Arena Deal thread: UPDATE: DEAL PASSED AND SIGNED OFF!!!

[JesterHawk]

Interesting, apparently the whole six months thing is bogus? I got a reply from my email to the council already; here it is:
...

Or...they caught so much flack that they're already backpeddling and trying to make it *look* like it was bogus.

 

[chris98251]

Still think like always somethng will delay the reveiw and they will make it an election issue somehow, 4 to 6 months out is right around election time. You know how they like to get the anti tax and sports group riled up before an election to keep their office.

 

[RolandDeschain]

Or...they caught so much flack that they're already backpeddling and trying to make it *look* like it was bogus.

Naw, not in this case. The media would be crediting itself with changing the council's mind if that were the case. The media never lets credit get away.

 

[Seahawk Sailor]

Still think like always somethng will delay the reveiw and they will make it an election issue somehow, 4 to 6 months out is right around election time. You know how they like to get the anti tax and sports group riled up before an election to keep their office.

That just might backfire on them. Sports fans can vote too.

Also, this is an interesting piece, Yahoo! Sports' traditional eulogy piece on exterminated playoff teams, this one on the Phoenix Coyotes.

 

[SeaTown81]

I'm borderline shocked that this letter was actually printed by the Times. Guess they have to throw the opposition a bone every once in a while to feign journalistic integrity. Of course it follows an anti-arena letter where the woman who wrote it also complains about the ferries wheel being built on the waterfront. :roll:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/n ... nalet.html

An incredible investment

I am extremely concerned about The Times’ biased reporting in relation to the proposal brought by Chris Hansen for a new basketball/hockey arena in Sodo.

The issues raised by the Port, maritime interests and the Mariners have gotten all the headlines, and have comprised 90 percent of the meat of all the articles printed.

Yet those issues existed far before any new arena proposal, and will continue beyond the creation of such an arena. No one should expect a private business person such as Hansen to put up the hundreds of millions of dollars for overpasses and the like that are needed to assuage the decades-long standing concerns of the Port.

The traffic impact of a small arena (less than half the size of Safeco Field, and less than a third the size of CenturyLink Field), will be minimal to the area, especially considering most games are at night or on the weekends. The red herrings raised by the Port and its backers around other potential daytime events should be called out for what they are: misinformation, crying wolf about lost jobs, and using this arena proposal as a way to get what these interests have been complaining about for decades.

It is the city of Seattle’s responsibility to maintain port viability, mitigate traffic concerns, build overpasses and foster a business environment healthy to all of the many economic sectors we share in this great city. The mayor recognizes this important fact. This critical work is not the job of private investors, never has been under any other major development project, and never will be.

Finally, we as a city and region cannot turn our backs on this incredible investment opportunity that will provide thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in economic benefits to the Sodo area.

Please reconsider your editorial approach to this matter, and try to introduce some balance and fairness in both the headlines and stories related to this proposal.

— Jeremy Ward, Seattle

This guy NAILED it. The Seattle Times should be ashamed.

Check out the user comments. The first was your typical anti-sports nut job spreading lies and bitching about spending taxpayer revenue on private investors. Then boom, he gets slapped down by the next 9 posters. Love it.

 

[twisted_steel2]

Yea, that Jeremy Ward nailed it, good stuff. I also liked this comment:

Do people really believe that the SODO area will simply NEVER be developed? Ever? Really?

If you hate sports, good grief, just say you hate sports.

But it's time for everyone to drop the traffic ruse. The idea that a city as large as Seattle would actually consider, for a single moment, letting a downtown area stagnate for the sake of traffic flow is a testament to our disfunction.

 

[Throwdown]

IN YO FACE MARINERS & PORT OF SEATTLE!

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/l ... ic24m.html

"We don't see a fatal flaw here," said Bob Chandler, deputy director for special projects at the Seattle Department of Transportation

 

[Subzero717]

How in the hell is san francisco getting a new arena for the warriors and you idiots can't get one for a great franchise like the sonics?

My tapatalk is bigger than yours. By a lot.

 

[twisted_steel2]

http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/reverb/2 ... 24_201.php

Duff weighs in.

 

[Throwdown]

How in the hell is san francisco getting a new arena for the warriors and you idiots can't get one for a great franchise like the sonics?

My tapatalk is bigger than yours. By a lot.

Seattle has a thing against fun I guess.

 

[Blitzer88]

How in the hell is san francisco getting a new arena for the warriors and you idiots can't get one for a great franchise like the sonics?

My tapatalk is bigger than yours. By a lot.

Seattle has a thing against fun I guess.

It really does seem like it these days.......

 

[Spounge84]

What are you guys talking about? Poetry readings are fun...right?

 

[Seahawk Sailor]

What are you guys talking about? Poetry readings are fun...right?

Tons! 8)

 

[chris98251]

The 250 million they spent on Bike routes as well as the green carpet across intersections for them has done wonders for the jobs in the area as well as made you feel like your in a forest meadow as you cross the street.

Opps guess the fake grass didn't work so well they removed it.

Those 5 million dollar outhouses they bought for the park did provide a good place to work for some of our street walkers though, they didn't have to go into an alley.

Opps shipped those off too.

Guess were back to Ice Capades and Poertry readings in the Key again, I hate the traffic congestion and all the damn jay walkers crossing the street when those things are going on, think I'll complain in the Seattle Times.

 

[twisted_steel2]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/d ... nny30.html

I'm all for telling the public-extortion racket that is pro sports to buzz off. We did that with the Sonics, to our everlasting credit.

But seriously, people. Saying no to a screaming deal just for the cranky pleasure of being contrarian is Seattle once again channeling its inner Mayberry.

What's funny is the comments after the article, Danny really really riled up the anti-sports, wanna-be intellectual, beret wearing, tea sipping, pretentious Seattleite crowd.

 

[Blitzer88]

Any updates recently on the arena?

 

[twisted_steel2]

I think the councils are just grinding away, they did send me this in an email, for Seattle

Wednesday, June 6, 11 a.m. Mayor's staff presents financial aspects of proposal
Thursday, June 7, 2 p.m. Mayor's staff presents transportation study and future of KeyArena, followed by a panel discussion with Port, labor and industry representatives
Wednesday, June 20, 9:30 a.m. Discussion with Chris Hansen
Thursday, July 5, 2 p.m. Committee deliberations
Friday, July 6, 9:30 a.m. Committee deliberations
Wednesday, July 18, 9:30 a.m. Committee deliberations, possible vote
Wednesday, August 1, 9:30 a.m. Committee deliberations, possible vote
Monday, August 6, 2 p.m. Full Council consideration and vote (tentative)
Monday, August 13, 2 p.m. Full Council consideration and vote (tentative)

Earliest vote, July 18th?

 

[Blitzer88]

I think the councils are just grinding away, they did send me this in an email, for Seattle

Wednesday, June 6, 11 a.m. Mayor's staff presents financial aspects of proposal
Thursday, June 7, 2 p.m. Mayor's staff presents transportation study and future of KeyArena, followed by a panel discussion with Port, labor and industry representatives
Wednesday, June 20, 9:30 a.m. Discussion with Chris Hansen
Thursday, July 5, 2 p.m. Committee deliberations
Friday, July 6, 9:30 a.m. Committee deliberations
Wednesday, July 18, 9:30 a.m. Committee deliberations, possible vote
Wednesday, August 1, 9:30 a.m. Committee deliberations, possible vote
Monday, August 6, 2 p.m. Full Council consideration and vote (tentative)
Monday, August 13, 2 p.m. Full Council consideration and vote (tentative)

Earliest vote, July 18th?

Man....we gotta wait that long......come on council get er done!

 

[Seahawk Sailor]

If anyone here hasn't participated in this survey yet, do so!

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ht...cuss_will_the_arena_withsta.html#pd_a_6294926

 

[Blitzer88]

http://www.king5.com/sports/Coyotes-sal ... 85265.html

Coyotes sale in jeopardy as well?