Gov. Gregoire�s statement on Seattle Sonics relocation vote

For Immediate Release: April 18, 2008

OLYMPIA � Gov. Chris Gregoire today issued the following statement on the National Basketball Association�s vote to relocate the Seattle Sonics:

�This is a sad day for basketball fans across Washington state. The Sonics have a proud, storied 41-year history in Seattle and, as a sports fan, I am very disappointed with today�s action by the National Basketball Association (NBA) owners to relocate the Sonics to Oklahoma City.

�The owners� action is especially frustrating in light of recent revelations that Mr. Bennett and his partners were not acting in good faith when they purchased the team and agreed in writing to make every effort to keep the team in Seattle. We now know that was never their intention.

�Despite today�s action, the team�s former owners have announced plans to sue the team�s current owners with the intention of reversing the sale of the Sonics. The City of Seattle also has a pending case to force the current owners to honor their KeyArena lease and keep the Sonics in Seattle.

�Seattle is a great sports city and a great city for professional basketball. I want to thank Sonics fans for their support for the team through the years. Their recent efforts to keep the team in Seattle in recent months have been nothing short of impressive.�