SuperSonics majority owner Clay Bennett said a decision by the Washington state Legislature not to vote on a measure to finance a new arena has all but doomed efforts to keep the team in the state beyond next season.

"Clearly at this time the Sonics and (WNBA) Storm have little hope of remaining in the Puget Sound region," the Oklahoma City-based Bennett said in statement issued soon after the Monday night decision.

Seattle has been the NBA Sonics' only home for 40 seasons.