WNBA's Seattle team sold to hometown group

SEATTLE, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- The WNBA's Seattle Storm has been sold to a group of businesswomen and civic leaders who plan to keep the team in Seattle.

The deal was announced Tuesday by WNBA President Donna Orender. The new owners, called Force 10 Hoops L.L.C., include former Seattle Deputy Mayor Anne Levinson and Microsoft Corp. executives Lisa Brummel and Dawn Trudeau.

"We are pleased to be able to step forward to ensure that Seattle will be the Storm's home," said Levinson. "This is something we wanted to be able to do for Storm fans and the community. I want to thank Clay Bennett for working with us on this."

The Storm had been part of a $350 million purchase by Oklahoma City businessman Bennett that included the NBA's Seattle Super Sonics.

Bennett said he would try to move the teams unless a new arena was in the offing in Seattle. Tuesday's announcement keeps the Storm in Seattle but Bennett has filed preliminary papers with the NBA to relocate the Sonics to Oklahoma City.