Gov. Christine Gregoire of Washington weighed in on the Sonics arena controversy on Wednesday.

In a letter to Mayor Greg Nickels, Gregoire said: "The Sonics and Storm deserve to know their status with the city so the team can decide whether or not to pursue other options. If the city intends to pursue a future for the area that does not include Sonics and Storm, it is time to communicate that to them so they may consider alternatives within Washington before contemplating a long-distance move."

Gregoire said her preference was for the Sonics and the Storm to remain in Seattle, "due to concerns about the long-term viability of the KeyArena and other Seattle Center tenants should they relocate."