RON AND DON

Should Seattleites get a say in what happens to The Showbox?

Aug 7, 2018, 12:08 PM

Say what you will about Seattle City Councilwoman Kshama Sawant, but she definitely knows how to keep herself in the action.

RELATED: Save The Showbox? Should have saved Arena, too

Her latest move came last night at a meeting where she proposed that the council expand the boundaries of the Pike Place Market to include The Showbox for a two-year review. She introduced the bill by saying, “This is a question of whether the people in Seattle will have any democratic say in what is saved and what will be demolished.”

That raises a very interesting concept. Who gets the say in a
democracy about what is saved or what is demolished?

Let’s look at this first from the perspective of the current building owner. The music conglomerate AEG bought The Showbox from Jeff Steichen in 2007 with the idea of running a profitable music venue in downtown Seattle. Little did they know that market forces would take their piece of real estate and make it incredibly valuable. From a business perspective, they bought low and now they get to sell high.

If you take the sentimentality out of it, it’s kind of a no-brainer. It became clear that it was more profitable to sell the building than to host music shows.

From the city’s perspective, I get that it could be a popular move among middle-aged voters if you “Save The Showbox.” That could help you get re-elected. But I would like to point out that The Showbox has been sitting in plain sight for decades. Seems to me like there has been ample opportunity to nominate it as a historic site over the years. Maybe it’s one of those “don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone” type things?

Back to the underlying premise of Sawant’s proposal. Should the people in Seattle have a democratic say in what is saved? By “democratic say” does she mean a vote? Are we going to start holding elections as to which buildings get torn down? That seems a bit ridiculous. Why should the people of Seattle get to vote in a matter of a private real estate deal? I don’t want someone else having a say so in what I buy or sell. That’s just crazy.

And yet, the city council seems poised to fast-track this proposal.

If you want to designate it a historic site after the sale, I guess you can do that. But then does the city owe AEG some money? They had a signed contract on the table worth millions of dollars that suddenly evaporates by no fault of their own.

Listen, I think there’s a way to preserve some semblance of the music venue downstairs and still build a building upstairs. But I have a real problem with doing it this way. Sit down at the table with all the parties involved and work out a deal, don’t just do a political end around that denies the seller his right to sell something he owns.

That’s not how the free market works — except in Seattle.

You can hear “What are we talking about here?” everyday at 4:45 p.m. on 97.3 FM.

Ron and Don

...

KIRO Newsradio Newsdesk

Ron and Don’s last show on KIRO Radio

Last night was Ron and Don’s last show on KIRO Radio.

5 years ago

Kelly Herzberg in her natural habitat. (Photo by Rachel Belle)...

Rachel Belle

In Seattle, a personal shopper and stylist who only shops at thrift stores

If you think you can't afford a personal stylist, head to the thrift store with Sweet Kelly Anne Styling's Kelly Herzberg who will pull hundreds of pieces for you to try on.

5 years ago

Viaduct waterfront...

Ron Upshaw

What do we do with the waterfront after the viaduct is gone?

After the viaduct is taken down, we'll be left with a choice: What do we do with one of the most beautiful waterfronts in the country?

5 years ago

(MyNorthwest)...

Ron Upshaw

Shower Thoughts: Ichiro can give Mariners fans something to root for

Rumor has it that Ichiro might make a comeback next year, and I for one welcome it.

5 years ago

Border wall...

Ron Upshaw

Trying to figure out why people want Trump’s border wall

A little over 40 percent of Americans now support the idea of a border wall, but what is it about it that seems so attractive?

5 years ago

Dan McCartney, Pierce County Sheriff...

Don O'Neill

Why you could hear kids’ voices on Pierce County Sheriff radios Monday night

Sometimes, "gone but not forgotten" isn't always how slain officers are remembered. But in Pierce County, a special effort is being made to commemorate a fallen deputy.

5 years ago

Should Seattleites get a say in what happens to The Showbox?