UPDATE: We're shutting down this Slog poll because it's obviously been gamed. Although the Chihuly museum had only about 4 percent of the vote at first, it suddenly shot up to about 50 percent of the vote. What happened? Our internet squirrels looked around and found that about 800 votes had been cast from one IP address. That address is 173.160.142.233, which maps to Chihuly.com. I called the Chihuly folks—who have in the past have enticed would-be supporters with gift certificates and packed public meeting with PR flacks—but they didn't have a comment. — Dominic Holden
UPDATE 2: Janet Makela, spokeswoman for Chihuly Studio, says she talked to several people at Chihuly Studio and "most... didn’t even know about the poll and they don’t read the Slog or read The Stranger." She added that only about 100 people work there so they couldn't have cast 800 votes. "Once you vote you can't vote again," she said. — DH
Within the next month, Seattle Center director Robert Nellams will give his presentation to Mayor Mike McGinn on why a Chihuly museum is the best fit for the center's Fun Forest Arcade site—over a KEXP/Open Platform collaboration or a Northwest Native Cultural Center (among others). Support for Chihuly and KEXP/Open Platform is neck and neck, according to the mayor's office. Meanwhile, the mayor's said that he'll listen to the wishes of the people, so email him.
But the mayor, being a smart man, also recognizes the power of Slog and its infallible polls. He knows that many slog commenters—his adoring public—are more comfortable bitching anonymously online than emailing him directly. Which is why he's agreed to let a Slog poll decide the fate of the Seattle Center's Fun Forest site.*
To the polls! What should the mayor champion at the Seattle Center?
*The mayor has not agreed to let a Slog poll decide the fate of the Fun Forest site.