The.Sonics could play in an arena next to the Tulalip Resort and Casino.
When the Seattle Supersonics receive the green light to return in 2028, most of us assumed they’d play at Climate Pledge Arena, but there is a real possibility they could play in Snohomish County instead.
The NBA wanted multiple bidders for the Sonics return and they finally received their second bid, with an unlikely turn of events. The second bidder, BlackSun Private Equity, has been working with the Tulalip Tribes to make a bid which includes building a sports-and-entertainment complex on the Tulalip reservation.
The Seattle Times broke the news:
Documents reviewed by The Seattle Times indicate BlackSun has been in conversation with the Tulalip Tribes about the possibility of constructing a sports-and-entertainment complex on tribal-owned land near Marysville if successful in its bid. Sources told the Times the sides were in the final stages of a partnership agreement.
BlackSun with help from Tulalip and others are perpared to submit a $8.1 billion offer for the rights to the Sonics expansion team. If they win the bid, the team would be playing in an arena next to the Tulalip Resort Casino just nine miles north of Downtown Everett.
The front-runner for the SuperSonics is still One Roof Sports and Entertainment. They own the Kraken and are majority owners of Climate Pledge Arena under a public-private partnership, which the NBA prefers.
The BlackSun bid does carry an interesting community tie-in. They have partnered with Native World Sports, an organization wanting to advancing tribal participation in professional sports and entertainment.
BlackSun’s CEO Atonn Muhammad told the Times:
“We want this bid to be seen as basically a partnership between this entity and the communities. For once, we feel like sports and the individuals who operate on behalf of it need to come to the community and be a servant to it instead of taking from it.”
Everett would likely benefit from a stadium with people travelling north to attend games. The light rail “spine” expansion would help people from Tacoma, Belluvue, Redmond, and Seattle attend games. The team would initially play at Climate Pledge Arena until the sport complex completes construction in Tulalip.
The NBA Board of Governors meets mid-September for the next round of expansion discussions for Seattle and Vegas. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is expected to provide an update on the process after the meeting.