Council member wants funding for Safeco Field put to voters

A King County Council member wants the public to be able to vote on whether the county should spend millions on Safeco Field renovations.

RELATED: King County Council to take up $180M for Safeco Field

Councilmember Rod Dembowski proposed legislation asking for a February 12, 2019 special election ballot.

“Before any significant public investment in Safeco is made, I believe the public should have the opportunity to vote,” Dembowski said in a news release. “From the original Kingdome bonds, to Safeco Field’s construction and the financing of CenturyLink Field, the public has always been asked to weigh-in before significant public funding was approved.”

At issue is the roughly $180 million of hotel-motel tax money the Mariners are expecting to get as part of their new 25-year lease. The team rents the stadium from the county’s public utility district. Critics say some of that money could be spent on affordable housing.

Dembowski says he is against a significant stadium subsidy.

“While reviewing the Executive’s proposal, I set forth a three part test, being ‘Do the Mariners need the money? Is it the right amount? Are there higher priorities?,'” Dembowski said. “It’s clear to me that this profitable private organization does not need any additional public funding. Other allowed uses for this funding include services for homeless youth, a major priority of mine during my time on the Council, and which to date has received no allocation of lodging tax in any proposal. The public deserves to weigh in on how we prioritize this funding.”

RELATED: Why a King County council member changed her mind

According to the Mariners organization, they are footing much of the total bill of $800 million; which the $185 million is a small portion. Since Safeco opened, the Mariners have spent more than $300 million in capital improvements and maintenance.

Fred Rivera, executive vice president and general counsel for the ball club, told KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson earlier this month that the $180 million would only be used for necessary maintenance — HVAC systems, plumbing, etc. One of the largest ticket items is maintenance to the retractable roof.

The county council meets again on Sept. 5 to take up the issue, where Dembowski plans to offer his legislation.

The Mariners’ current lease expires at the end of 2018.

How should King County spend $180 million?

— KIRO Radio 97.3 FM🎙 (@KIRORadio) August 31, 2018

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