The take that keeps on taking: M's want $180 million of taxpayer money for Safeco Field. (Seattle: tenant, school district)

[phoenixmike11]

The Mariners have now scored more than half a billion dollars in public subsidies for one stadium | Field of Schemes

[travis t]

Originally Posted by CharlesRamon

glad we got to vote on this.

Agreed. It was Rod Dembowski who asked that the issue be put before the voters. Knocking down from $180 million to $135 million suggests it was not even a legit negotiation process.

Voting yes were Kathy Lambert, Reagan Dunn, Claudia Balducci, Joe McDermott, and Pete von Reichbauer.
County exec Dow Constantine was also on board.

Agree or disagree, be sure to "remember in November." None of the council members are up for election this year. Gossett, Kohl-Wells, Balducci, and McDermott are all up for election in 2019. The others aren't up until 2021. To find out who your member is:

https://www.kingcounty.gov/council/c..._district.aspx

[travis t]

From my view, Rod Dembowski deserves great credit for his leadership on this matter, even though he failed in the end.

https://www.thestranger.com/slog/201...rs-135-dollars

“I am profoundly disappointed,” Dembowski said. “The foundation of this legislation was put together in a room behind closed doors and rolled out in the middle of a hearing without any opportunity for public comment. We had a dozen other amendments shared for the first time while we were on this dias. I think it says something about what’s going on with the ultimate result. It’s not the best product that we are delivering. I will be proudly voting no.”

Dembowski for King County Exec, 2021!

[travis t]

This also was an obvious 'ram it through' process, much like the state legislature did when the M's stadium was first authorized (after being rejected by voters). Again from the Stranger

One notable moment was when Council Member Pete von Reichbauer accidentally gave an affirmative vote to one such amendment. His colleague, Council Member Reagan Dunn looked down the line at him.
“Pete,” Dunn said. “You meant to vote no.”

Von Reichbauer, flustered, quickly changed his vote.

[AleeGee]

They don't deserve it. I wish they would leave. They're too high maintenance. Bye, and take your losing karma with you. This way, it leaves more room for hockey. 🏆

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by wutitiz

https://www.seattleweekly.com/news/k...-safeco-field/


For those who weren't here in 1995, a vote was held in King County on building a new, tax-funded stadium for the Mariners. Voters rejected it. The state legislature turned around and rammed through funding for the stadium, IIRC a coalition of Democrats and suburban Republicans.


After that the Seahawks demanded and got a separate new stadium. That one was voted on and passed, but by just 51.15%.


Next the Sonics demanded a new stadium, even though KeyArena had just been through a complete gut-and-rebuild in 1995. With the new football and baseball stadiums, the Sonics were losing their corporate lux-box business. But because of wide anti-stadium sentiment, it was never even put to a vote, and so the Sonics left. For a while there, taxpayers were paying off 4 pro-sports stadiums (including the KingDome, which was not paid off until well after it was torn down). And Howard Shultz & co. wanted to add a fifth to the bill.


Now the M's are seeking another $180 million of tax revenue to pay for maintenance of the stadium. So far it appears to have the support of County Exec Dow Constantine and several County Council members.


If you wish to express an opinion on this, contact your County Council member. If you don't know whom he/she is, you can find out and get contact info here.
https://www.kingcounty.gov/council/c..._district.aspx

I've never understood this about Seattle. Always new stadiums, always a ballot measure that people fight about, or turn down. This doesn't exist in San Francisco, not at all at the frequency it does in Seattle, and it's not controversial, on the rare occasion the issue comes up.And the CA State legislature has never rammed a stadium down a city's throat. The politics of sports and stadiums in Seattle seems bizarre.

[travis t]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

I've never understood this about Seattle. Always new stadiums, always a ballot measure that people fight about, or turn down. This doesn't exist in San Francisco, not at all at the frequency it does in Seattle, and it's not controversial, on the rare occasion the issue comes up.And the CA State legislature has never rammed a stadium down a city's throat. The politics of sports and stadiums in Seattle seems bizarre.

It seems that to me too. I recall in the early 2000s, we were still paying off the Kingdome after it had been torn down. We built tax-funded baseball & football stadiums right around 2000. We had done a total gut & rebuild of Keyarena for the Sonics in 1995. Less then 10 years later, NBA commish Stern, and owner Howard Shultz demanded yet another new basketball palace. That time there was too much public opposition. Politicos were to frightened to even put the matter before the voters, so the team moved to OKC.

If that had gone through, taxpayers would have been funding 5, (count em', 5) pro-sports stadiums concurrently.

[travis t]

Originally Posted by phoenixmike11

The Mariners have now scored more than half a billion dollars in public subsidies for one stadium | Field of Schemes

I didn't click the link, but I bet that the $.5 billion figure is understated. They normally don't include financing costs, which after all must be paid by taxpayers. I recall that fine Seattle Weekly writer investigative Rick Anderson did a piece long ago on this. He concluded that the Seahawks stadium had actually cost taxpayers about $1 billion.

[elkotronics]

If that had gone through, taxpayers would have been funding 5, (count em', 5) pro-sports stadiums concurrently.

Thing is, the one for the Sonic's new stadium would've been worth it many times over.

[phoenixmike11]

looks like another sports stadium rip off is on its way to Seattle in the near future

http://www.fieldofschemes.com/2018/1...c7JSAneBjb44_Y