^^^ Commissioner Stern lobbied the State but the a new arena was politically untenable after the voter backlash of Safeco and CenturyLink while the bonds of a demolished Kingdome were still being paid off.
Howard Schultz, the previous local owner, didn't have the stomach to threaten and follow through to move the team so he sold it to someone who could and did with Stern's full blessing.
Google sonicsgate documentary if you have a couple of hours to get the full story.
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