A consultant for the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe says a new Sonics arena in Auburn would be close enough to the team's fan base to be feasible.

In a brief letter released by the tribe Friday, the consultant, Brailsford & Dunlavey, said its analysis of drive times "reveals little if any identifiable difference between the markets accessible by KeyArena and a new facility at the Auburn site."

The Muckleshoots announced in June that the tribe had hired a consultant to pursue a possible arena on land it owns next to the Emerald Downs horse-racing track, about 25 miles south of Seattle.

The consultant's letter said its review of market data confirms Seattle is a strong NBA market with a high concentration of wealth. But the letter also cautioned that the region's "competitive" premium seating market has "a limited ability to absorb a significant increase in the luxury suite inventory."