Bill Gates, Kemper Freeman Jr and Steve Ballmer to Buy Seattle Seahawks, Move Team to Bellevue

Superbowl Champion Bellevue Seahawks?  Kind of has a nice ring, don't you think?

According to reports here in Bellevue, huge sports fan Bill Gates has teamed with Kemper Freeman Jr., owner of The Bellevue Collection and former right hand man at Microsoft, Steve Ballmer to form an ownership group buying the Seattle Seahawks from fellow billionaire Paul Allen.  Allen was quoted as saying he is totally frustrated with the Hawks because they failed to win their second consecutive Superbowl in 2015.

Kemper Freeman has gone on record to say that he is disappointed in the performance of the stores at Bellevue Square and the Bellevue Collection and that he would "be ok" with building a new multi-purpose stadium on the land where the Pacific Northwest's largest mall now sits.  The best performing stores now at Bellevue Square would be welcomed to pay the (much) higher rents expected as part of the Lincoln Square expansion across the street.

Steve Ballmer said he jumped at the chance to be an owner of the NFC Champion Seahawks, as his "investment" in the Los Angeles Clippers cannot help them turn the corner to be a real title contender.  The Clips are currently in 5th place in the Western Conference and were beat by front running Golden State Warriors last night in LA by a score of 110-106.

Former Microsoft Bill Gates said he was excited to be part of the ownership group and move the Seahawks to Bellevue so that he would not have to cross the bridge - or ask Paul Allen for tickets ever again.

Kemper Freeman Jr to Keynote 9th Annual Zino Zillionaire Investment Forum

Developer Kemper Freeman will provide the keynote address at ZINO Society’s 9th annual ZINO Zillionaire Investment Forum onTuesday, September 30, 2014 on the campus of Seattle University in Campion Hall. Freeman’s keynote address is titled “Risk Takers: Is the Reward Worth the Risk?” Freeman is currently in the process of adding roughly two million square feet of hotel, retail and apartment multi use developments in Bellevue, Wash. In addition to the keynote, the ZINO Zillionaire Investment Forum will feature investors, entrepreneurs, business professionals, venture capitalists, and leaders in the start-up and venture world will gather to hear presentations from representatives from 20-25 emerging, start-up and early stage companies representing a variety of business sectors vying for funding. In addition to considering individual angel investments, another $100,000 from the 2014 ZINO Annual Angel Investment Fund is up for grabs this year! At the conclusion of the business session, the ZINO Annual Fund investors will deliberate and select fund finalists.

WHO: ZINO Society

WHAT: ZINO Zillionaire Investment Forum

WHEN: Tuesday, September 30, 2014, 11:00am-7:00pm, After the Pitches Networking Reception from 5:30pm-7:00pm

WHERE: Campion Hall at Seattle University, 901 12th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122

Tickets for the forum can be purchased on the website at http://zinosociety.com/zino-zillionaire-investment-forum/

Expert speakers, judges, and panelists include:

Sue Oliver, Executive Director, Albers School of Business & Economics, Seattle University; Kemper Freeman, CEO, Kemper Development; Gregg Bennett, Angel Investor; Dan Rosen, PhD, Director, Angel Capital Association; Peter Weiss, President, American Outlook, Inc.; Monty Montoya, President/CEO, SightLife; Kristi Marchbanks, Chief Strategy Executive; Ivan Braiker, Entrepreneur & Consultant; Janis Machala, Managing Partner, Paladin Partners; Sanjay Puri, Co-Founder/Partner, 9Mile Labs; Josh Maher, President, Seattle Angel; Larry Braden, Chief Financial Officer, Early Growth Financial Services; Tama Smith, CEO, Saventure, Inc.; Bill McAleer, Managing Director, Voyager Capital; Geoff Entress, Angel Investor; Vin Ricci, Foster Pepper PLLC; Ron Elgin, Founder, re: connects; Dick Barkett, Advisor/Investor; Stephen McKay, Senior Associate, Karr Tuttle; Spike Anderson, Chairman, Anderson Daymon Worldwide; May McCarthy, Investor & Entrepreneur; Andy Dale, Managing Partner, Montlake Capital; Miles Drake, CTO, Weyerhauser (Retired); Steve Cade, President, Utility Management Group; John Jerome, President, Jerome, Bruhn & Associates; Dale Rasmussen, Chairman of the Board, Digi Outdoor; Eli Moreno, Investor & Entrepreneur; John Otter, President/CEO, CBC Partners; Colby Underwood, Co-CEO/Chief Business Officer, Blue Marble Biomaterial; Joe Wallin, Partner, Davis Wright Tremaine; Sherman Helenese, Shareholder, Karr Tuttle Campbell; Russ Tarleton, Member Attorney, Seed IP.

Presenting companies include: 

Attachedapps, Connect2Classes, Control, Don’t Call Me Ma’am, emLandmarks, Hestia Home Biogas, flightSpeak, Grunt Works, Hopela, It Takes A Village Foods, Kineta, KitoTech Medical, Kids Go Co., Nectargy, Nouvola, Predictions Sciences, Therapy Inc., Tenacity, Tilting Motor Works, Tulemod, vSpin, Winfidence, ZocialGPA

Event sponsors include:

SightLife, Seattle University, Alaska Airlines, Karr Tuttle, CBC Partners, and Early Growth Financial Services.

About ZINO Society:

ZINO Society is a community of over 500 Angel Investors, Entrepreneurs and Connectors that propels businesses and investors to success through active angel investing, consulting, and mentoring.  ZINO Society has facilitated over $32 million in angel funding and has coached and mentored over 700 entrepreneurs.