Droves of supporters flood public arena forum
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SEATTLE (AP) - Droves of supporters for a proposed new arena that could bring back the NBA to Seattle turned out for a public forum put on by the Seattle City Council and King County Council.
Council members took public testimony at Thursday night's session. While a number of opponents made their objections known, the forum was mostly filled with green- and gold-clad fans urging the councils to approve the project. Some came from outside the Seattle area. One brought more than 12,000 signatures on a petition in favor of the proposal.
"Give me the NBA, give me the NHL, give me major concerts," said one supporter. "Give me a facility that can host all these things. Let me keep my money in the state where it belongs."
Investor Chris Hansen is proposing a $490 million arena in Seattle's SoDo neighborhood with $290 million in private investment.
Port of Seattle CEO Tay Yoshitani said the port is excited by the possible return of the NBA, but asked for a comprehensive study of other possible arena sites before any agreement is signed.
Many others associated with the port expressed concern over the possible loss of jobs and potential traffic problems with a third sports arena in the area.
"If it's going to mean losing my job and my livelihood, I'm definitely against it," said John Castronever longshoreman at the Port of Seattle.
Thursday's meeting may be the public's only chance to speak to both the county and city councils at once. Both bodies have to approve the project before it can move forward.
A decision on the area plan is expected next month.
Council members took public testimony at Thursday night's session. While a number of opponents made their objections known, the forum was mostly filled with green- and gold-clad fans urging the councils to approve the project. Some came from outside the Seattle area. One brought more than 12,000 signatures on a petition in favor of the proposal.
"Give me the NBA, give me the NHL, give me major concerts," said one supporter. "Give me a facility that can host all these things. Let me keep my money in the state where it belongs."
Investor Chris Hansen is proposing a $490 million arena in Seattle's SoDo neighborhood with $290 million in private investment.
Port of Seattle CEO Tay Yoshitani said the port is excited by the possible return of the NBA, but asked for a comprehensive study of other possible arena sites before any agreement is signed.
Many others associated with the port expressed concern over the possible loss of jobs and potential traffic problems with a third sports arena in the area.
"If it's going to mean losing my job and my livelihood, I'm definitely against it," said John Castronever longshoreman at the Port of Seattle.
Thursday's meeting may be the public's only chance to speak to both the county and city councils at once. Both bodies have to approve the project before it can move forward.
A decision on the area plan is expected next month.
As long as Seattle pays the bill for costs and over runs and the state doesn't pick up the tab Idon't care if they put up a rooster fight arena,Never plan on stepping foot in seattle again anyway.
 @toadaway Wrong the owners of the teams need to pay 100% of it! period they are the rich and they need to pay for it!
 @toadaway:Â
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I think Chris himself should pick up the tab on all cost overruns, not the city OR the county. If he wants it so bad, let him pay the full cost. I find it incredibly irritating that this proposal is being rammed through, a complettely unnecessary arena, while critical infrastructure has to be voted on (the sea wall replacement). What happens if the ballot measure on the sea wall fails, we commit our bonding capacity to the arean, and then they start the tunnel & the "unthinkable" happens - the sea wall falls. We would be streteched too thin to cover such an emeregency.
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Let Hansen, Ballmer & the Nordstroms play for their own playpenn 100% - then they can do whatever they damn well please & keep all the money for themselves.
I am a sports fan and I want the NBA and NHL here. The port can go whine and cry all they want. They'll find another way to make the port continue working with or without a stadium. It's an essential service to this area.
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As far as the comments about the city being slow and stupid about this, I AGREE. Seattle, year after year, FAILS at making tough desicions in a timely fashion. The monorail, the tunnel, the Kingdom/Safeco, the Sonics leaving and their potential new arena. For some reason this city just can't seem to just make a choice and stand by it!
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People are talking the numbers of the "benefits" without the slightest clue what will really happen. Let the corporate interests tell you what is best - because that always works out so well.
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There are also evil plans for Seattle Center. Â The board that manages it want to intentionally make it fail so they can scrap it. They have been quite clear about this. This whole thing will cost more jobs then it will create - in the name of consumerism. Do we let our regional economy hang on the desires of a few thousand sports fans? Seriously?Â
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It is so easy to bamboozle the public -look, there they go again.Â
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 @kybhotbs For one that professes to be in the biz, you seem to be out of the loop on what the deal is with the Center. The people that run it have said they intend to have it fail - flat out. Either you are privy to this info or you are not. It does nothing to change it though, So agree or disagree, it makes no difference.  If you have all the contacts, then you should start asking bigger questions.  Ironically, if you have all the contacts, we probably know each other.Â
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By the way, in regards to "all those concerts" at the new arena..how many shows are done at Qwest or Century Link in a year? 3? 4? Total?
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And I don't mean that rat box Wamu Theater. I mean on the field.
I don't understand why you ask about concerts at Century Link. It's not intended to have concerts, this is why the new arena will get the concerts.
all 490 million needs to come from the rich sport team owners zero from the tax payers! if it is such a good investment have the rich man pay for it
I say Fine build a darn place to bounce a rubber ball on a wood floor and watch men in underwear run a around.
Just don't use any taxes to do it with!
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 @GoDawgs  @wynooheeman NO MORE OPM for the Rich people! that is other peoples money NO NO NO They owners need to pay 100% of the investment!
 @godawgs:Â
But by using the bonding capapbilities for an arena, it takes away that bonding capability to be used in the case of a real, true emergency, or for critical infrastructure repairs.
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If it's such a perfect deal, let Hansen, Ballmer & the Nordstroms foot the entire bill.
 @LocalLady  @godawgs: The reason why Ballmer & the Norstrom family won't do it 100% is because they know it would take years to get any money back and that the building would be used at most 40 times during the year it will be a bad return of investment. So they want the suckers who have nothing better to do foot the bill!
I'm with the Port on this one. The rabid sports fans are still so pissed at Stern, Shultz and Clay Bennett that they will accept ANYTHING that will bring back The Sonics, even if its not in the the overall best interest of our city and region. Thousands of companies throughout North America depend on the Port of Seattle to quickly and efficiently move cargo from ship to road to rail and to move that cargo thousands of miles to its destination. This will be impeeded by the arena deal if we do not mitigate the traffic issued from the start. If we do not do that, it will cost our region BILLIONS in lost jobs and tax revenue. Much more than a sports arena and the games it will host can ever begin to provide.
@EMDF9A Thousands of companies, Billions in lost job and tax revenue. Sounds like made up internet stats, please show some study that supports those numbers. The sea port loses money, it's subisdized by the airport that allows the port authority to show an annual overall profit. Plus..we shouldn't put the city on hold based on the ports possible 10 year plan. The current operations won't be affected, only if they execute the dream and expand their hours in future will the arena have an effect.
 @4america2: ".... Plus..we shouldn't put the city on hold ...."
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And yet, the arena fans are doing just that - if we commit our bonding capability to the arena, what happens if we need bonding for critical infrastructure (think sea wall)? We can't spend the same money twice, we can only borrow against our "limit" once.
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@kybhotbs I do not believe I am "being lied to" by the port. As I said above, its not just cargo coming off ships that cause traffic on the streets. AND when was teh last time you arrived for a 6 PM event @ 6PM. Most people I know who go to sporting events and concerts arrive at least 2 hours before the scheduled start time. Thats right in the middle of commute time traffic. If Hanson wants to make this happen, mitigate the traffic issues at his own expense.
Most NBA and NHL games start at 7:00 or 7:30, concerts usually later like 8:00. Most open the doors an hour before the start time. I go to many events and I have never planned to arrive 2 hours early.
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@GoDawgs I doubt that a picture on a tweet would show every terminal at the Port of Seattle. And even if no ships were actively being unloaded at that time, cargo that has been unloaded is being trans-shipped to rail terminals or on to trucks for local delivery. Containers and out bound cargo are being staged for loading the empty ships. Yes, the Port does function around the clock, and yes the traffic issues another sports venus in SODO brings with it are very legitimate concerns for the economic wellbeing of our region, and in my opinion far outweighs the benefits of an NBA team.
Now.. Mitigate the traffic issues (At Hanson's expense) and I wont argue... I'll be waving a green and gold pennant!
Not a big sports fan, but read over this proposal and sounds too good to be true compared to proposals throughout the country. Give the people what they want!
@Seattle 4 Life :
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You know what they say.... if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
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And, not eveyrone wants this.
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If it is such a guaranteed money maker, let Hansen, Ballmer & the Nordstroms fund it 100% - then they can keep 100% of the profits.
Put it up for a public vote...
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 @godawgs:Â
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But it is NOT just the City of Seattle that is being committed to this - it is all of King County. And King County never voted on the initiative (91, I believe the number was) that everyone claims makes this proposal okay.
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It NEEDS to be put to a public vote of ALL the taxpayers being affected by it.
Yeah I figured I didn't really need to go since I knew there was gonna be a ton of people there sharing the same view. Good job to all. Hopefully they'll actually get it together for once and realize this is too good of an opportunity to miss.
you sonic fans, get a life!!!!!!!!!!!! your chances of getting your sonics back is slim to none in this liberal city. Your elected city officals will never get it done.
 @BH Apparently you're too ignorant to reap the benefits the community would get out of having the Sonics back, or you're not a fan and don't care.
 @Zoso News flash. the Sonics are gone. And have been for a while. Can't be a fan of what isn't there. And finacially, the Key Arena makes more money with shows now that they are gone.
 @Audio Cat Also, for the record. I really don't think there's anything wrong with Key Arena, and even that whole thing is addressed in the video as well.
 @Audio Cat You know what? I will let you watch the Sonicsgate documentary if you really believe that arrogance, I will let all the facts there speak for themselves. I dare you to watch that and seriously call me arrogant. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9Dp20ydm1E
 @Zoso Wow. Wrong on all counts, despite your petty arrogance. You must be a daisy to be in a relationship with. If you had studied the actual gate revenue of the Sonics when they WERE here versus what is taken at the door at a concert, or church event in the same time slot when they WEREN'T here. You would see a chasm. Sonics fans talk a good game, but if the majority of them actually bought tickets while the team was alive, we might not be in this mess.
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Oh, and if they actually won with any regularity - hmm, I suspect the the two are related.
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I am not against a new stadium, as long as it adds without taking away. They will turn Soldier field under. abandon the Key, and fire all the staff at the Center while they try to get the city to foot the bill for the whole debacle. This is their actual plan, if you are ok with that - go for it.
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Myself, I think that we should fix the messes we have before creating new ones-Â and the whining of a few basketball fans doesn't change that.
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 @Audio Cat Pssst... Let me let you in on a secret. It's about getting an arena deal so we can get the NBA back here. We were allowed to keep the name so we can use it in the event of getting a team here. There's a real news flash for ya! Not only am I sure you really haven't followed this, I'm almost certain you didn't even read this story. So why comment? Really? :/
@Zoso @BH No your the ignotant one, I'm fully aware of the benefits to the community. The problem is we live in a liberal minded city that just can't seem to get things done . The proposal is a chance of a lifetime, but still our elected officals can't make it happen. The majority of those people standing at city hall are not there because of the benefits the community would get, they just want their team back. I'm sick of hearing this issue over and over again. It doesn't belong in the headlines And your right I really don't care, enough said..
 @LocalLady What it all comes down to is understanding the opposition, and I do understand some of the opposition to some extent, which is why we have these gatherings and address these issues and come up with something that works for everybody. There's a difference between saying you don't want it because of legit concerns and reasoning and saying you don't want it because you don't care. It's all about being optimistic and working together to fix these issues, and unlike some offers in the past, Chris Hansen is actually willing to do such.
@Zoso @bh:Â
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".... But don't be telling us what we're supposed to do if you don't have an interest. So you wanna talk about anymore ignorance? ...."
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And yet, that is EXACTLY what those who want to arena are telling those who are opposed to it.
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Wouldn't yuo call that a bit hypocritical?
 @BH I'm willing to bet if this was regarding something that you had an interest in and are passionate about, you'd be on the bandwagon 'cause you'd want it too, right? Yes I would like our Sonics back, and quite honestly, I could benefit for a job opportunity as well, so yes I do want it to happen. You don't care? Fine, no problem. But don't be telling us what we're supposed to do if you don't have an interest. So you wanna talk about anymore ignorance?
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 @GoDawgs You don't see then. The last thing that the board that runs the Key wants to see is an upgrade. They want it gone.Â
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 @Zoso That was a response purely to the interest in basketball. As far as the bonds, the money, the impact, all of it - it has jack all to do with my personal interests. Big developers start talking big bennies and all the sheeple nod in unison. How many times have we had fat cats tell us that it is alllll good. And when it is not - everyone whines about the mayor's office or something - good grief.
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And that you would take another's job to get your job speaks a bit of your ethics. The point is to create more jobs and money in the local economy. I support a win-win, not a win-lose. We expand or we do not. I have had enough "trade-offs" that mostly benefit those that already have it all, as opposed to the rest of us that just give it to them without question.Â
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Thought about how many small businesses will close because they can't afford the tax adjustment? Or the proximity tariff? Look, If we can add your job to those, then it is a good day, but if we have to add to other people's problems to make yours go away - well then let's just kill them there injuns and take their food.
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In my mind it is the same mentality.
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 @Audio Cat Yeah? So? Am I supposed to be surprised by that? As I pointed out earlier, I'm willing to bet if this was regarding something that you had an interest in and are passionate about, you'd be on the bandwagon 'cause you'd want it too, right? Yes I would like our Sonics back, and quite honestly, I could benefit for a job opportunity as well, so yes I do want it to happen. You don't care? Fine, no problem. That's your right. But don't be telling us what we're supposed to do if you don't have an interest. I sure wouldn't be doing that if it was the other way around.
 @Zoso  @kybhotbs Not everyone is into basketball - get over it.
 @kybhotbs No, he's just one of those trolls who doesn't like basketball and tries to get everyone else to see his way.
 @kybhotbs Wrong...