Slog Comments
Arena Plan Moving Forward Despite Traffic Concerns
32
Around 1990, Sonics owner Barry Ackerley made the decision to leave the Kingdome and to build a new basketball arena. Plans were underway to build a new arena south of the Kingdome (where Safeco Field stands today) to be called Ackerley Arena, but after financing fell through, the team went back to the Coliseum, which was later rebuilt as KeyArena, reopening for the 1995-96 season. The Sonics played there until the team moved to Oklahoma City before the 2008-09 season.
Kindome explodes and quest is built were it was and now we go back to Ackerley Arena?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdome
Kindome explodes and quest is built were it was and now we go back to Ackerley Arena?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdome
31
@30 . (Stadium/arena/dome - whatevs) I am impressed about the LEED Gold for a space with that usage. Wonderful. So maybe the new ARENA could be LEED certified. (Thanks for the info.)
One or two blocks and even five city blocks still count towards LEED, since it is within walking distance.
One or two blocks and even five city blocks still count towards LEED, since it is within walking distance.
30
@23:
I assume you mean "arena", not "stadium". That, after all, is what hockey and basketball teams play in.
Consol Energy Center, the home of the Pittsburgh Penguins since 2010, is LEED Gold certified. It achieved that status without particularly good public transportation. A number of heavily-used bus routes have stops within a block or two of the arena, but the closest stop of Pittsburgh's (not very good) light-rail is at least five (unappealing) blocks away.
I don’t think a stadium could ever dream of LEED status, but easy access to existing transit is going to be part of the design.
I assume you mean "arena", not "stadium". That, after all, is what hockey and basketball teams play in.
Consol Energy Center, the home of the Pittsburgh Penguins since 2010, is LEED Gold certified. It achieved that status without particularly good public transportation. A number of heavily-used bus routes have stops within a block or two of the arena, but the closest stop of Pittsburgh's (not very good) light-rail is at least five (unappealing) blocks away.
29
@27/28 I guess I'm looking at it relative to what he used to look like.
Compared to a normal, well-dressed and well-groomed man, you're right, "impeccable" is overkill. But least now he looks like he's trying. Maybe not succeeding, but trying.
Compared to a normal, well-dressed and well-groomed man, you're right, "impeccable" is overkill. But least now he looks like he's trying. Maybe not succeeding, but trying.
28
Actually, I take the dressed bit back, too. It's a decent suit, looks well tailored, but generic. A suit has to have some style to make one look impeccable.
27
@ 25, looking at the pictures, I disagree - his beard looks scruffy but not unkempt enough to look homeless. That said, between that and his hair, and he simply can't be said to be impeccably groomed. Dressed, yes, but groomed, no way.
26
@ 19 and 21, you're both being way too harsh. As @ 24 says, Allen did indeed get a special election set up for his convenience. We can forgive @ 9 for mixing up a detail about the Mariners in with the Seahawks - both deals went down a long time ago. You may have perfect recollection of everything that ever happened; not everyone does.
25
@13, as long as he keeps that ridiculous scruff of a "beard" he looks homeless. I don't care what kind of a suit he's wearing.
24
@21, Allen bought and paid for a special election, at a peculiar time of year, with one and only one item on the ballot: his stadium. This was done specifically to ensure a "yes" vote, since most of the people who even knew about the vote were stadium supporters. If he had waited until November, it would have lost.
Allen bought off democracy, pure and simple.
Allen bought off democracy, pure and simple.
23
What about public transit options? There are thousands of parking stalls in the city – and out – that are near transit lines. So you’re not very far from your car, but don’t have to deal with the same level of traffic. Also, light rail to the U-district will be complete-ish by the time they get through construction.
And the design must have access to transit. I don’t think a stadium could ever dream of LEED status, but easy access to existing transit is going to be part of the design. And then it’s up to the transit agencies to plan for games and events. And then it’ll be up to us planet-friendly-slightly-greenish-quasi-hippies to USE TRANSIT.
There, I handled the traffic concerns for you. You’re welcome.
And the design must have access to transit. I don’t think a stadium could ever dream of LEED status, but easy access to existing transit is going to be part of the design. And then it’s up to the transit agencies to plan for games and events. And then it’ll be up to us planet-friendly-slightly-greenish-quasi-hippies to USE TRANSIT.
There, I handled the traffic concerns for you. You’re welcome.
22
After getting his deal, Allen then weaseled out of the details he didn't like.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?sect…
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?sect…
21
Thank you @19. @9, you are a dumbass on the level of @2. The Seahawks stadium passed in a 1997 statewide vote. It was relatively close statewide, but overwhelmingly passed in King County.
19
@9: What's the name of your medical marijuana dispensary? Perhaps that would inform us better as to why you think Paul Allen's stadium deal was "rejected" before he "forced" through an election.
As the sober among us recall, there was no deal that was rejected. And I guess I could have been the only one to vote at the polls in that election without having a gun put to my head, although it seems there would have been photos of the others in the press the next day if it had happened.
As the sober among us recall, there was no deal that was rejected. And I guess I could have been the only one to vote at the polls in that election without having a gun put to my head, although it seems there would have been photos of the others in the press the next day if it had happened.
18
Glancing at the page, I saw 'Arena Plan' as 'Area Man', and wondered when I had brought up the "Onion".
14
Pay for the traffic study himself? Wow, that sounds GREAT! He's really willing to put in as much as a few tens of thousand dollars up front? This is totally generous of him. It really puts the public's $200 million dollars in perspective doesn't it?
Seattle politicians are the worst negotiators ever. I guess they've never heard that "he who pays the piper calls the tune".
Seattle politicians are the worst negotiators ever. I guess they've never heard that "he who pays the piper calls the tune".
13
@Fnarf
Back in 2009, I never would have expected to ever hear the words "McGinn" and "impeccably groomed" in the same sentence. Ever. But I'm looking at the photos in the linked article, and hot damn, he actually looks somewhat mayoral. My, how things can change.
Back in 2009, I never would have expected to ever hear the words "McGinn" and "impeccably groomed" in the same sentence. Ever. But I'm looking at the photos in the linked article, and hot damn, he actually looks somewhat mayoral. My, how things can change.
12
@8 over the past couple months I'm increasingly convinced that SROTUS doesn't exist as a human being, and is an amalgam being of Republicans that merged into a single organism like a colony of conservative fungus in the highlands of Kent. They achieved semi-sentience and bark out odd anti-society Republicanesque sounds as a defense mechanism against liberalism and city life. Sort of how when you cut the lawn, the smell of fresh cut grass is a defense mechanism.
11
The only investor willing to show his face so far will pay for a traffic study himself in exchange for $200 million of our bonding authority? Sounds legit.
9
Hansen will get his way, of course. Do you remember when Paul Allen paid for a "special election" to force through *his* stadium deal, after it had been rejected?
8
@2, if you think "The seats are way to cramped", you are too fat. The seats are in fact plenty wide, and were designed to accomodate today's "larger American". Your fears of a stadium collapse at CenturyLink are ludicrous. The stadiums are surrounded by plenty of free or low-cost parking, if you know where to look, and adding more would mean destroying the city for acres of unoccupied asphalt most of the time. The Mariners sold out every game when they were good; they can't draw now because they have sucked for close to a decade, not because their stadium is unpleasant. It is the absolute opposite of unpleasant. Everything in your screed is the opposite of true.
You have no idea what you're talking about. As always. While Will's endless stupidities appear to be motivated by severe mental illness, yours are the product of good old-fashioned dimwittedness.
One sentence in the post confuses me, though -- the one about "impeccably groomed" McGinn. This is Mike McGinn, mayor of Seattle, you're talking about?
You have no idea what you're talking about. As always. While Will's endless stupidities appear to be motivated by severe mental illness, yours are the product of good old-fashioned dimwittedness.
One sentence in the post confuses me, though -- the one about "impeccably groomed" McGinn. This is Mike McGinn, mayor of Seattle, you're talking about?
7
@SROTU
The Mariners Attendance woes have nothing to do with the quality of the stadium, the stadium location, or lack of parking. They have everything to do with the quality of the team on the field. If the Mariners were winning 90+ games a year, there would be 30,000 people there every night.
The designs of the stadiums themselves are not a problem at all. The Seahawks are selling out the place for every one of their games, and they play there during the worst parts of the year. The Sounders don't have any problems selling 38,000 tickets even when they are playing in the worst whether of the year.
I agree they aren't in ideal locations, but the problem with Seattle is that there are no ideal locations. They are as close to downtown and public transportation as you could possibly get. They have enough land around them for some parking. There's simply not a better place.
The Mariners Attendance woes have nothing to do with the quality of the stadium, the stadium location, or lack of parking. They have everything to do with the quality of the team on the field. If the Mariners were winning 90+ games a year, there would be 30,000 people there every night.
The designs of the stadiums themselves are not a problem at all. The Seahawks are selling out the place for every one of their games, and they play there during the worst parts of the year. The Sounders don't have any problems selling 38,000 tickets even when they are playing in the worst whether of the year.
I agree they aren't in ideal locations, but the problem with Seattle is that there are no ideal locations. They are as close to downtown and public transportation as you could possibly get. They have enough land around them for some parking. There's simply not a better place.
4
@2: Qwest & Century Link are the same place. You mean Safeco. Regardless, the professional sports district is not going to be in walking distance from your house Kent. It's 2/3 built - let's complete it.
And spell my hometown's name correctly: Cincinnati.
And spell my hometown's name correctly: Cincinnati.
3
It's a "best practices" deal? Are you fucking kidding me?!?!? Maybe they should see if they can actually build the fucking thing with the funding they laid out before it becomes a "best practices" deal. Good fucking GOD what a bunch of overpaid idiots.
2
All of the current stadiums are not only in a terrible location..but are in and of themselves terrible.
The seats are way to cramped and comfortable. The aisles are too narrow and too steep for the lower cost seats. The views are "ok" but somewhat vertigo inducing.
The location is in the worst part of town...not only does it generate its own traffic problems, but it adds to the already terrible interchanges and poor design of the existing traffic.
These stadiums should not be open air. Yes, there are those few days when a perfect combination of weather make it nice to see the sunshine or part of the sky, but for the most part it's often too cold, too overcast, too rainy, or even too hot and humid. The protection and climate control of the Kingdome was far more appropriate to the region than either of these stadiums.
Designwise both seem like foreign presences. Century Link looks like a classic baseball stadium...from New York City or maybe even Cincinatti. But old school Eastern US is not space age Seattle. Qwest is somewhat more modern, but suffers from an incredible "tinny-ness"...I keep waiting for the crowd to stamp its feet and set up a Husky Stadium/Tacoma Narrows style collapse.
As far as placement, the teams are suffering from lack of free or low cost parking. The Mariners had some of the lowest attendences in team history last year. The whole point of modern stadiums is to make them so they are both a sporting event, but also an entertainment event...like going to the movies at the mall. The open air nature and high parking costs defeat these purposes!
We need better stadiums in better places.
1
Hey, it's not like the more than $200 million is needed for the Seawall or the not-even-lightly-funded SR-99 Billionaires' Tunnel ...
That's all MAGIC MONEY, that the Unicorns bring Easter Sunday!
That's all MAGIC MONEY, that the Unicorns bring Easter Sunday!
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