SEATTLE - In the latest effort to save the NBA in Seattle and perhaps bring the NHL to the region, a private group announced Tuesday a plan to build a brand new, retractable-roof arena.

Former Seattle SuperSonic "Downtown" Fred Brown and former Tacoma Rainers president and general manager Dave Bean are the principal names behind the effort to build the arena, called the Emerald City Center.

"It was apparent to me that as I kept looking and seeing all the things that were trying to get done for NBA basketball was not happening and there needed to be a new plan ... a new plan that people could talk about," said Brown.

The arena, which is estimated to cost between $1 billion and $1.2 billion, would be privately funded. The prime location being considered is at Pier 46 along the Seattle waterfront, due to its access to freeways, ferries and Seattle's growing cruise ship industry. Bean said he expects resistance because of what it might mean for the port business, but he says he thinks that industry would be better served in a different location.

The Emerald City Center would mainly be for basketball and hockey, but could be used for concerts and other events as well.

"Without an NHL-type tenant, the facility going to struggle with just an NBA team," said Bean:

Bean also suggested that instead of individual luxury suites, that the stadium have a common area where corporate fans could mingle while watching the game.

This latest offer comes less than a month before the NBA's relocation committee is set to decide whether to allow Sonics majority owner Clay Bennett to move the team to Oklahoma City. The team has come to a lease agreement at the Ford Center there. A judge will hear arguments in June whether to let the Sonics out of the final two years of the team's lease at KeyArena.

Bennett has said repeatedly that regardless of what happens, he has no intention of selling the Sonics.

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An offer is currently on the table by a private group, led by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, for a $300 million renovation of KeyArena in an effort to save the Sonics. Half would be privately funded. The City of Seattle says it would pay for $75 million and is trying to find an additional $75 millon. The deadline on the offer is April 10. Despite that, NBA Commissioner David Stern says even a renovation on KeyArena wouldn't be enough to make it a viable home to an NBA team.

Bean recalls when he and Brown pitched the idea to Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels.

"I said 'Mayor, it might be easier right now to get $1 billion from the private sector than it is to get $75 million from Olympia,'" said Bean.

In a statement, Nickels said he welcomes new ideas, but didn't immediately embrace the proposed location.

"Today's proposal is a very long-range vision, however, for the foreseeable future Pier 46 will remain one of our most active container facilities," said Nickels.

NBA legend Bill Russell was also on hand for the announcement.