Emerald City suing to keep Sonics

Speculation about the Sonics leaving has been rampant, even so much as one of the co-owners basically saying it was going to happen and they would be moved to Oklahoma City. Not so fast, my friend, says the city of Seattle. On Monday, they filed a suit to keep the SuperSonics from leaving town, citing according to records that "The Sonics promised to 'play all home games ... exclusively"' at the arena at the Seattle Center through Sept. 30, 2010."

The Sonics front office has stated that the team has requested an arbitration panel to rule that the NBA franchise does not have to play the final two seasons of its lease at KeyArena, arguing that the contract allows a negotiated buyout.

Slade Gorton, a lawyer who was instrumental in preventing the departure of the Seattle Seahawks under former owner Ken Behring, said at the news conference that while many disputes that could arise under the lease are subject to arbitration, the duration of the lease is clearly excluded. The lease makes it clear that the Sonics agreed to play all their home games in KeyArena for the duration of the agreement, and Sonics officials seems to have planned from the outset to move the club to Oklahoma City, Gorton said.

Be ready for an ugly battle....Not that the NBA needs any additional ugly battles *cough*Isiah Thomas*cough*.

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Emerald City suing to keep Sonics

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