Sonics think $10M should buy out lease

Associated Press

SEATTLE -- Seattle officials say if the SuperSonics break their lease, the city will lose intangible benefits, like civic pride, that can't be quantified or paid off like rent.

That's one of the arguments contained in legal briefs filed by the city in its lawsuit against SuperSonics owner Clay Bennett.

Bennett and the ownership group want to move the Sonics to Oklahoma City immediately and not fulfill the last two years of team's lease at KeyArena.

In their court filing, attorneys for the team said, quote, "Leases are generally not specifically enforceable."

Bennett said in April that he and his co-owners would lose between 61 and $65 million if the team is forced to play two more years in Seattle.

They propose to pay $10 million to satisfy the final two years of the agreement.