OLYMPIA -- After months of conjecture, Clay Bennett and his partners put a visual face on their new arena concept Monday with the release of architectural drawings of the proposed Sonics facility in Renton.

And the new principal owner of the NBA franchise also told a House committee in Olympia that a public vote on the proposal is no longer a deal breaker.

"I'm open to whatever the right answer is, whatever leadership recommends and whatever's right for this region," Bennett told lawmakers.

The public -- as well as lawmakers -- can now picture the 20,000-seat building Bennett has planned for the site, which was announced two weeks ago.

	This computer drawing shows how a proposed new arena for the Seattle Sonics may look if it is built as planned on a site owned by The Boeing Co. at the south end of Lake Washington. (Professional Basketball Club LLC)

As expected, the $500 million project would be a rather glamorous addition to the current Boeing property at the south end of Lake Washington. Large glass exteriors and open walkways would greet visitors to a massive structure nearly double the size of KeyArena.

Bennett unveiled the drawings in Olympia on Monday night, while meeting with members of the House Finance Committee.

"We think it's critical," said Jim Kneeland, a spokesman for Bennett. "It gives people a sense of the magnitude of the project. Compared to KeyArena, it's a much larger and more flexible venue."

The proposed facility would be about 730,000 square feet, according to Kneeland. KeyArena stands at 400,000 square feet. That figure does not include parking structures also planned for the Renton project.

Later, in his second address before the Legislature, Bennett said he's beginning to accept a current political reality -- lawmakers are unlikely to pass a tax package for a stadium if it does not include a public vote.

Bennett maintained that a failure at the polls could mean the team leaves, and he doesn't think it would be an issue that will be easy to win with voters.

"I would be concerned about the risk of not being successful," he said.

As the team unveiled the design, Bennett continued to promote it as more than a basketball arena. It would also be an economic opportunity for the region, he said.

"We've come to believe very strongly ... that this is a compelling investment opportunity and the net benefit of this building will provide an economic upside and will not be a tax drain," Bennett said.

	Architectural drawings released by the Sonics on Monday show the exterior of the arena the team has planned for a proposed site in Renton. The building, which would seat 20,000 spectators and would be nearly twice the size of KeyArena, was designed by HOK Sport. The firm also designed Denver's Pepsi Center and Atlanta's Philips Arena, two multi-purpose arenas housing NBA and NHL franchises. (Professional Basketball Club LLC)

Opponents didn't believe him. Longtime anti-stadium activist Chris Van Dyk said the business model for basketball is broken and the team shouldn't be turning to taxpayers to continue to invest in a losing proposition.

"KeyArena is not obsolete," he said. "The financial model for the NBA makes KeyArena obsolete. One can say the financial model for the NBA is rather futuristic in that it presumes an unlimited tap from the public pocketbook."

Van Dyk urged lawmakers to obtain a guarantee from Bennett that the new facility would be viable for the next 30 years.

Only exterior views were released Monday. Kneeland said interior design is under way and views of those aspects could be expected within the next month.

HOK Sport has designed numerous sports facilities around the country, including Denver's Pepsi Center and Atlanta's Philips Arena, two multipurpose arenas housing NBA and NHL franchises.

Bennett has stated the proposed arena would be a similar multipurpose facility capable of housing NBA, NHL and entertainment events. First, however, comes the challenge of convincing state and county officials to help fund the project. Bennett is stressing that the proposed Senate Bill 5986 would only extend current taxes that are paying off debts on Safeco Field, Qwest Field and the Kingdome.

"We need people to get a better understanding of the financial element, that this can happen without any tax increase," Kneeland said.

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