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

[SeaTown81]

Great article in the Seattle Times calling out the fact that the Port of Seattle has ZERO facts or data to back up their claims that the arena will be a job killer.

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

The Port of Seattle's opposition to a proposed new arena in Sodo has been swift and detailed.

In letters and public statements, Port officials have said arena-related traffic would cause further congestion for trucks coming in and out of the waterfront, jeopardize the Port's expansion plans and threaten blue-collar jobs dependent on a thriving industrial zone in the city.

The Port's worries are one of the key issues being weighed by public officials preparing to vote on a $200 million public investment in the project.

What's missing, though, is hard data to back up those concerns.

Instead, the Port has relied on anecdotes and outdated traffic studies, and doesn't have detailed information on which routes freight trucks travel to and from the waterfront. The five limited traffic studies the Port has done since 2007 shed little light on the issues raised by the arena proposal.

 

[twisted_steel2]

"But if the arena gets built, there won't be any food in our grocery stores!!" -some dumb longshoreman

 

[SeaTown81]

Just a shout out to anyone interested. SonicsCentral.com is now open to new commenters. The site had previously been hammered with spam so bad that they had to set up a pretty serious filter that didn't allow any unauthorized comments to leave moderation. So if you're interested in the the site, go over in the most recent thread and post a comment introducing yourself. It will have to be approved. But once it is, you'll be able to post there as much as you want. It really is the best place for Sonics and arena news. It's run by Brian Robinson who started up Save Our Sonics and now heads up Arena Solution. As well as has a few members who are on top of things as much as can be. It's like the Seahawks.net of the arena issue. Feel free to come over and say hi.

 

[JOz56]

So I won't be locked in moderation anymore? Sweet!

 

[chris98251]

This received in my Email today !!!!!!!!!!


Friends,



First, thanks to the nearly 500 of you who turned out to last week’s joint meeting of the County and City Councils to share your thoughts on the arena proposal with me and my colleagues.



I wanted to update you on recent action by the County Council and make you aware of a second opportunity for public testimony coming up next week.



After nine meetings of the Budget Committee, including presentations from staff analysts and our independent expert review panel, thousands of emails and in person testimony from hundreds of community members, I moved yesterday to advance the arena proposal from my committee to the full King County Council and we voted 8-0 to do so. This means that the King County Council could vote as early as this coming Monday, July 30th.



Monday’s meeting will be yet another chance for the public to share their comments directly with councilmembers. The details for that meeting are below:





King County Council Meeting

Monday, July 30th

Meeting begins 1:30pm (Estimated end time, 4:00pm)



Council Chambers, King County Courthouse

516 3rd Ave, 12th Floor

Seattle, WA 98104





Your input has been and continues to be a vital part of this process and I hope to see you Monday!



-Joe

 

[pinksheets]

Dave Softy Mahler ‏@Softykjr
Breaking Arena News: Confirmed Wayne Gretzky in town, set to meet with Bellevue officials about NHL possibilities.

Bad news and maybe good news?

Looks like Bellevue is making a hard push here to make the statement that they are a viable location for a new arena. Going so far as to, at least for appearance's sake, get the ball rolling in a much more public manner. It makes a lot of sense for them, as if the perception changes to "either way it looks like we're getting an arena and teams"(the potential good news) it gives the SCC an extremely easy out to not have to deal with any of the potential political fallout they're worried about by voting it down in SoDo. Bad news would be our teams aren't in Seattle, aren't at what I think is far and away the best solution, and even more worrisome, if the SCC would take the easy out, Hansen could bail if he's not involved in Bellevue, and then who knows if the Bellevue thing is really legit.

The prospect of the pro-Arena base growing less concerned because they feel like they're guaranteed one of the two options worries me. Keep annoying people in power please.

 

[Scottemojo]

Dave Softy Mahler ‏@Softykjr
Breaking Arena News: Confirmed Wayne Gretzky in town, set to meet with Bellevue officials about NHL possibilities.

Bad news and maybe good news?

Looks like Bellevue is making a hard push here to make the statement that they are a viable location for a new arena. Going so far as to, at least for appearance's sake, get the ball rolling in a much more public manner. It makes a lot of sense for them, as if the perception changes to "either way it looks like we're getting an arena and teams"(the potential good news) it gives the SCC an extremely easy out to not have to deal with any of the potential political fallout they're worried about by voting it down in SoDo. Bad news would be our teams aren't in Seattle, aren't at what I think is far and away the best solution, and even more worrisome, if the SCC would take the easy out, Hansen could bail if he's not involved in Bellevue, and then who knows if the Bellevue thing is really legit.

The prospect of the pro-Arena base growing less concerned because they feel like they're guaranteed one of the two options worries me. Keep annoying people in power please.

Gretzky still involved with the Phoenix Coyotes? They have been on the verge of leaving there for a few years now.

 

[-The Glove-]

I dont see bellevue as ever being viable. 405 has to be the worst highway ever created. What's your other option? 90?

 

[pinksheets]

Gretzky still involved with the Phoenix Coyotes? They have been on the verge of leaving there for a few years now.

I don't believe so, but I'm not sure. Nothing in an official capacity at least, not sure how strong any remaining ties are.

On second thought, though, after reading this article I don't see how Bellevue is a serious option at all.

http://www.bellevuereporter.com/news/163792826.html

Were an arena plan to materialize, no Bellevue dollars, not even in the form of bond financing, would be included, the source added. Anything else is a non starter. This position has been echoed in the past by Bellevue officials.

Good luck, Bellevue.

 

[chris98251]

Bellevue, come in on 5 take either 90 to Bellevue way or 520, 405 north and south, Maple valley area Covington , Sammamish can come in from 90 also. No highway in Western Washington is as messed up as the interchange and area on I 5 where the stadium district is and all the dumping from 520, I90, and the lane reduction and merging from down town to a two lane highway where the convention center is on I 5. Thats not to say I have yet to see any of our freeways not messed up with the worst highway engineering in the country.

 

[Throwdown]

What the hell just happened? Bellevue wants an arena now?

 

[pinksheets]

What the hell just happened? Bellevue wants an arena now?

They're just making noise right now. Gretzky didn't go to the Ms game because he's a huge Saunders fan, he went there to stir up the chatter. Mission accomplished.

I think Bellevue is trying to put it out there that they are in the arena biz, give the Seattle City Council a way out (they vote no thinking we get arena anyways in Bellevue, win/win for them right?), and then try to take the reigns. However, it seems Bellevue wants an arena deal in which they use no city funds at all. There's no way Hansen would opt to finance it entirely on his own in Bellevue, if he were going to do that (which he won't) he'd do it in SoDo. I think Bellevue is hoping to use this to get the investors there to go all in while also killing Hansen's proposal.

I'm not an expert on anything like this, but that's where my skeptic mind leads me.

 

[Seahawk Sailor]

I think I'd rather see it built with the other stadiums in SODO, but the Bellevue area has me torn. I can't say I wouldn't absolutely love Bellevue as a venue because it'd be far quicker and easier for me to get down and back to games. At the very least, it's making the possibility for NHL/NBA in Seattle much closer to reality, no matter where it ends up. And it might just light a fire under Seattle's ass to get this thing done.

 

[Throwdown]

The way Brian Robinson described the Bellevue thing as mainly for the NHL. Lord we need the Sodo thing to go through, I need my Sonics back before any extras get thrown in!

 

[twisted_steel2]

Anyone else get this email, with a link to:

http://your.kingcounty.gov/mkcc/members ... Enews.html

The development of an NBA and NHL arena in SODO has the potential to impact important segments of our economy, including construction, tourism, and maritime industries. That is why I am proposing an amendment to the MOU that will require an independent Economic Impact Analysis be included as part of any final arena deal.

Statements have been made on both sides of this issue about the potential impact of the arena on jobs and economic growth in our region. Rather than use anecdotal or incomplete information, however, we need an independent evaluation of the potential impacts – both positive and negative – on the region’s economy.

Under my proposal, the independent Economic Impact Analysis will be performed after the MOU has been adopted as part of the next stages of review and permitting for the project and before any issuance of public financing for the project.

/sigh

So construction, growth, new teams, new restaurants/bars, and more tourist dollars, would NEGATIVELY impact our economy?? What?

I swear to god, there is this strange undercurrent of Seattlies that is terrified of growth, of getting bigger and better. :34853_doh:

 

[Throwdown]

Didn't the king county council already do a 3rd party analysis?

 

[JOz56]

Didn't the king county council already do a 3rd party analysis?

Yes...

Whatever. If they want to do it again, let em. The same crap is going to come out.

 

[chris98251]

They keep running stuff with different companies hoping to get the results they want to throw it in the media and say I told you so and we were right. Doesn't matter that it was the 30th survey and impact study and that 29 showed a different conclusion.

Typical Seattle BS, for all those that live here we hang our head in shame at how we can never get anything done here due to these tactics by all of our elected people no matter if it's City, County, or State.

For all those outside of Seattle that are rolling on the floor laughing at us or simply shaking your head and feel sympathy for us that live here thanks on both accounts.

 

[Throwdown]

The Port knows its losing the battle, they had to go and hire people who have no pull on the situation to vouche for 'em

http://blogs.seattletimes.com/today/201 ... ose-arena/

 

[Lieutenant Dan]

For all those outside of Seattle that are rolling on the floor laughing at us or simply shaking your head and feel sympathy for us that live here thanks on both accounts.

In my case, I'm from Seattle, residing in Memphis for now (till we can move back in the next couple of years). I love my city and the Northwest in general, but Seattle politics specifically and Washington State politics in general are embarrassing (but never compared to CA LOL).

Plus, especially on the arena issue, I don't have as much 'pull' in voicing my concerns to the councils due to living out of state. But that hasn't stopped me from emailing them anyway

I've lived here in Memphis since 2003. Still feel like a visitor, just waiting to go back home after all this time. Looking forward to the day it happens, and we go back to Seattle every year and play tourist