Why doesn't Seattle host more major events? (Spokane, Tacoma: movies, college)

[DevanXL]

From sports to cultural events, it seems like Seattle never attempts to draw these events to the city. Spokane has served host to the ncaa tourney 3 out of the last 5 years while Seattle has not even shown interest in holding such events. I just don't understand. We have the capability of hosting events on all scales. I would like to see the city host another MLB all star game, some ncaa tourney games, and attract a larger expo (like e3) come to the city. In the future I would live to go a Super Bowl, Olympic Games, and international music festival in the city. But as it stands right I don't see the city making much of an effort to attract those events.

Any thoughts on why the city hasn't made a strong effort to go attract these events?

[Hemlock140]

The same reasons there is no longer much filming of movies here any more. The city makes it too hard and expensive to get permits, and to meet their many regulations. Yet for some reason, they readily agreed to host the Hempfest and even expand it to 3 days. When it comes to the MLB/NBA/NFL/NCAA it's not the city but the leagues, not being wanting to be this far west and north in the corner of the country, too much wet weather and 3 hours earlier than their always favored eastern time zone.

[JBVirtuoso]

Honestly, the city doesn't really need to host these sorts of events. It's been well documented that public financing for big events is mostly just a waste of money that benefits a small group of business leaders at the expense of taxpayers. At least, that's the case for things like the Super Bowl and the Olympics. As for music festivals, we are actually set up well for that. It's probably just an accident that we don't have something on the scale of Lollapalooza, SXSW, or Coachella. It may happen someday.

I doubt wet weather really has much to do with it. If Lollapalooza and Glastonbury can make it work, Seattle certainly can.

[Jiff]

If Spokane can host NCAA men's bball brackets I don't why Key Arena hasn't or the Tacoma Dome. Three Final Fours were held at the Kingdome: '84, '89 and '95.

Seattle's hosted 2 baseball all-star gmes. You pretty much have to wait your turn for that, every 30 years or so.

Seattle did host the Pan Am Games in the 90s. I guess it did ok. Probably not enough lodging or venues (Husky stadium track gone) for Summer Olympics. Ditto Winter. Is Crystal sufficient? Would need another skating venue. Kent or Everett?

Safeco did host a major college bowl game, the Seattle Bowl that took the place of the Oahu Bowl in 2001 (Stanford-Georgia Tech). If the Super Bowl can be played outdoors in NY, I'd say Century Link is an option.

The Gorge seems to have a grip on any music festivals around. Not sure where a Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, Lollapalooza, Coachella or ACLimits would take place in W WA, but the summer weather is certainly better here than Tennessee (Lolla). I suppose we're too far from big populations for those mega events. I'd like to see some kind of music awards show here, like the Grammys or country but I guess Key isn't big enough and LA, NYC, Vegas and Nashville seem to get all those, and big benefit concerts. I think Cleveland only got the Rock Hall induction ceremony once, otherwise NYC.

Not sure what happened with the NASCAR plan, but no surprise it fell through.

[DevanXL]

Originally Posted by JBVirtuoso

Honestly, the city doesn't really need to host these sorts of events. It's been well documented that public financing for big events is mostly just a waste of money that benefits a small group of business leaders at the expense of taxpayers. At least, that's the case for things like the Super Bowl and the Olympics. As for music festivals, we are actually set up well for that. It's probably just an accident that we don't have something on the scale of Lollapalooza, SXSW, or Coachella. It may happen someday.

I doubt wet weather really has much to do with it. If Lollapalooza and Glastonbury can make it work, Seattle certainly can.

Actually most cities make money off of the Super bowl as it doesn't require much money to go into the venue, its mostly just security and other events the city decides to have during that week leading up to the game. And Olympic games are profitable in america as again, venues are already established and most money is for security and misc expenses. I think Seattle should try to bid for an event like E3 when its contract in LA expires in 2 years.

[Bimmerfanboy]

Originally Posted by DevanXL

Actually most cities make money off of the Super bowl as it doesn't require much money to go into the venue, its mostly just security and other events the city decides to have during that week leading up to the game. And Olympic games are profitable in america as again, venues are already established and most money is for security and misc expenses. I think Seattle should try to bid for an event like E3 when its contract in LA expires in 2 years.

The NFL only wants to host the Superbowl in warm-weather cities or cities with indoor stadiums. This year was the first time they broke from the mold. Gambling on a little bit of rain in Seattle is certainly not as bad as the gamble they took on potentially freezing temperatures and a potential blizzard in New York.

[mkarch]

3 letters. W. T. O.

[sean98125]

We're in the middle of nowhere, at the far corner of the country, in a region where the population is spread out.

It's easier to get a crowd in a city with as many people as the entire state of Washington has that is a few hours drive from tens of millions of potential guests.

[DevanXL]

Originally Posted by sean98125

We're in the middle of nowhere, at the far corner of the country, in a region where the population is spread out.

It's easier to get a crowd in a city with as many people as the entire state of Washington has that is a few hours drive from tens of millions of potential guests.

Not sure if I'm following you. I mean most events don't require tens of millions of vistors. Only 40,000 people attend conventions like e3 and you cant tell me that over 20,000 people in the Seattle area wouldn't go with over people flying in. The point is the have events to attract people. If you can have a super dhows in Detroit you can definitely host more major events here.

[Inkpoe]

This has been touched on many times before... but as a long time resident, surely you've heard of the "Seattle Process"? Seattle will sabotage itself on even deciding whether to take on those tasks. It's actually wise that the city doesn't take on the project... most of the success of the events planning come from private parties (like for example, the Seahawks parade/celebration).

Seattle process - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia