New Seattle Arena In Renton? Mayoral Candidate Favors Idea

RENTON, WA - At least one candidate running for mayor of Seattle is in favor of a project that would greatly benefit Renton. During the televised mayoral primary debate Monday night, the top six candidates were asked where they would put a new arena to house pro hockey and basketball teams. Five of the mayoral candidates favored either Key Arena at the Seattle Center or building a brand-new arena just south of Safeco.

But candidate Bob Hasegawa said he supports a third option: the Longacres site in Renton.

"I think it makes perfect sense," he said. "It's got access from all directions and it doesn't come with all the baggage of the other sites."

It shouldn't be a surprise Hasegawa chose Longacres as his answer. Hasegawa is a state senator from the 11th Legislative District. His district covers Beacon Hill in Seattle - where he lives - but also parts of Tukwila and Renton, including the area where the former Longacres Race Track is located. If Hasegawa does not become Seattle mayor, he'll still continue to be a state senator - he just won reelection in 2016.

Longacres operated as a horse track between 1933 and 1992, when it was sold to Boeing for construction of the company's Commercial Airlines Headquarters and Flight Services Center. Even though the land is mostly covered by an office park, you can still see the old oval racetrack. Longacres was located along Oaksdale Avenue just south of I-405. The area is served by the Tukwila Sounder train station and a nearby I-405 on-ramp, so it makes some sense from a land-use standpoint as a site for an arena.

However, the chance of Longacres becoming home to a new arena is slim. Powerful interests are battling for rights to build the new arena either in SODO or at Key Arena. Where the arena gets built will likely fall to the next mayor of Seattle.

Unless Hasegawa wins, don't hold out hope for the Renton SuperSonics.

Image via Google Maps