium’ that Bellevue keeps talking about.
I feel this is just a ploy to pressure the Seattle council to agree to the Hansen plan. I doubt he has any genuine interest in building an arena in Bellevue. I bet in the end, NHL and NBA will share the new SODO arena.
I hope they don’t get it. Keep Bellevue out of professional sports and strip clubs.
Who said anything about strip clubs?
In the end the BEllevue area will be much more prepared than the Seattle SODO district. We already have light rail coming to the area, in the future, a new ‘Spring district Development planned in the Bel-Red area (and moving forward, inexpenmsive and underutilized land, relative to the nearby community use,where the current ‘Auto-Row’ is located (south of NE 8th along 116th), multiople points of entry., to the area, by means of 405 north and southbound, 1-90 and 520 and copious amounts of restaurants waiting to be filled by fans waiting for the game, after work. Also, think of the traffic when there is a game; all of the flow of traffic, to the arena, would be in the exact opposite direction that most people would go when they are going home (a.k.a. leaving Bellevue) The entire reagion owuld almost have to thank Bellevue for placing an arena there because it would de-congest traffic whenever there is a game….now how many times does tht happen. @ Jamie…as great as a strip club would be…remember that you live in Bellevue….the people that run the city and live in Clyde Hill, Medina and Hunts Point would never allow that…but it would be nice:)