SEATTLE - New SuperSonics owner Clay Bennett is looking for an NBA arena modeled after Safeco Field, the home of baseball's Seattle Mariners, and his team's current home doesn't cut it.

Clayton Bennett, chairman of the Oklahoma City-based Professional Basketball Club LLC, the buyer of the Seattle SuperSonics and Storm basketball teams speaks to reporters on Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2006, at the teams' business headquarters in Seattle. Bennett is in town to meet with team officials and community leaders to discuss the future of the teams.[AP]

"As we've said before, we don't believe KeyArena is a satisfactory facility," Bennett said Wednesday.

Bennett made his first trip to Seattle since buying the Sonics and WNBA Storm from the Basketball Club of Seattle on July 18 for $350 million. When Bennett bought the team he said that whether the Sonics remain in Seattle would depend on whether the team can agree with the city to renovate KeyArena, or replace it with another arena in the region.

Bennett, chairman of the Oklahoma City-based Professional Basketball Club LLC, said his group is not ruling out a possible remodel of KeyArena, but made clear he'd rather put together a "world-class" sports and entertainment complex on a yet to be determined site.

"That's the idea we have in mind, the development of the finest building in the world. Where that ends up, I don't know," Bennett said. "We want to develop that profile ... and everything in our minds today is on the table."

While in Seattle, Bennett met with local and civic leaders, including Mayor Greg Nickels. He also met with Gov. Chris Gregoire on Wednesday afternoon, before returning to Oklahoma City.

"He envisions a world-class, multipurpose facility which I believe is good for our communities and our state," Gregoire said in a statement. "Mr. Bennett assured me that he and his partners will present a business plan to the public and decision makers so that we can work together to keep the teams in our state."

Nickels said the city wants to keep the Sonics at KeyArena and previous offers for a remodel are still available.

"The deal offered to the previous ownership group is still on the table," Nickels said.

KeyArena was remodeled in 1994-95 and the Sonics have a lease until 2010 with the city. The team and NBA commissioner David Stern both have said that lease is the league's most unfavorable to a team and must be changed ¡ª or better yet, a new place must be built with a new lease ¡ª for the teams to prosper in the region.

Bennett also met with Sonics All-Star Ray Allen and reassured current Sonics employees that the focus is on keeping the team in Seattle.