relocation relocation successful effort ownership group team seattle team began play basketball season national_basketball_association nba franchise relocate 2000s efforts persuade washington state government officials provide funding update failed ownership group led sold team investment group headed businessman failing persuade local governments fund million arena complex bennett group notified nba intended team requested arbitration city seattle released lease request rejected judge seattle sued bennett group enforce lease required team play july settlement reached allowed team certain conditions months prior settlement seattle publicly released email conversations took place bennett ownership group alleged indicated members group desire team prior purchase city conversations argue ownership failed negotiate good faith result filed lawsuit seeking sale team transfer ownership court appointed receiver nba claimed lawsuit void signed release forbidding sue bennett group argued proposal violated league ownership rules dropped case start nba season sale team july seattle led sold failing reach agreement city seattle publicly funded million expansion nba smallest venue seating capacity failing find local ownership group sell team talked ownership groups kansas_city las_vegas anaheim agreeing sell team ownership group pursued nba franchise hosting franchise successfully seasons new_orleans rebuilt hurricane katrina sale group million approved nba owners october terms sale required new ownership group use good faith best efforts term months securing new arena lease venue seattle metropolitan area february bennett proposed tax money pay new million arena washington suburb seattle failing reach deal end legislative session bennett gave attempt april november team announced soon free lease seattle mayor maintained stance expected stay seattle lease expired said city intend easy bennett team early concerns city accept lease group filed initiative sought prevent city accepting offer bennett group later unanimously passed ordinance modeled initiative august minor partner bennett ownership group said interview newspaper team purchased seattle relocate bennett later denied intentions saying speaking behalf ownership group comments fined nba relocation effort september bennett applied arbitration issue team break lease arguing lease allow arbitration issue occupancy city seattle filed relief september motion asked court reject arbitration request enforce lease required team play united_states judge denied request arbitration october saying arguments ignore clear language article states use occupancy rights respect premises term agreement shall end september days bennett october deadline passed public financing new arena informed nba commissioner ownership group intended soon legally possible timing announcement day home opener drew critical comments seattle attorney said bennett announcement today transparent attempt seattle fan base follow plan team making continues current ownership insulting behavior dedicated fans citizens city bennett reiterated team sale dismissed attempts local groups team february ownership group gave city seattle day deadline accept million offer buy lease pay ownership group claimed value debts arena city rejected offer prospect expanding resurfaced march microsoft ceo promised investor group pay half million needed extensive renovation rest provided city county state legislature approval county provide funds april deadline seattle mayor said effort failed city hopes rested lawsuit preparations anticipation nba team led mayor successfully lobbied previous temporary relocation voters city approved million renovation march including construction new nba practice facility tour downtown nba owners recommended league approve march bennett reached preliminary agreement year lease finalized ownership group weeks later later approved bill provide tax breaks incentives team relocated nba owners gave approval potential relocation april vote league dallas voted approval meant allowed season reaching settlement city seattle popular opposition seattle group seattle residents created storm rally support permanent professional basketball presence seattle storm portion dropped storm sold local ownership june group organized publicized rally reportedly drew participants district courthouse seattle protest proposed relocation team rally held day city seattle lawsuit enforce remaining years lease lawsuits city seattle seattle filed lawsuit september attempt leaving end lease trial set june april seattle asked order nba release documents related financial situation team claim lease financially league involvement requiring good faith effort stay seattle april trial presiding judge ruled nba supply internal documents possible relocation city seattle requested addition judge said stern deposed later day need arise city hoped documents aid building legal case cited email conversation members ownership group suggested privately discussing intent team publicly insisting attempt ownership group filed motion saying lawsuit release city meant drive cost leaving seattle force ownership group sell team motion requested records released team lead attorney city responded pointing started fight led lawsuit filed arbitration break lease motion denied presiding judge said team failed good faith effort resolve dispute failed trial preparations hindered records public ruling said team bring issue prove relevance records april said open settlement league promised replacement team seattle said highly unlikely stay indicated city instead focus gaining replacement team noted local governments need willing fund expansion bennett group requested trial decide team financial obligations lease broken seattle lawyers requested month delay trial date order prepare additional issues arguing ownership group request dramatically change scope case require considerable preparation time determine damages trial presiding judge denied motion bennett group march noting team needed request scheduling conference second trial need held determine team financial obligations attorneys closing arguments city case june judge announced issue ruling following wednesday july hours judge release ruling announced team city reached settlement pay city million immediately exchange breaking lease additional million seattle given replacement team years according conditions settlement colors team taken future team seattle promises replacement team given team retain franchise history shared future nba team seattle team moved immediately announced begin play season seattle release email conversations members bennett group prompted owner file lawsuit sought sale team alleged bennett group fraud purchase making good faith best effort seattle mandated original sales contract bennett said spent millions dollars attempting team seattle lawsuit filed april washington sought things injunction prevent relocated seattle suit requested franchise placed trust longer ownership attorney added alleged breach contract cause action bennett chicago based attorney espn senior writer said sought precedent sports industry believe case seattle lease case presented problems bennett officials declared intent sue damages forced relocation lawsuit succeeded subsequent ownership relocate legal letter attorney said legally bound relocate end lease regardless owned team letter stated city valid agreements team requiring relocate end current lease city seattle attorney replied letter saying lease agreement city began improvements risk prior conclusion pending litigation nba filed motion intervene seattle federal court july claiming lawsuit interfere stable operation franchise transfer ownership violate nba regulations team control nba commissioner league claimed signed release forbidding sue bennett ownership group condition nba approval original sale weeks later requested separate trials determine bennett group committed fraud subsequently determine remedy august shortly court denied request ruled nba intervene case said legal team longer believed case won announced drop lawsuit saying prepared statement prevailing wisdom seattle community advice key members seattle best chance professional basketball franchise end litigation allow city state legislature parties begin necessary fence nba distribution assets according terms detailed settlement agreement items associated history seattle including trophies banners retired stayed city placed items radios cds chairs equipment shipped finished season chronicles seattle based filmmakers released documentary relocation book big league city rise nba chronicled story perspective
Seattle SuperSonics relocation to Oklahoma City