西雅圖夢未眠

Efforts to bring the NBA back to Seattle took a giant step forward in a revised arena deal announced Tuesday， with investor Chris Hansen agreeing to kick in more money for transportation improvements near a proposed new arena.The plan for the $490 million arena， which also could host an NHL team， represents the best shot at bringing the NBA back to Seattle.

經(jīng)過不懈的努力，NBA重返西雅圖的進(jìn)程又向前邁進(jìn)了一大步，投資人克里斯·漢森同意投入更多資金用于改進(jìn)新體育場周邊的交通措施。新體育場建設(shè)是一項總造價4.9億美元的項目，它的規(guī)模甚至能容納下一支NFL球隊，而他最重要的意義則是讓NBA重返西雅圖。

Chris Hansen has a ticket to shop.

克里斯·漢森手里有一張購物券。

His list is short: Find an NBA franchise willing to sell and bring professional basketball back to Seattle.

他的選擇很少：找到一支愿意出售自己的NBA球隊，然后把這支球隊帶到西雅圖來。

Hansen， the investor trying to build a new arena， said Thursday that the league has been closely watching what’s taking place in the Pacific Northwest and a renegotiated memorandum of understanding between Hansen and the city council on the proposed arena goes a long way to easing the league’s concerns about Hansen’s plan.

漢森，這個試圖建造新球館的投資者，周二表示，聯(lián)盟一直密切關(guān)注西北太平洋區(qū)發(fā)生的一切。而漢森和西雅圖市議會就建造新球館的提議所重新達(dá)成的備忘錄，很大程度上緩解了聯(lián)盟對漢森計劃的擔(dān)憂。

\"It means a lot to the NBA，\" Hansen said. \"They’ve been watching very close to what we’re doing. I think going in they were very skeptical we would get to this point given our history in Seattle.

“這對NBA來說意味著很多。”漢森表示，“他們密切關(guān)注著我們的一舉一動。我想鑒于西雅圖過去的歷史，在開始的時候他們對我們能達(dá)到這個地步還是有懷疑的。”

\"It’s a great win for the city with the league.\"

“對于城市和聯(lián)盟而言，這都是偉大的勝利。”

Hansen spoke at a bar in Seattle’s Pioneer Square shortly before an event where he invited fans to come celebrate the agreement announced earlier this week and have their first beer on him.

本周早些時候，在邀請球迷們一起慶祝協(xié)議達(dá)成的聚會上，漢森在西雅圖先鋒廣場的一個酒吧里說了這些話，第一杯啤酒他來買單。

While the green-and-gold celebration was just getting under way， a short distance away a council committee was voting to advance the renegotiated agreement to the full city council for a vote that is expected to happen Sept. 24. The agreement must receive full approval from the city council and the King County council.

當(dāng)西雅圖的球迷的慶祝進(jìn)行中時，在不遠(yuǎn)處的市議會里，支委會正致力于將重新協(xié)商好的協(xié)議推進(jìn)到9月24日舉行的全體議員會議中進(jìn)行的投票。這份協(xié)議必須得到市議會和國王軍議會的全體通過才行。

Even some members of the city council showed up at the bar following the committee vote， along with a huge throng of Sonics fans hoping to see the franchise return sooner than later. Hansen cautioned it might not be a quick process and what might be the most difficult task -- team acquisition -- is just beginning.

在支委會投票后，甚至有些市議員都現(xiàn)身在酒吧里，跟成群希望球隊重新回到這座城市的超音速球迷聚在了一起。漢森提醒到，這個進(jìn)程也許不會很快，而其中，也許也是最艱難的一項任務(wù)——招募球隊，才剛剛開始。……