A union of dockworkers is pursuing a legal challenge to plans for a new sports arena in Seattle.

Officials with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, Local 19, which represents workers at the Port of Seattle, will appeal a judge's decision last month in favor of the arena plan.

King County Superior Court Judge Douglass North ruled Feb. 22 that a tentative agreement among the city, King County and arena builders did not violate state environmental law.

Critics insist the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) fails to consider other potential arena sites, arguing the preferred SoDo site will have a negative impact on jobs and container shipping.

"To put 1,000,000 more cars in the neighborhood puts at risk thousands of living wage jobs and without consultation with the people whose livelihoods are put at risk and depend on a viable working infrastructure and the movement of freight without long delays," said Peter Steinbrueck, a former consultant for project critics and now a candidate for mayor of Seattle.

An environmental review of the project continues while opponents appeal the ruling. Critics argue that it was improper for politicians to sign the agreement before environmental information was known.

"Because of the fast-tracking of this study, we will not have identified the environmental impacts from the environmental review, which could run into the tens, if not hundreds of millions of dollars," Steinbrueck told a news conference Tuesday in Seattle.

Investor Chris Hansen wants to build a new arena for professional basketball and hockey, hoping to bring an NBA team back to Seattle.

Follow Tim Haeck, KIRO Radio Reporter

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  maplefish wrote...

  Hey Longshoremen

  March 5, 2013 5:58 pm

  You guys are a bunch of pussy chickenshit losers! Without your unions, you'd be too stupid to be night janitors at Jack in the Box. Now go do what you do best....get drunk and beat your kids.

  541526

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  gb1118 wrote...

  UNION GOONS....

  March 5, 2013 6:50 pm

  crawl back to the holes you came from you morons.

  541549

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  Frogsplash wrote...

  They still have their knickers all wadded up tight

  March 5, 2013 10:00 pm

  Because of the money for the Lander Street overpass getting diverted to the Mercer Mess instead. Someone please remind these idiots what time NBA and NHL games start. Last I read almost all port activity is done by 4pm. 7 -7:30 is the start time for NBA/NHL games. CH sighting in 3...2...1...

  541599

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  AKAF wrote...

  Not suprised...

  March 5, 2013 10:22 pm

  They are against new jobs unless they are theirs. This new arena will not take from their required hour long lunch hour but will contribute to the local economy...only problem for the Longshore union..they are not contributing to the union. Fix that and they will be OK with the placement of the arena.

  541603

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  Beetle1977 wrote...

  Good Luck

  March 5, 2013 10:25 pm

  It took about 5 seconds for the lawsuit to be thrown out once the judge was done hearing the initial argument. The appeal is just smoke n mirrors. It's already DOA.

  541604

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  Lessmith50 wrote...

  longshoremen

  March 6, 2013 7:26 am

  The biggest criminal organization in america. I worked with the longshormen as a private contractor at the port of tacoma for 11 yrs. It was mind blowing how lazy those guys were. I observed them just milk the shipping lines for millions in wages for shoddy lazy work. I watch them load the ships. It is amazing how they can load a full bundle of logs yet i seen them load logs one at a time on those ship. AND THEY WERE NOT COMEING THROUGH THE HATCHES. Where you might need to load smaller amounts. We were a private company but could out work the longshoremen in our sleep. They could not remotley operate with efficentcy like we did.

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  murr wrote...

  maplefish wrote,

  March 6, 2013 10:55 am

  Whoa, im sayin you have a close tie with the longshore union (smirks). Could not have said it better myself. I could not spell good enough to make it past the screener. Thank you for what you said. (i cant stop laughing)

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  active_fan wrote...

  Small port, big competition: Canada’s threat to Seattle jobs

  March 6, 2013 11:25 am

  PRINCE RUPERT, B.C. —

  The Port of Seattle has been raising the alarm about how traffic jams from a new sports arena in SoDo could slow cargo operations and threaten thousands of jobs.

  NOT THE ARENA!

  http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/small-port-big-competition-canadas-threat-seattle-/nWXh9/

  541828

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  Ron_Spins wrote...

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MO7XFj2xVdM

  March 7, 2013 3:10 am

  This longshoreman:( is almost as good as Winnebago man.

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