A proposal to build an arena in Seattle's SoDo District was blocked by a city council vote on Monday, dealing a major blow to entrepreneur Chris Hansen's plan to resurrect the Seattle Supersonics.

The council voted five to four against vacating the area of Occidental Avenue where Hansen wants to build an arena to attract franchises from the NBA and the NHL.

Like Us on Facebook

The opposition against the construction plans was led by the Port of Seattle, which is adjacent to Occidental Avenue. The port is concerned about the proposed project's effect on its business and workers.

Fred Felleman, the port commissioner, said that the organization's opposition "is not a recognition that we don't want the Sonics. I think everybody is pro-Sonics. This was just not the place to do it."

The city's MLB team, the Mariners, is also against building an arena on Occidental Avenue, as it would be right beside the team's parking garage.

While the vote presents an obstacle for Hansen and his supporters to overcome, the Valiant Capital founder is not giving up.

In a statement, Hansen offered words of hope to Supersonics fans. "It is important that we all stay focused on our shared goal," he said. "We now need to take a little time to step back and evaluate our options, better understand the council's concerns [,] and find a path forward."

The other options open to him include renovating the city's KeyArena. Also, Hansen and the city still have a memorandum of understanding that could authorize the use of nearly RMB 1.3 billion (USD 200 million) in public funding for the project.

The Supersonics left Seattle in 2008, becoming the Oklahoma City Thunder. NBA commissioner David Stern said in 2007 that if the team left, an NBA return to Seattle was unlikely. 

TagsSeattle, Supersonics, NBA, Chris Hansen, SoDo District, Port of Seattle, David Stern