NBA relocation articles

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Norfolk advantages: There are no other major leagues teams in the area.
They don't have an arena yet but they are planning to build one.

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Article about the problems NO, Memphis and Charlotte are facing.

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The Hornets have a lease with the NO Arena until 2012 but staying there depends on whether the city will build the team's practice facilities.

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Oklahoma City becomes an attractive destination for an NBA team. George Shinn praises the city for their support to the Hornets.

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Sonics' ownership group voices their intention to stay in Seattle, pointing out however that they might be forced to pursue opportunities in other cities such as OKC.

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Bennett continues to state that if his Oct. 31 deadline for reaching a deal for a new arena for his Sonics and Storm organization isn't met, he'll relocate. He has until March 1 to file for relocation through the NBA. OKC and Kansas City the two possible destinations.
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Durant wants the team to stay in Seattle.
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Some comments on what Bennett to do to keep the Sonics in Seattle.

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Louisville interested in an NBA team.
The choice of a city depends on at least three major factors: the owner's personal preference, the political climate, and the economics of the location.
In the NBA, there is a radius of 75 miles surrounding each NBA team in which no other NBA team is permitted to locate. Moreover, no team can move into the market area of another franchise without the consent of that owner.
The cities of Memphis, Hartford, Louisville, Baltimore, Norfolk, and San Diego rank high using the Financial Success Model. NO ranks low in the model.
The Grizzlies in 2001 considered San Diego, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Memphis, and Louisville. SD showed no interest because of their baseball stadium issue. LV was ruled out because of its gambling ties.

Speculation that there will be many moves by the end of the decade.
The Nets will move to Brooklyn, Seattle to OKC while two more moves are expected. The Sonics have a deal with their arena until 2010 but they might move earlier.
Kansas City is scheduled to complete its new, publicly funded arena, with no big-time pro sports tenant, in 2007. Louisville, assuming a few recent political snags are worked out, is just about to get started on building a new, publicly funded arena.
Meanwhile, the owners of the NHL’s San Jose Sharks put in a bid for the Sonics to get an NBA team in the Bay Area that might be capable of making the playoffs. Interests in Orange County, Calif., are also making clear they want the NBA. And you never know if Norfolk, Va., and St. Louis might reawaken dormant but formerly active plans to lure teams there. If the NBA ever gave a true thumbs-up to Las Vegas (the gambling issues being a problem), the fast-growing tourist mecca would immediately move to the head of the un-franchised class.
Which teams could move? In Sacramento, popular sentiment is solidly against public funding of a new arena, despite the city and Kings doing some last-minute negotiations to get it on the ballot this fall. In Orlando, the DeVos family for years has fought to upgrade or replace the arena the Magic has used since its 1989 inception. The arena situation in Portland is just as troubling as the one in Seattle. There are no expansion plans.
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Article on the cost of moving the Sonics to another city.
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Bennett would rather move the Sonics to LV if the gambling issues were settled.
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The NBA will examine whether LV can be an NBA market. The city still doesn't have an NBA arena. The Bucks btw are on a year-to-year lease.
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