Nothing ‘major’ blocking the path to Seattle arena; Tukwila in ‘direct competition’

The results of the SoDo arena Final Environmental Impact Statement resolve some long-standing debates over the topic.

For nearly three years there have been different opinions about what kind of impact a new arena in Seattle could have.

“I think everybody on [Chris] Hansen’s team is excited,” said Brian Robinson, site operator of Sonicsrising.com. The website is dedicated to bringing a basketball team back to Seattle.

Chris Hansen, a hedge fund manager, has worked to bring an NBA team back to Seattle.

Seattle’s mayor said ‘no major findings stand in the way’ of a sports arena in the SoDo neighborhood after the Final Environmental Impact Statement was released Thursday.

“The SODO arena project has just passed another major milestone,” Mayor Ed Murray said. “The City has met its commitment to complete the EIS process. No major findings stand in the way of arena construction. The City will continue to work with arena developers, the Stadium District and SODO interests on the impacts that were identified during the EIS process. The City can now begin looking ahead to the street vacation and other pieces necessary to move this project forward.

“We’re one step closer to bringing NHL hockey and NBA basketball to Seattle.”

Hansen responded Thursday morning, “It is a major milestone in our journey to bring the NBA and NHL back to Seattle.”

He wrote on his website that his investment group is entirely supportive of an NHL team playing in the arena &#8212 and is open to that happening before an NBA team.

“In light of recent speculation, we would just like to clarify that we have sought to be as accommodating as possible in our negotiations with potential NHL partners, with our only major requirements being that such a deal does not jeopardize the process or put the City, County, Taxpayers or us in a worse financial position,” Hansen said.

Following the impact statement, a review will be done by the Design Commission, which will assess the street system and the impacts of the project. The Commission will provide feedback to the Seattle Department of Transportation, which will then make a formal recommendation to the Seattle City Council. That review could be done by August 2015.

A final decision for a master use permit could be published by early 2016, specifically no later than March, according to the city.

The City Council will have to sign off on the finalized proposal.

Murray told KING 5 he is willing to go to the City Council to modify the existing Memorandum of Understanding; allowing the city’s acquisition of an NHL team to get the ball rolling on construction. The current memorandum only allows construction and public financing to begin once an NBA team is acquired.

The SoDo arena has some competition. RLB Holdings Sports and Entertainment, led by CEO Ray Bartoszek, filed code interpretation paperwork with the city of Tukwila in April, stating its intention to build a multipurpose arena. The group filed a SEPA application May 1.

If all goes as planned, the Tukwila arena would open in the fall of 2017.

“Clearly these two sites are in direct competition for the same tenants,” Robinson said.

Hansen has taken a slow, methodical approach to building an arena, Robinson said. RLB Holdings believes it has strong support from city government and a direct path to a privately-funded arena, he added.

“There’s no doubt that all of these investors … Believe that the first person to get a viable building done is going to have the best likelihood of acquiring these franchises,” Robinson said.

Though he’s been supportive of Hansen’s work and the bulk of the people he knows would prefer an arena in Seattle over Tukwila, fans need to encourage both proposals, Robinson said.

“The fans deserve to get this done,” he said. “We’re going to cheer on all these guys and hope one of them gets across the finish line sometime soon.”

MyNorthwest’s Kipp Robertson contributed to this report.