Chris Hansen, the hedge-fund manager who wants to build an arena in downtown Seattle and bring back the Sonics and restore hope to a downtrodden populace, had a big announcement yesterday: Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and department store magnates Erik and Peter Nordstrom are joining his investment group! For, um, an undisclosed share! Along with possibly seven other investors, none of whom he can name yet!
Metropolitan King County Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer immediately responded that have Ballmer and the Nordstroms involved made him question the deal to give $200 million in city and county bonds to the arena project — most of which would be repaid via rent payments from Hansen and his partners — even more, noting that one constituent had written him to ask, "If Steve Ballmer is involved why aren't they funding it privately, like the new owners of the [NBA's Golden State] Warriors in San Francisco?" Some days, you just can't win.
from Field of Schemes http://www.fieldofschemes.com/news/archives/2012/06/4982_rich_guys_finds.html
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