@4,

Well said. I agree this is what any museum will turn out to be. The supporters of truly functional public space - for citizens - rather that just for tourists and coventioneers, don't have PR firms on retainer ready to grease the wheels of government. But I wrote again today to Seattle City Councilmember Sally Bagshaw, who's head of the committee which will need to sign off on this, and if the letters and calls against the museum idea continue to outpace those in support, as this post suggests they are, there's a good chance of stopping this thing.

Cienna... one correction. I hung out after you left, and eventually got to speak just before 9PM. But the rest of your post is dead on.
http://horsesass.org/?p=25867

actually, there are 2 galleries off dexter in south lake union, one of which is owned by the wrights...

chihuly is to glass what thomas kinkade is to painting. i hope the city grows some balls and tells the wrights to pony up some cash and buy adjacent real estate.

Yes to the Wrights buying a gallery space if they want to showcase Chihuly. He has a museum in Tacoma... and No to private acquisition of public space...

I arrived at 6 p.m. to sign up. I was 164 on the list. I waited until almost 9 p.m. to speak against the proposal. The pro-group with the "talking points" only rarely talked about the project at hand, gushing on about Mr Chihuly's programs for children and seniors and how his work is in Las Vegas and on cruise ships. The project at hand is a restaurant, shop, and static exhibit space surrounded by a fenced in garden (with more glass no doubt). There are no children's programs, no programs for seniors, no free days, no hot shop to watch. No activities except shopping, gawking and eating– all at a cost. Former City Councilwoman Phyllis Lamphere was elegant and eloquent in her remarks. Artist Jack Mackie was articulate and on point. The size of the parcel seemed to shrink as the night went on, making those of us who championed open space sound small in comparison to the "magnanimous gift" being offered to the City. Beware the Trojan Horse.

Ellen, I would suggest you read what is being proposed before you claim what you claim.

As part of their lease, they are required to create distribution of free tickets for low income and educational purposes thought various charities, the communtiy and the Seattle Center. There there will be the development of an educational program incorporating lesson plans, interactivity and creativity to ensure that EVERY SEATTLE SCHOOLD DISTRICT 5th Gradeer gets to visit.

It costs money to go to the Aquarium and Zoo, both opeated by the parks. It will cost about the same for this exhibit.

It should be noted to all here that private funds have paid for more than 50 % of the development of amenites on the Seattle campus over the last 20 years. 400 Million of 700 Million spent has been private dollars. Would you prefer NOT to have renovated the 1924 built opera house to make it viable in todays concerts and theatre setting? To bring it up to code and make it fully ADA accessable?

The Opera House AND Mercer Arena were BOTH built by PRIVATE FUNDS on PUBLIC Park Land. And like the Chihuly space, we taxpayer still own the building and the grounds.

We DO need more open space, but this space would be far from good open space even if plowed and planted. It is surrounded on all sides by tall attractions. There is no direct access to any of it. It sits to the side of the long standing traditional Mural Stage. It used to be a Putt Putt Golf Course at one time. IF you want open space, the Center already has GREAT space for the fountain, and 17 acres of it. But for good open space, hit the Sculpture Park (oh dear, also funded by those damn rich white old folks) Or Myrtle Edwards, Or Kinnear, or Denny, or South Lake Union. I, too, wish the Commons had passed. I worked FOR it.

But open space has to work as good open space. The open space by the fountain works really well. If it were me, I would first doze the buildings east of the Key Arena, west of the fountain, and open that space up.

The space in question has not seen light of day since about 1870, and unless you mow down the Science Center and the Childrens Theatre, it will not be best used as OPEN space. We have already used tax dollars to pay for the building. This offer costs taxpayers and the parks NOTHING. The Wrights are on the hook for at least a half MILLION a year. IF it does not work, they will be the first to doze the place.

WHY HERE, and not elsewhere? Simple. This way the CENTER gets the money instead of some private developer. IF plowed, this space does NOTHING to make up the $350,000 shortfall the previous tennant was paying into the parks. The new tennant is paying $150,000 more, and will generate more admissions tax. This way the CENTER gets another 400,000 or so to visit the grounds. This brings in revenue for the CITY. Creates JOBS. even some UNION jobs. It offers teaching about art. It brings MORE CHOICES to the 74 acres that are the vibrant heart of the city.

I am NOT a paid flack, do NOT blow glass, and have no direct connection to this proposal. I am a pragmatic parent, and fourth generation resident who sees an overall win.

I was at BOTH meetings. Cienna - NO ONE I KNOW WAS PAID TO BE THERE - I know some of them, I met some of them, and I was there. NOT ONE OF THEM were PAID TO BE THERE.

Rose and K - Hundreds of Thousands have paid to see Chihuly Glass on display in various exhibits around the globe and across the USA. You need to get out more before you claim no one has heard of him.

This exhibit, Like EMP, will also be a strong attaction for the 3 million of us locals within a 50 mile radius. Most of those living here could not tell you who No Mo was, or Tony Galino... but there is no residency test to live here, nor visit the center. Even those citing the Bubbleator at the meetings seemed to forget that it originally was in the US pavilion (aka Key Arena) NOT the Center House.

@22 No one was paid to be there! Are you kidding me? Where do you get your information? I was there as a supporter for the Chihuly exhibit and was not paid. My friends who were there were not paid. I know the Chihuly people - they were not paid.

Nice to hear that

Tourism Center

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Tamara