Oklahoma Courts NBA

Oklahoma City officials are looking to bring a National Basketball Association team to the city following a successful run hosting the New Orleans Hornets at the 19,700-capacity Ford Center.

City officials are said to be looking at the SMG-managed venue as a possible new home for the Seattle SuperSonics if an agreement for a new Seattle arena can’t be reached by October. Sonics team owner Clay Bennett and his co-investors are from Oklahoma City.

The Hornets temporarily relocated to OKC in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and reportedly sold out 30 of 71 games while there.

Meanwhile, Baron Hopgood, owner of the Continental Basketball Association’s Oklahoma Cavalry, met with city reps to discuss bringing his team in but the parties reportedly didn’t see eye-to-eye on a venue. The search for an alternative location is in the works.

"You want to go where you’re celebrated and not where you’re tolerated," Hopgood said. "We’ll transition to where we’re celebrated and we’ll build a long-lasting legacy there."

Oklahoma City Special Projects Manager Tom Anderson said that despite the impasse, the city hasn’t completely closed the door on Hopgood’s proposal.

"The city’s position right now is we’re not interested in a professional basketball product other than the NBA, but we’re willing to take a look at his due diligence, his business plan and other background information and make an informed assessment based on that and see if we’re wrong," Anderson explained.

Oklahoma City is just the latest to throw its hat in the ring to land the SuperSonics, should Bennett and company decide to move the team. Officials with the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo., and the Muckleshoot Tribe in Auburn, Wash., have also made a pitch.