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Watching the king county comittee meeting today and looks like we have 1 more yes vote and the joint vote may be delayed a week due to potentially 1 more amendment. They are in recess.
Edit
Not sure what exactly went on regarding that issue but committee approves it 5-nil vote still on monday.
Last edited by gstommylee: 10-09-2012 at 02:15 PM.
Six months after the Mariners wrote their infamous "it won't work" letter opposing proposed basketball/hockey arena in SoDo, the Seattle city and King County councils are set to approve a deal with arena developer Chris Hansen Monday.
But the club has not openly answered lots of questions about its rationale for the opposition that has generated such contempt and ridicule from Seattle sports fans seeking the return of the NBA -- until now.
Six months after the Mariners wrote their infamous "it won't work" letter opposing proposed basketball/hockey arena in SoDo, the Seattle city and King County councils are set to approve a deal with arena developer Chris Hansen Monday.
But the club has not openly answered lots of questions about its rationale for the opposition that has generated such contempt and ridicule from Seattle sports fans seeking the return of the NBA -- until now.
The rationale for their opposition is simple, competition. Most people are not going to have season tickets for all 4 teams (when you include the seahawks). They are fearing people will buy NBA and NHL tickets in lieu of baseball tickets or will buy less baseball tickets.
And I should add for those of you from outside of Seattle, Art Thiel, who is the writer on the column that you linked here earlier, cbcwpg, has been a Seattle sports columnist for, I'm guessing, a good 30-35 years. Worked for the P-I, then when they went online-only, he left and started up his own operation called Sportspress Northwest.
The rationale for their opposition is simple, competition. Most people are not going to have season tickets for all 4 teams (when you include the seahawks). They are fearing people will buy NBA and NHL tickets in lieu of baseball tickets or will buy less baseball tickets.
And that's not my problem that's FO's problem and you know why that could happen cause the mariners product on the field is crap and has been crap for the last decade. People will stop going and will stop spending on baseball if they don't get their acts in gear and that is not the fault of the arena.
They refuse to run a competitive team. They can get away with it but now they can't once the arena is built.
What the organization said from the interview is a bunch of lies.
Tomorrow vote is to start the process of the EIS/SEPA with hansen paying for it and Hansen is giving the green light to look for a NBA team. After EIS/SEPA is done both Governments will vote again on final term sheet if they want to continue or not. Arena will not be built until after they give their final post EIS/SEPA approval and Hansen gets a NBA team.
The union is suing claiming the agreement makes a joke out of EIS/SEPA.
It is done. City approves 7 - 2 for a overall of 16-2 in favor and that is pretty darn awesome.
Now EIS/SEPA can begin
Me thinks the longshoremen will file their suit before the close of business this afternoon (which I think may be 4:30 down there at the courthouse), if not they'll be there first thing tomorrow AM. I don't think they'll let go of this either. To them, this is about the future of that entire neighborhood. I'm not sure they're opposed to the arena specifically, what it is I think they're most concerned about is the eventual development of that entire area into a stadium district which would come along after this is built.
Me thinks the longshoremen will file their suit before the close of business this afternoon (which I think may be 4:30 down there at the courthouse), if not they'll be there first thing tomorrow AM. I don't think they'll let go of this either. To them, this is about the future of that entire neighborhood. I'm not sure they're opposed to the arena specifically, what it is I think they're most concerned about is the eventual development of that entire area into a stadium district which would come along after this is built.
Well there is also language in the agreement that will help protect the industrial area. A industrial district overlay.
As per Daniels as well, the two no votes at Seattle council were no surprise - Conlin and Licata. Probably couldn't get either of those two on board even if Hansen was willing to pay all the freight.
So with that said, you think a judge would then throw this suit out and tell the union to go away?
Hard to say. The judge could. There is very specific language in the MOU regarding SEPA/EIS. Arena construction will not begin until after that 2nd approval vote which takes place after the EIS/SEPA is done at the earliest assuming we acquire a NBA team around the same time or prior.
As per Daniels as well, the two no votes at Seattle council were no surprise - Conlin and Licata. Probably couldn't get either of those two on board even if Hansen was willing to pay all the freight.
They are anti business folks. They are the types that could careless if Seattle had zero pro franchises.
Chris Daniels @ChrisDaniels5
BREAKING: McGinn, Hansen, and Constantine scheduled to sign legislation at Rainier Valley Boys and Girls Club at 1:30pm Tuesday.
