A second bidder has officially entered the race to bring NBA basketball back to Seattle, proposing to build a new arena in Marysville, about 35 miles north of the city. This revelation comes from BlackSun Private Equity, a New York-based firm that submitted its bid in August, completely changing the landscape for our city’s NBA dreams. We thought we had one clear path, but now there’s a fork in the road, and it’s a long drive up I-5.
Two Contenders, One Goal (But Different Locations)
Until now, we knew about One Roof Sports and Entertainment, the majority owners of our Seattle Kraken, led by Samantha Holloway. They’ve been public about their desire to land an expansion team. But now, The Athletic’s Christian Clark and John Hollinger dropped the bombshell about BlackSun Private Equity. These guys aren’t just looking to build an arena; they’re teaming up with the Tulalip Tribes to develop an entire “entertainment district” on tribal land in Marysville. Talk about a curveball! The big challenge, and let’s be real, the biggest question on every Seattle fan’s mind, is how to make that 35-mile commute feel easy. Convincing folks in the heart of the Emerald City to make that trek consistently? That’s going to be a tough sell, no doubt.
NBA’s Timeline and the Staggering Price Tag
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has been pretty clear: he hopes to make a decision on both the Seattle and Las Vegas expansion franchises by the end of the year. Our local groups have made their preliminary bids, but the Vegas hopefuls are facing a second, more detailed bid deadline mid-September. What’s the word on the street? Reporting suggests the NBA is leaning towards Vegas first, likely because they expect an even bigger bid from them, then they’ll get to Seattle second. And let’s talk about the money. The NBA is reportedly looking for bids of at least a staggering $7 billion for these teams. Yeah, you heard that right, seven billion dollars. For Vegas, they’re hoping for even more. If that cash isn’t on the table, if the bids don’t hit those numbers, then the whole expansion process could get put on hold. Again. And that’s a gut punch no Seattle fan wants to feel after waiting so long.
Both groups, One Roof and BlackSun, have stressed they want to bring a team to stay in the Seattle area, remembering the pain of losing the SuperSonics back in 2008. But with a Marysville location on the table and the NBA reportedly prioritizing Vegas, the road ahead for our NBA return still feels like a rollercoaster. We’re all holding our breath, waiting to see what Silver and the league decide by year-end. This is huge for Seattle, and the location of this arena is going to be a massive part of the conversation in the coming months.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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