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It had been suggested that this SoDo location be home to the new NBA and NHL sports complex. After a letter from the Mariners reached the Seattle Mayor's office, the future of the location appears uncertain. (AP Photo/File)

Mariners question new arena in SoDo neighborhood

BY MyNorthwest.com  on April 3, 2012 @ 4:56 pm (Updated: 4:48 pm - 4/4/12 )

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The Seattle Mariners say they aren't just fans of Seattle baseball – they're fans of all sports and are in favor of bringing the NBA back to the Emerald City.

But, the proposed location of an arena that would house an NBA and NHL team seems to be a point of contention for the residents of Safeco Field.

In a three-page letter sent to Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, King County Executive Dow Constantine and members of the Seattle City and King County Councils, Mariners chairman and CEO Howard Lincoln cites logistical concerns as reasons why SoDo wouldn't be the right neighborhood for a new arena.

Safeco Field already experiences scheduling headaches with its neighbor, CenturyLink Field.

Lincoln says the Mariners work closely with the Seahawks and the Sounders to avoid overlapping events, which creates traffic and parking challenges.

Mariners President Chuck Armstrong said their concerns are regarding the fan experience.

"What we hear more from our fans than anything else is how hard it can be to get to the ballpark with the traffic jams and the gridlock we have already," said Armstrong. "If you plop another venue down there with 200 event days per year, we just have some serious concerns about how that will all be scheduled."

Lincoln notes that the city permit conditions imposed on Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field prohibit major events from occurring simultaneously and require a four-hour window between the end of one event and the start of the next event.

Adding the arena, he says, would only compound the scheduling problem.

"The key factor is that when Safeco Field was planned and what's now Century Link field was planned, the city imposed conditions on both of us; we can't have major events on the same day. We have permit restrictions that prevent us from having games on the same day," explained Bart Waldman, Mariners Executive Vice President of Legal and Governmental Affairs.

But McGinn, in an interview with 97.3 KIRO FM, says that the 'stadium district' has already been purposed for housing sports complexes. The SoDo neighborhood has already gone through extensive public and environmental review processes when it was created.

Lincoln says site selection is a critical component of the new arena plans, and that when Safeco Field was more imagination than reality in 1995, the Mariners looked into four or five "alternative locations" to their present home. Lincoln suggests officials should instead consider Bellevue, Renton, Seattle Center and South Lake Union as potential homes for a new arena.

The proposal for the arena, however, is Seattle-specific, says McGinn. "We have a really promising proposal for Chris Hansen, which involves hundreds of millions of dollars in private investment and we can self-finance the arena with the taxes on the arena itself."

The letter from Lincoln was received by the mayor's office Tuesday, on the heels of speculation about the Sacramento Kings. The team is looking for arena funding of its own, and its owners say they won't foot the bill for the team's new home.

Back at home, Hansen has been meeting with a panel to address the concerns that building the complex would bring to the city and county, as well as what financial burden the arena bears.

McGinn hasn't spoken with Hansen since receiving the letter, but the panel is scheduled to meet on Wednesday to discuss independent reviews of the arena proposal.

Hansen has said it's his job to get Seattle prepared to build the arena as soon as a team becomes available.

"We'll work with the Mariners on their concerns," McGinn says, "but we're going to keep working with Chris Hansen and King County on bringing a NBA and a NHL team to our stadium district in Seattle."

Waldman also agreed that the Mariners will work with the city and Hansen if everyone agrees the SoDo neighborhood is the best fit for an arena.

"If at the end of that process the city decides that that's the best place to locate it, we'll work our hardest with Chris Hansen and his group and the city to make it work the best it can."

MyNorthwest.com, Staff report
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Comments (53)


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  • Zagnut wrote...
    Congratulations Howard. You figured out a new way to drive fans away from the M's.
    April 3, 2012 5:54 pm
    Apparently sucking on the field simply wasn't enough for you.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Broyld wrote...
    He has a point
    April 3, 2012 5:58 pm
    I know people love to hate on Lincoln, but it would definitely create problems with scheduling events if their were 3 major stadiums right next to each other.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Newton wrote...
    Is this rackateering?.
    April 3, 2012 5:58 pm
    Mayor will be indictment. Chris Hansen and his group will be pulled into the fry. Not much will be left for the mariners.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    Should we be so lucky -
    April 3, 2012 6:05 pm
    the NBA playoffs are in June. And B Ball starts the end of October. .. Schedualing conflicts neither the Mariners not the Seahawks need. ... Pro basketball is fading with its gangstra image and all. .. IF it returns, go to Bellevue or Renton. Either would also be fine fotr the NHL, should a team come also.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rangerhawk wrote...
    Put it on FT Lawson
    April 3, 2012 6:33 pm
    The city just got that land from the Federal Government didnt they?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • anotherfencewalker wrote...
    So what??
    April 3, 2012 6:58 pm
    Not in my backyard huh?? The Mariners can stick it or take off on the next Alaska Airlines flight.. These so called "professional" teams need to learn to share their toys and play together in the same sandbox. Seattle pro sports teams haven't a thing to bargain with in the belly buckin' category. All second rate teams and years away from being able to push and shove other teams around like school yard bully's. Prove me wrong. I dare you.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    Todays Pro-Sports teams also
    April 3, 2012 7:02 pm
    Want the right to develop the area around sports areas.The Padres did that in San Diego and were able to grab up potentially valuable downtown land (some by eminent domain)I would guess that the Mariners may have that same idea in the not so distant future
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Snout wrote...
    It's a perfect spot for the NBA thugs.
    April 3, 2012 7:25 pm
    Clubs and a skin bar all within reach of the arena.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • wcremedy24 wrote...
    Snout
    April 3, 2012 8:54 pm
    Do you realize how dumb and racist you sound? If they were white would they be thugs? You're basically calling 12 black guys moving into a city "thugs". Shoot yourself.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • dori monson fan wrote...
    show us a world series lameiners
    April 3, 2012 7:36 pm
    or go suck it.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • smitty (1) wrote...
    I agree
    April 3, 2012 7:42 pm
    There is no room for another arena. Lets flatten Safeco and start on the ice.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rotary Engine 101 wrote...
    Wow just Wow
    April 3, 2012 8:02 pm
    for a team that is in forever rebuilding mode I dont think the M's have the room to be complaining. now if you were winning lots of away and home games (like the SoundersFC) than you may have the wiggle room you are looking for..but in-tell than I think we all agree to give you if middle finger.Same goes for the Hawks. I am in no way looking or knocking down on either sport as every team has its up and downs good and bad seasons but for a team(s) owner to pull this I think it is appalling. especially since I can't recall a the best season the M's have had.. I think we can all agree that the Hawks best season was back in 2005. the sounders keep making it to the playoffs all 3 years on the MLS level
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cnc in port orchard wrote...
    TYPICAL
    April 3, 2012 8:28 pm
    We have BO NBA. We have NO NHL. We have an opportunity to have both. But wait, Lincoln and politicians have decided that we shall not. Did this scenario not play out in order to NOT have a #Sonics here. Oh my Gawd. A sports complex housing every single relevant (TV wise) sports franchise in the country in one single area is NOT a good plan for our future? Are you kidding me? Traffic issues are your primary concern? Dang. Just dang!!!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    cnc
    April 4, 2012 8:06 am
    What leads you to believe thar Seattle has a chance for a NBA or NHL team.If you were a businessman or a City would you gamble more then $1,500,000,000 (arena cost + interest) to build one?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • C"mon Man wrote...
    MLB profit sharing
    April 3, 2012 8:30 pm
    Must be a rule that if a facility is built near your ball park, you will not get your revenue sharing check from winning teams. My advice to the M's is read "moneyball" by Billy Beane.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }