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@@@ There's little hope an NBA owner's announcement he'll sell his share in the Atlanta Hawks will lead the team to Seattle. Insiders say there is more reason for optimism about the league's return to Seattle thanks to a new report out Monday. Hawks co-owner Bruce Levenson said Sunday he would sell his controlling interest in the team after revealing he wrote a racially insensitive email to fellow owners and the team's General Manager, saying the team's fan base was too black. "My theory is that the black crowd scared away the whites and there are simply not enough affluent black fans to build a significant season ticket base," he wrote in the lengthy email. He complained the "kiss cam was too black," and the team needed more "white cheerleaders." The news set social media ablaze in Seattle, with many wondering if investor Chris <a href=http://www.symbiose.ca/images/christianlouboutin.gwij.php>Christian Louboutin Outlet</a> Hansen could swoop in and make good on his effort to bring the NBA back to the Emerald City. KING 5 reporter Chris Daniels, who has closely followed Hansen's attempts, told the league has little reason to allow the Hawks to leave Atlanta. "The odds are slim that the NBA would be interested in moving out of the Atlanta market, especially when they're about to sign, it sounds like, a new television deal." At the same time, that TV deal could be the key to bringing the NBA back sooner rather than later, said Daniels. The Sports Business Journal the NBA and its <a href=http://capstone.edu.sg/images/gucciusaonlineoutlet.php> cheap gucci</a> network partners expect to reach a deal on a new long-term TV and digital media contract with ESPN and Turner Broadcasting by the start of the season. When the NBA rejected Hansen's bid to buy the Sacramento Kings in 2013 and move them to Seattle, focus shifted to acquiring a potential expansion team. But that was predicated on a new media deal that now seems to be coming to fruition. "A lot of people connected with it (bringing the NBA back to Seattle) have been waiting for that deal to get finalized because it will lay out just how much money exists in that deal and what kind of share a Seattle expansion franchise would mean," Daniels says. Last year, some owners, including the Maverick's Mark Cuban, said they didn't think the math penciled out for the league to add any more teams. Daniels said the landscape has changed dramatically with the record prices paid for Sacramento and Steve Ballmer's $2 billion purchase of the Clippers. "We have seen the franchise valuations and the TV and digital rights valuations on local and national levels just skyrocket since then," Daniels said. According to Daniels, Seattle remains an extremely appealing target for both the NBA and the National Hockey League. Daniels said events like last week's NFL season opener between the Seahawks and Packers further <a href=http://www.museosangennaro.com/Public/wdluk.php>Louboutin Shoes UK</a> underscores the viability. "That was a five-hour infomercial for Seattle," he said of the national broadcast on a Chamber of Commerce day seen by nearly 27 million people. "The NBA and NHL sees that and sees the interest and the support in the fan base for professional sports in this town." Daniels said the NHL wants to be in Seattle even more than the NBA at this point, but doesn't want to commit to the city while an arena deal remains unresolved. A memorandum of understanding between Hansen, Seattle and King County calls for completion of an environmental review and acquisition of an NBA team before construction can begin. Daniels said the Seattle Department of Planning and Development told him Monday the environmental review is moving slower than originally anticipated, and likely won't be completed until at least January. He said there doesn't seem to be much political interest in altering the deal to accommodate the NHL first at this point.

Difference between revisions of "User:RahalMccall69"

Revision as of 14:30, 23 September 2014

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-Allentown faces tight deadline to sync stoplights with arena trafficSignals are being installed near new arena that can adjust to vehicle flow.July 30, 2014|By Emily Opilo, Of The Morning CallIt's a 12-month job that traffic engineers said would be done in four.That's what they told the authority overseeing the construction of Allentown's new arena as they discussed plans for a massive upgrade of 35 traffic lights on the way to, around and from the 8,500-seat venue.The upgrades are critical to prevent snarled traffic for the 2,600 additional vehicles expected to descend on Allentown's urban core for events at the PPL Center and other downtown attractions.But in the last two weeks, a month and a half before the arena is set to open, work on those traffic lights has just gotten underway, and permit applications for the project still remain in the hands of the state Department of Transportation, the agency that must authorize upgrades to traffic lights.Despite the delay, Allentown officials say they still expect to have the new lights running in time for the first big events scheduled for the arena."We can start the work," said Craig Messinger, acting director of public works. "We <a href=http://www.avanttravel.com/page.php?sale=Tory-Burch-Jaden-Boots>Tory Burch Jaden Boots</a>  can put up anything we want. We just can't <turn>them on]."Engineers said installation of the lights began late last week.Officials have been under the gun on the installations since they were discussed with the Allentown Neighborhood Improvement Zone Development Authority in May.Many of Allentown's downtown traffic lights, described by traffic engineers as "bottom of the barrel," were installed in the 1940s and are based on pre-timed settings rather than actual traffic flow, which is expected to spike during arena events. That timing is adjusted every year or so on the dated traffic lights, but little else can be done to accommodate changes in traffic, engineers said.The new signals, at a cost of $1.4 million, will have cameras that can detect vehicles and pedestrians, said John R. Wichner, senior project manager for McMahon Transportation Engineers & Planners, which has been hired to make the improvements. Those cameras will allow signal timing to change during busy nights at the arena or revert to programmed timings for more typical traffic, he said.The new signals also will provide feedback to Allentown's Public Works Department so that workers in a traffic management center can make manual changes to signal timing based on conditions."Certainly the biggest concern or the biggest effort is for the 20-30 minute crunch of vehicles leaving after hockey games or concerts," Wichner said. "But now we can control morning peak, lunch rush, afternoon peak and weekends. It's a more sustainable effort."A permit is required for each intersection where lights will be replaced. PennDOT spokesman Ron Young said applications for the permits were filed June 9 and were handed <a href=http://www.radiorcs.com/page.php?sale=Kate-Spade-Dinnerware-Sale>Kate Spade Outlet</a>  back to the city with engineering comments June 25. They were later resubmitted to PennDOT. Usually plans are returned in 30 days or less, Young said.Young confirmed that the city can begin construction before the permits are complete."Their engineering firm is knowledgeable," he said. "We don't anticipate any reason why it wouldn't be done pretty soon."PennDOT has requested the city give the agency the ability to tap into Allentown's traffic light network via a virtual private network, Messinger said. Young said that is a standard request.Wichner said most of the installation work will be done above ground, causing minimal disturbance to traffic. Drivers can expect to see bucket trucks at various intersections. Lanes may be closed for 15 to 20 minutes at a time, but no detours will be necessary, he said.Installation is slated to be completed Aug. 31, Wichner said. That will give engineers seven to 10 days to calibrate the lights based on traffic all in time for the Eagles rock concert that will open the arena Sept. 12, he said.Typically, the project would take 12 months, Wichner said, due to the permit approval process, procurement of equipment and bidding. But much of that has been handled in advance, he said, and installation is in progress."We've really fast-tracked the project, and everything has come together," he said. <a href=http://www.avanttravel.com/page.php?sale=Tory-Burch-Discount>Tory Burch Outlet</a>  "It got the attention it needed from public works, PennDOT, all the stakeholders."Jeff Fegley, an owner of Brew Works on Hamilton Street, said the upgrades are sorely needed. Many of the city's downtown traffic problems could have been solved years ago with a more modern traffic light network, he said.The timetable for the installation will be tight, but if anyone can pull it off, it's a Neighborhood Improvement Zone contractor, Fegley said, noting that work on other projects has been completed quickly."If they can't, it should be rebid to someone who can," he said.Twitter @emilyopilo610-820-6522Featured ArticlesMore:
+There's little hope an NBA owner's announcement he'll sell his share in the Atlanta Hawks will lead the team to Seattle.
+Insiders say there is more reason for optimism about the league's return to Seattle thanks to a new report out Monday.
+Hawks co-owner Bruce Levenson said Sunday he would sell his controlling interest in the team after revealing he wrote a racially insensitive email to fellow owners and the team's General Manager, saying the team's fan base was too black.
+"My theory is that the black crowd scared away the whites and there are simply not enough affluent black fans to build a significant season ticket base," he wrote in the lengthy email. He complained the "kiss cam was too black," and the team needed more "white cheerleaders."
+The news set social media ablaze in Seattle, with many wondering if investor Chris <a href=http://www.symbiose.ca/images/christianlouboutin.gwij.php>Christian Louboutin Outlet</a>  Hansen could swoop in and make good on his effort to bring the NBA back to the Emerald City.
+KING 5 reporter Chris Daniels, who has closely followed Hansen's attempts, told  the league has little reason to allow the Hawks to leave Atlanta.
+"The odds are slim that the NBA would be interested in moving out of the Atlanta market, especially when they're about to sign, it sounds like, a new television deal."
+At the same time, that TV deal could be the key to bringing the NBA back sooner rather than later, said Daniels.
+The Sports Business Journal  the NBA and its <a href=http://capstone.edu.sg/images/gucciusaonlineoutlet.php> cheap gucci</a>  network partners expect to reach a deal on a new long-term TV and digital media contract with ESPN and Turner Broadcasting by the start of the season.
+When the NBA rejected Hansen's bid to buy the Sacramento Kings in 2013 and move them to Seattle, focus shifted to acquiring a potential expansion team. But that was predicated on a new media deal that now seems to be coming to fruition.
+"A lot of people connected with it (bringing the NBA back to Seattle) have been waiting for that deal to get finalized because it will lay out just how much money exists in that deal and what kind of share a Seattle expansion franchise would mean," Daniels says.
+Last year, some owners, including the Maverick's Mark Cuban, said they didn't think the math penciled out for the league to add any more teams. Daniels said the landscape has changed dramatically with the record prices paid for Sacramento and Steve Ballmer's $2 billion purchase of the Clippers.
+"We have seen the franchise valuations and the TV and digital rights valuations on local and national levels just skyrocket since then," Daniels said.
+According to Daniels, Seattle remains an extremely appealing target for both the NBA and the National Hockey League. Daniels said events like last week's NFL season opener between the Seahawks and Packers further <a href=http://www.museosangennaro.com/Public/wdluk.php>Louboutin Shoes UK</a>  underscores the viability.
+"That was a five-hour infomercial for Seattle," he said of the national broadcast on a Chamber of Commerce day seen by nearly 27 million people. "The NBA and NHL sees that and sees the interest and the support in the fan base for professional sports in this town."
+Daniels said the NHL wants to be in Seattle even more than the NBA at this point, but doesn't want to commit to the city while an arena deal remains unresolved.
+A memorandum of understanding between Hansen, Seattle and King County calls for completion of an environmental review and acquisition of an NBA team before construction can begin.
+Daniels said the Seattle Department of Planning and Development told him Monday the environmental review is moving slower than originally anticipated, and likely won't be completed until at least January. He said there doesn't seem to be much political interest in altering the deal to accommodate the NHL first at this point.