‘Human dumping ground’: CID business owners say World Cup crowds bypass neighborhood as sales drop 22%

Business owners are saying the FIFA World Cup is hurting — not helping — the Chinatown-International District (CID). One advocate said the mayor has turned the CID into a “human dumping ground.”

At a press conference on Wednesday, community leaders said sales in the CID are down as much as 22%, even as World Cup crowds pack Pioneer Square and the waterfront just blocks away.

“There’s no question that the very significant benefits that are coming to our city through foot traffic, people attending the games, the watch parties, that that benefit has not been, I think, as evenly spread as, as would be ideal, as we would like,” Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson told KIRO Newsradio Wednesday. “We have this game concentrated at the stadium, we have watch parties in that kind of downtown core and so getting people to really branch out and patronize businesses around the city, you know, it’s a lift.”

Gary Lee, a retired planner and advocate for the CID, said Wilson sent homeless drug addicts into their community so soccer fans would not have to see them.

“Wilson claims to be an advocate for marginalized communities of color,” he said. “But all she did was turn the CID into a human dumping ground, and we’ve had enough.”

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson’s office responds to CID comments

Wilson’s office told KIRO Newsradio the Chinatown-International District’s history and culture are a vital part of Seattle’s identity.

“The city is committed to ensuring the CID is a vibrant part of Seattle for years to come,” Wilson’s office said in a statement. “In advance of the FIFA tournament, the City, King County, and FIFA local organizing committee worked together to introduce a Chinatown-International District shuttle stop for the duration of the summer, including the World Cup games in Seattle, in an effort to boost access to the CID for visitors. Over 16,000 riders have utilized the shuttle during the four Seattle matches.”

“Crime and disorder issues in the CID have gone unaddressed for far too long. Mayor Katie Wilson has recently undertaken a new initiative to address longstanding issues in Little Saigon. The Seattle Police Department and outreach workers from the Evergreen Treatment Services REACH and We Deliver Care programs are collaborating to reinvigorate the nationally recognized Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion strategy that originated in Seattle and King County in 2011,” Wilson’s office continued. “These partners are actively working to address crime at 12th Avenue and Jackson Street, and the city is making investments in community activations, neighborhood ambassadors, Health One resources, crime prevention through environmental design, and increased outreach in the neighborhood. We continue to work with the CID community to address their concerns and ensure it is a safe, active, and vibrant neighborhood.”

Last month, Wilson said the city is launching a new effort to dismantle open-air drug markets and curb chronic crime around 12th Avenue S. and S. Jackson Street in Little Saigon and nearby North Beacon Hill.

County executive touts World Cup success as CID businesses struggle

At a news conference on Monday, King County Executive Girmay Zahilay said things have been going “exceptionally well” over the past two-and-a-half weeks of hosting World Cup matches in Seattle.

“Seattle, King County, Washington State, I would put us up against any other region,” he said. “This is the number one fan and stadium experience.”

Zahilay touted the big crowds.

“Hundreds of thousands of fans are coming in at our shores, our bus terminals, our airports, and it’s really made the city feel alive,” he said. “But as King County Executive, I’ve also been seeing the impact of this tournament across the region. Every single corner of King County has been buzzing.”

CID bakery owner: Match days are ‘some of his worst days for business’

Some business owners said that is not the case for the CID.

Vince Vu, owner of Anh Ơi Bake Shop, told “The Gee and Ursula Show” that World Cup match days are some of his worst days for business.

“It kind of breaks my heart a little bit to see so many people on the streets, but to see all these really great legacy businesses that serve locals […] struggling during game days,” he said.

Vu said locals have been told to stay home to avoid the crowds and traffic congestion, and visitors have been told to avoid the CID because of the crime.

“The reputation is that it’s more like a sketchy area, that’s unsafe,” he said. “[That’s] the furthest it can be from the truth.”

“A global event like the FIFA World Cup should be an opportunity for these businesses to thrive, not another setback,” the release said.

‘Come to CID’ rally planned ahead of FIFA Round of 16 match at Seattle Stadium

A “Come to CID” rally is set for Monday afternoon, just prior to the FIFA Round of 16 match at Seattle Stadium.

At 4:00 pm, community members will gather at Hing Hay Park before walking to the stadium. According to the release, they will encourage soccer fans to visit the Chinatown-International District before and after the match.

“Participants will carry signs, distribute neighborhood maps and business information, and invite visitors to experience one of Seattle’s oldest and most culturally significant neighborhoods,” the release said. “This will be a peaceful, welcoming demonstration focused on supporting local businesses and ensuring the economic benefits of hosting the FIFA World Cup reach all nearby neighborhoods.”

The group is calling on Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson to join them at the rally.

She told KIRO Newsradio Wednesday she was not aware of the invitation.

“My team will review,” Wilson said. “And if I can make it, I’ll certainly be there.”

Frank Lenzi is the News Director for KIRO Newsradio. Read more of his stories here.

Follow @FrankLenziKIRO