Tim Leiweke suggested Thursday that the NBA and NHL are aware of his efforts to renovate or rebuild KeyArena, and are supportive.

"I completely understand how they think. I completely understand their view and their opinion of Seattle. I completely understand how they want us to proceed. And I completely understand their feelings as to what this building should be and the timeline that we need to hit in order for them to look at a potential for Seattle to join one or the other, or both," said the sports business veteran. "We are following the lead, the direction and the input of Commissioner Bettman and Commissioner Silver."

Leiweke, the head of the Oak View Group, is the former head of AEG and Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment. He talked at length in Seattle on Thursday about the potential for the project and how it would be financed.

Leiweke brushed aside suggestions that he wouldn't be able to work with potential NBA or NHL tenants, if he's the building operator, saying OVG has had conversations with potential NHL franchise owners.

"We are prepared and have had conversations with people that are interested in the potential and opportunity of bringing an (NHL) team here. And we've been asked by those people to join them in the ownership, so that the building and team owner are 100 percent aligned," he said.

"We're prepared to be equal partners with anyone that owns a team. They can share the arena with us. We will be 50/50 partners."

This was Leiweke's way of responding to SoDo investor Chris Hansen's comments last month that KeyArena developers may only be interested in concert business.

"I admire Chris and his entrepreneurial spirit, and I think it's fantastic that a native son has fought so long, so hard, spent the money and taken the risk," said Leiweke. "But this is not about us versus him."

Despite city claims a redevelopment project could take five years, a project could be completed quicker.

"Our guess from the day a decision is made, and a deal is signed and approved by the city, you're probably three years more in the process. That will not cost us an opportunity."