Sunday, November 23, 2008

Revised Agenda: Local Financing Options for King County, Joint Task Force

Local Financing Options for King County, Joint Task Force* - 12/01/08 9:00 am

Full Committee
(360) 786-7124
Bellevue City Hall
450 110th Ave. NE
Bellevue, WA

REVISED 11/20/2008 10:00 AM

Agenda:

1. Funding Arts in King County.
2. Financing for the renovation of the University of Washington Stadium.
3. Youth Athletic Facilities Fund grant program.
4. Washington State Convention Center presentation on future plans and funding.
5. Key Arena renovations.
6. Public comment.

~
So, is it better to close the show? I think yes, though I expect most questions that the City of Seattle would have to answer about Key Arena renovations have been answered. I see the convention center presentation precedes the city. I think in contrast the Key Arena project will look more mature, just my guess, based on them not being in the meeting materials to this point. See here.
Hopefully they will play well with others.


Have a great day,
Mr Baker
Sent from my iPhone

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

[i]though I expect most questions that the City of Seattle would have to answer about Key Arena renovations have been answered.[/i]

Not yet, imo. Is a plan for a hypothetical team really that clear-cut of a plan? For the City's proposal to be taken seriously, they had better spell out exactly what they'll be doing with the funds if/when Ballmer doesn't land a team.

Anonymous said...

I imagine if the Ballmer group isn't successful in getting a team the city will use those funds to improve the Key anyway. IE the loading dock, sound system, theater curtain etc...

Mr Baker said...

A study done a couple years ago said it would cost about 20 million to bring the arena UP to minor league standards.
That is as far as I would expect them to go just to support the Storm.

No matter, if the state came through then Ballmer would get a team before the 5 years were up, more like 2 to 3.

I think Griz, or team in a similar situation would sell within the next two years.
When the NHL had its lockout John McCaw sold the Canucks, not much could prevent a sale.

Anonymous said...

The comments I've read from BR on SC are very discouraging. Especially considering the fact how close he is to this issue. This is probably it.

Mr Baker said...

Just about 6 weeks ago he had written the story asking if Steve Ballmer is still in.
Feelings can be wrong, facts no so much. He has been short on facts today.
He said he thinks he feels, and feels that he thinks, but I have not read Tim Ceis said xyz, mayor mccheese said 123.
He might have facts he is not sharing, would not be the first time, or he doesn't have facts so he FEELS uneasy and is expressing it.

Anonymous said...

Pretty quite at SC. The other shoe has probably dropped...And I consider myself an optimist.

Mr Baker said...

So, yesterday Brian was wringing even though he had not had today's meeting yet.
Now you are assuming the worst on less information.

The nature of political discussion is that finger pointing happens ASAP, there isn't a silence.
We should know something one way or another, and then we more on from there.

Anonymous said...

Sounds to me like the city is playing this smartly. I like this approach.

Mr Baker said...

To recap: Brian was questioning the city's efforts and was a little unhapper before the meeting had had, and after the meeting he a little happier with the direction the city was going.
Not too many facts communicated, the approach by the city is the same as was stated by Ross Hunter 2 weeks ago.

Anonymous said...

I noticed on Crosscut that CVD crawled out from under his rock to blather on about the Key. What a tool, but you handled him pretty good.

Mr Baker said...

He keeps using the same points, and I keep using simple facts to show he is wrong, but he has nothing else.
He knows by now that he is not being honest, but keeps going to the same BS.

A building that is more profitable 12% of the time is also more profitable 88% of the other time.
He is on the wrong side of his own argument.

Mr Baker said...

BTW, Ross Hunter replied to an email I sent him this morning about 2 hours after I emailed him.
He gave some fairly generalized responses.
He wants to see how the rest of the committee members feel, he did not commit either way to me.

I have a meeting that I called on Monday that I will try to weasel out of so I can provide a public comment at the task force meeting on Monday. I don't know if I can swing it so that's why I sent Ross the email.