The city of Renton has hired a Seattle-based consultant to examine the potential financial advantages and risks of having a proposed Sonics arena built in the suburban community.

"We have been saying that we think there is an economic benefit by having this in the city," said Alex Pietsch, Renton's economic development administrator. "I hope this justifies it."

Pietsch said the city would spend as much as $20,000 for a report from Berk & Associates, a public policy firm that specializes in finance and economics. The firm also has done two studies showing the economic benefits of bringing a NASCAR track to Washington.

Michael Hodgins, a partner with Berk & Associates, said the report likely would be done in three to four weeks, and it would show potential economic benefits for Renton and how an arena would affect the city's finances.

Pietsch said the city hopes to have some details from the report available for Mayor Kathy Keolker's state of the city address March 14.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Sonics said lobbyists for the team are "counting votes" and explaining the financial package to legislators over the proposed 20,000-seat, $500 million project, funded mostly from the public.

The team has said it would pay about $100 million for the arena, but the Sonics want most of the revenues generated from the building.

The team hopes to build the facility at the south end of Lake Washington near a retail development called The Landing.

Jim Kneeland, the Sonics spokesman, said there likely would not be any movement for a few weeks on legislation in Olympia to provide public funding.

"It's really a taxpayer-friendly package. Tourists are paying most of the freight," Kneeland said.

However, few lawmakers have embraced the funding proposal, which calls for an extension of King County taxes on restaurants, rental cars and hotels. The Sonics have met vocal public resistance from those who contend money could be better spent on education or other services.

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