http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/114076448639980.xml&coll=7

If you read this thoroughly, you can only come to the conclusion that Paul Allen did WAY too much pot in the 1990s. Every concession and arrangement he made in this process of getting the Rose Garden built has blown up in his face.

So, he's going begging to people who aren't about to give him a dime.

Maybe someone can answer a question or two for me. Global Spectrum took over running the Rose Garden. They run the Philadelphia arenas. I believe the owner of the Flyers is involved in Global Spectrum, but I need confirmation. Question 1: is the same ownership involved with the 76ers? Question 2: could Global Spectrum own an NHL team in Portland?

I'm pretty sure Paul Allen will be forced to sell the Blazers (or the "move to Seattle" scenario has some wicked ring to it)... and the BEST logical buyers are those who already own the Rose Garden (now that Allen has been squeezed out). I'm curious to see what happens with this.

Yep, Global Specturm owns the Flyers, and I believe they have something with the 76ers. They run the dump I mean Kemper Arena here in Kansas City as well. Of course the new arena gets AEG, which is the group that owns the Staples Center.

It's been published lately that the lease the Blazers have with the Rose Garden runs almost another 20 years. The Northwest, for whatever reason, has this goofy habit of making leases stick. So it appears the Blazers will stay put.

More interesting, the "people who aren't about to give him a dime" (my words) may have something in mind after all. Color me shocked. http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1143271554223990.xml&coll=7

I was in Seattle last week and spoke with someone about the Sonics and NBA in the city. It just seems that for certian cities like that, you really need the NHL and NBA so that you can sell tickets and fill the arena virtually every night.

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Portland could be leaning that way. The Sonics ensured that Key Arena couldn't do that, and now they're one foot out the door- they're now the true moving threat, with Oklahoma City-based ownership and winks and nudges.

Problem: Once the dust really settles from the NHL lockout situation, when they evaluate P&L's, they may go further towards trying to get OUT of arena-sharing arrangements. Only half the arenas they are in are shared with NBA teams; arguably, they control two of those (Toronto and Denver- I say Denver because the Avs seem to get first choice on playing dates at Pepsi Center). Look at Miami, look at Phoenix, look at Minneapolis, look at the southern expansion strategy- they moved less into markets shared with NBA teams, and more into arenas they control. I don't see NHL owners changing that tactic, frankly.

Furthering the story:

The Sonics owners declined to file anything by the March 1 deadline requesting relocation. Unless any loopholes exist, they're in Seattle for 2007-08.

Meanwhile, an election in Seattle yielded a ban on further public funding for sports facilities. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/291528_keyarena08.html

"Citizens for More Important Things" pushed the ballot measure.

The Sonics have announced a site and an agreement with Renton to site the new arena. The citizens group promised to take their fight county-wide, but their website no longer functions. Apparently, the agreement depends some on state funding, and the state of Washington is currently mulling over legislation.

BTW- Paul Allen has signed a letter of intent to buy the Rose Garden from his former creditors. There was some thought last month (published) that Allen would continue from there by buying the arena, renegotiating the lease, and actually moving the Blazers to Seattle, but given these developments, that seems to be going by the wayside. An alternate possibility that Allen might trade franchises to end up with the Sonics gets whispered here and there. How Oklahoma City gets a team they appear to deserve (since the Hornets have announced they are playing full time in New Orleans next year) is an open question.