Series Thread: Mariners vs A's in Japan

[seahawksfan234]

It’s not so much the pain to get into Seattle as to more of the fact the City approved the Key without King County having a say and they were the main bond money behind Hansen’s group. The Seattle Center is a Seattle asset so I can understand it but it is just a terrible location to have an arena. In the 60-90’s it wasn’t terrible because the city wasn’t as crammed as it is now and there was parking. Now you are suppose to rely on shitty light rail that doesn’t have capacity to get people home and to the Seattle Center for a week day game.

And I just hate being talked to like a child when all the guys on the council who voted for Hansen’s project but then voted for this one keep siting ST3 as to helping, well ST1 was in 97 and that BS isn’t complete yet and ST3 is 2040 or some crap. As well as I think it was BS Sound Transit came out voacally against Tacoma and made it clear light rail would not return people from Tacoma to the North after 11. Tacoma/Pierce County put feelers out for when they renovated the Tacoma Dome, one of the offers was $100 plus million to turn it into a viable option for a NBA and NHL arena (which it wouldn’t be but that’s besides the point) Politics are toxic but in the mid 90’s politicians fought illegally and against the will of the citizens of Seattle to keep the Mariners and Seahawks realizing that 99% of Seattle sports fan do not live in city limits. And same with Key Arena, .01% of hockey fans had a say in any type of vote because they do not vote for council members.

I just hate the process but the states politicians and activists hate sports and don’t put sports on a pedestal nor are smart enough to realize the tax revenue from sporting events, concerts, exhibits or anything used at an arena go into the public pool to be used on education, housing, homeless, etc. Essentially all the things they are asking you Seattle voters for more in taxes are solved with an arena owned on private land instead of an arena being remodeled at the Seattle Center which is for the 1% or essentially all the Tech employees who can walk from their high rise condos to the hockey match right after work.

Then on top of that the council, mayor and OVG talk about how it will bring back the NBA when not a single smart business person would own a team at that location. The Storm get to play free, hockey is the main tenant (which I guarantee they won’t pay rent) and OVG per their agreement gets 33% of parking, concessions and tickets sales. So essentially a NBA owner is going to spend two plus billion on a franchise to only make money on the tv contract. Sure they will make money, but making 33% of what they draw plus paying rent to the city puts them around 18% of what they are responsible for making and puts them in the exact situation they were in in 2008 when they left because making 1/4 of the money you are rightfully owed is piss poor business. It’s like on your mortgage, if you are paying your full mortgage to your bank but your HOA is telling you you can’t use any utilities or park your car but you can live just on the equity in your empty house.

Can't disagree with anything you've said and you're really only scratching the surface when it comes to the issues locally.