0 0 9 ▁" MA PS ▁ 3 " ▁initi ative . ▁However , ▁given ▁the ▁imp ending ▁re location ▁decision ▁of ▁the ▁Son ics ▁ownership ▁group ▁in ▁late ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁the ▁City ▁Council ▁of ▁Oklahoma ▁City ▁placed ▁a ▁sales ▁tax ▁initi ative ▁on ▁the ▁city ▁election ▁ball ot ▁on ▁March ▁ 4 , ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁ ▁This ▁initi ative ▁was ▁passed ▁by ▁a ▁ 6 2 % ▁to ▁ 3 8 % ▁margin , ▁and ▁extended ▁a ▁prior ▁one - cent ▁sales ▁tax ▁for ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁ 1 5 ▁months ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁fund ▁$ 1 2 1   mill ion ▁in ▁budget ed ▁improvements ▁to ▁the ▁ar ena , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁fund ▁a ▁separate ▁practice ▁facility ▁for ▁a ▁re located ▁franch ise . ▁ ▁Sub sequ ent ▁to ▁the ▁ball ot ▁initi ative , ▁City ▁officials ▁and ▁Son ics ▁ownership ▁announced ▁a ▁pre lim inary ▁agreement ▁to ▁move ▁the ▁Son ics ▁franch ise ▁to ▁Oklahoma ▁City ▁and ▁the ▁Ford ▁Center . ▁The ▁deal ▁included ▁a ▁provision ▁for ▁$ 1 . 6   mill ion ▁in ▁annual ▁r ents ▁to ▁the ▁City ▁for ▁use ▁of ▁the ▁Ford ▁Center ▁( including ▁market ing ▁rights ▁of ▁lux ury ▁se ating ▁areas ▁for ▁all ▁NBA ▁and ▁most ▁non - N BA ▁events ), ▁and ▁a ▁$ 4 0 9 , 0 0 0 ▁annual ▁supp lement al ▁payment ▁in ▁exchange ▁for ▁a ▁transfer ▁of ▁ar ena ▁naming ▁rights ▁and ▁associated ▁re venue ▁to ▁the ▁Son