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Thursday, June 14, 2012

2012 / City Whippersnapper Tries to Score Points Against McDermott Over Sonics, Gets Stuffed

Posted by Eli Sanders on Thu, Jun 14, 2012 at 10:03 AM

Office of Congressman Jim McDermott
Not so fast, whippersnapper.

In case you somehow managed not to hear about today's "Rally to Bring Back Our Sonics," it's at 4 p.m. at Occidental Park—and Andrew Hughes, whippersnapper and candidate to be Seattle's next Congressman, would like to remind you that he's going to be there.

"This issue impacts the people I intend to represent," Hughes said in a statement to The Stranger. "This is about bringing our team home. It’s about our local economy and it’s about the fans. Right now the discussion of building a new stadium is centered around the SODO District. Regardless of where an arena is located it must have a positive economic impact and not harm local industries, such as the maritime industry."

Hughes continued, attempting to pivot to a shot over the head of Jim McDermott, the 23-year Seattle Congressman he wants to unseat:

It is incumbent upon our leaders at ALL levels to lend their voice and advocate for those in their communities. Congressman McDermott has chosen not to engage on this issue, just as he has chosen not to engage on other local issues in the past. By engage, I mean letting his District know where he stands. You don’t have to legislate to lend your voice on behalf of those you represent.

Um?

A quick call to McDermott's office in D.C. produced his stance on the issue.

"Everybody would like to have the Sonics come back," McDermott told me yesterday. "But the Port of Seattle is the economic driver in this city, and before anybody makes any snap decisions I think we need to have a process of the City Council, and the County Council, and the port all looking at it."

So is the SoDo arena a good idea or not?

"I don't think anybody knows all the answers at this point," McDermott said. "I learned a long time ago that it's good to be careful in things like this. You shouldn't just jump."

Hughes campaign manager Jeff Upthegrove had told me yesterday that "McDermott has said nothing that we know of on this issue." So I asked McDermott why he wasn't weighing in on the Sonics, and all the arena talk, until Hughes's attempt to use it against him prompted me to call.

"There's no federal issue here," McDermott said. "If there was a federal issue, I might be. But this is an issue where—I mean, I know about the Sonics, and I know about the funder, and all this stuff... But I don't want to make any decisions that are going to in some way put our city in any more trouble than it's already in... I want to hear more, and I want more than one study done. I want to have a thorough process. You know, the Seattle process is not one of jumping quickly. Everybody wants a basketball team and a hockey team and all this—but I don't think it makes sense to do it in two months."

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Comments (11) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment

Ah, Mr. Hughes intends to federalize our sports economy, eh? Keep government out of our pockets, say the plutocrats to whose sole gain all arenas accrue.

Posted by gloomy gus on June 14, 2012 at 10:14 AM

Since Congressman Hughes will eliminate all free trade agreements he probably won't need to worry about how the arena will affect the port.

Posted by 35464 on June 14, 2012 at 10:18 AM

Hopefully, education won't take a backseat to sports entertainment in financial consideration at the state level, if such deliberations occur.

Posted by Pip Hellion on June 14, 2012 at 10:19 AM

Seattle is a much better city for businesses than Oklahoma City. Having a vibrant community full of above average income well educated people is far more important than having a professional basketball team. So is having a vibrant port.

And if anyone thinks that the citizens of Seattle are now going to support higher taxes to build a new arena, they're crazy.

Posted by passionate_jus on June 14, 2012 at 10:31 AM

I'm with the old guy on this one. I have yet to be convinced one way or the other about the stadium. On the surface it does seem like a better deal that cities have been getting from wealthy team owners in the last couple of decades (which actually makes me a bit suspicious), but rushing into massive and expensive public projects can lead to unintended consequences. I want to know a whole lot more about this before I leap on board.

Posted by Reverse Polarity on June 14, 2012 at 10:45 AM

I don't see how Andrew Hughes got "stuffed" on this? McDermott is esentially saying the same thing Hughes said. He just said it after Hughes did in a slightly different way.

Posted by Seattle Steve on June 14, 2012 at 11:04 AM

Absolutely the worst place to build.

Put it in Kent.

Posted by Supreme Ruler Of The Universe

on June 14, 2012 at 11:08 AM

Hughes is an ignorant child.

Posted by keshmeshi on June 14, 2012 at 11:18 AM

This race is more interesting than the gubernatorial Race. AND I can pick out both of these guys in a line up. Can't say that about the other one!

Posted by Cato the Younger Younger on June 14, 2012 at 1:04 PM

Why is this even a question for the public? If building a big entertainment venue for arena spectator sports pencils out, let Hansen get a business loan like any other business, get whatever permits are needed to do business, start his business, and pay its taxes.

Posted by Phil M

on June 14, 2012 at 4:40 PM

Congressman McDermott is being disingenuous. He knows that if we eliminate all Federal funding for firefighters, policemen and teachers, we'd have plenty of Federal $ to fund a new Sonics arena, as well as other professional sports venues around the country.

Posted by Ebenezer on June 14, 2012 at 9:40 PM