Renton Wants the Sonics

The city of Renton, which radiates out from the south end of Lake Washington east toward the Cascade foothills, is "eager to shed its blue-collar reputation," according to the Seattle Times.

City officials have decided on a two-pronged approach:

1) Remove this guy from his job as Renton's director of arts and cultural affairs.

2) Lure the Sonics to town.

They want a new basketball arena to be Phase Two of an "urban village" development called "The Landing." It borders Fry's, so great access to both I-5 and I-405. City officials met have with the Sonics twice in the past month to give their pitch.

The Sonics told the city of Seattle that they are looking at other sites--the polite thing to do, we think. Seattle City Councilman David Della responded thusly, according to the Seattle P-I: "Blah, blah, blah."

Negotiations with the Emerald City, it would seem, have reached a new low.