Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver desperately wants Phoenix City Council members to approve a $230 million upgrade at Talking Stick Resort Arena. According to a report by Laurie Roberts of AZCentral, Sarver has even threatened to relocate the team to Seattle or Las Vegas if the votes don't swing in his favor.
As Roberts reports, the Phoenix City council was scheduled to vote on the Talking Stick Resort Arena renovations Wednesday afternoon, but Phoenix Mayor Thelda Williams and Councilwomen Laura Pastor and Debra Stark have asked for a postponement until January 23.
Per AZCentral:
"Whether they get a continuance or not could mark the beginning of a showdown between the city and Suns owner Robert Sarver, who is telling some council members that he will take the team to Seattle or Las Vegas."
"The council votes were reportedly locked up last week but they began softening once the city released details of the deal late Thursday and the public started weighing in."
"The last straw came Tuesday night, when Council Michael Nowakowski began wavering – and reportedly wasn't answering his phone for the old arm twist."
The proposed deal would keep the Suns in Phoenix until 2037 with an option to extend it to 2042. The city would be reportedly on the hook for $150 million of the renovations, with the Suns chipping in $80 million of their own. Under the current deal, the team could split in 2022.
Phoenix is currently sitting at the bottom of the NBA with an abysmal record of 4-24.