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Friday, February 22, 2013

Sports Judge Rules in Favor of Sonics Arena Deal

Posted by Dominic Holden on Fri, Feb 22, 2013 at 3:18 PM

Less than an hour ago, King County Superior Court judge Douglass North dismissed a lawsuit that attempted to block an arena deal designed to bring pro basketball back to Seattle.

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union sued on behalf of maritime industrial interests that move freight though the south downtown flatland, where the arena is proposed, arguing that the city hadn't gauged the impacts of a stadium. They say the deal—involving the City of Seattle, King County, and investor Chris Hansen—would skirt environmental law by predisposing the arena to be built in the Sodo neighborhood. State regulations established in the 1970s require that a project can only be legally cemented after its impacts are examined (for example, on freight mobility) and compared to alternatives (such as building it in a different neighborhood).

But Judge North found that the parties entering a memorandum of understanding for the arena—a preliminary step, not a final agreement—didn't yet require environmental review.

Naturally, Mayor Mike McGinn, who is behind the deal, was elated at the news. “This is a big win in our work to bring the Sonics home to Seattle," he said in a statement to reporters, adding that the city and county councils must still ratify any final plan and that an environmental review must be completed.

Likewise, Seattle City Council member Tim Burgess, an arena supporter who made some tweaks to the arena legislation, noted that the city will "continue forward in our environmental review process" in his own statement. Burgess is challenging McGinn for mayor this year and has been trying to garner as much credit for the deal as possible.

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Comments (15) RSS

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He shoots! He scores!

It's McGinn ftw!

Posted by Will in Seattle

on February 22, 2013 at 3:37 PM

Another victory for the 1%!

Posted by Rotten666 on February 22, 2013 at 3:50 PM

Huge victory for the people. We refuse to be held hostage by special interests intent on spreading lies in their self-interest.

Posted by Grendel on February 22, 2013 at 4:10 PM

What part of "Stadium District" does the ILWU not understand? It was zoned that way for a pretty obvious reason. (I-5 + I-90 + SR99 + LINK)

Posted by Sir Vic on February 22, 2013 at 4:17 PM

Well, go ahead and "Bring the Sonics Back to Seattle" They are now located in OKC!! Leave the Sacramento KINGS alone!!

Posted by Mary McCormick on February 22, 2013 at 4:22 PM

@5 all your sports teams are belong to Seattle.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on February 22, 2013 at 4:26 PM

I don't care if there is another sports palace in Seattle (7th or 8th) I hope the amount I will be forced to pay is not too high. But surely the truckers don't think they own the roads and surely they don't think the revenue from all the sports taking place will have any trouble supplanting them (City Council thinks sports palaces make us all money). Come on truckers we all share the roads, we all pay for the use of them. If you don't like the congestion in the area don't go there. Every one has to deal with that simple reality.

Posted by Sargon Bighorn on February 22, 2013 at 4:41 PM

Liars win a lot.

Posted by hmmmmm on February 22, 2013 at 5:24 PM

Except this time, when the liars' lawsuit was tossed out.

Posted by Reader01 on February 22, 2013 at 5:27 PM

@7 don't attend any events there and you won't have to pay. It's pretty simple.

Posted by Chali2Na on February 22, 2013 at 5:35 PM

#10 I'm sure the tax payer will be on the hook for something. Past stadiums have ALL proven me right. There is no way, when a city gets involved it does not take the citizens with it. The citizens FUND the city.

Posted by Sargon Bighorn on February 22, 2013 at 6:33 PM

You obviously haven't bothered to read up on this project. It's strictly written into the MOU that the only thing paying off the bonds for this are taxes on tickets, concessions, etc. associated with events at the venue. Otherwise, the City Council never would have signed off on it. Also, in case of any default, Hansen is obligated to pay it all back out of his own pocket. It's pretty black and white.

Also, the taxes used to build Safeco Field were practically harmless. I mean, what a price gouge that was, going out to dinner and having five cents tacked onto $10 worth of food. I know that really put me in the poor house.

Posted by Chali2Na on February 22, 2013 at 9:29 PM

@12 yes, the taxes are paying for the stadium INSTEAD OF GOING INTO THE GENERAL FUND and paying for everything that the general fund goes towards - cops, libraries, street repairs, parks, etc.

$360M or so. McGinn and Burgess are dicks.

And so are the dipshits who keep saying this isn't costing us anything. it's costing us $360M...

Posted by south downtown on February 22, 2013 at 10:16 PM

@12 The MOU is not legally binding, says your judge. So it can no longer be cited as biblical fact in your asinine talking points.

Posted by hmmmmm on February 24, 2013 at 11:19 AM

@13 Mitigation is a cost borne on the public.

Posted by hmmmmm on February 24, 2013 at 11:20 AM