Ballard Brewery Cancels Screening Of KOMO's 'Seattle is Dying'

SEATTLE, WA — Seattle's Peddler Brewing Co. on Monday said it had canceled an event featuring a screening of KOMO's "Seattle Is Dying" documentary that was to be followed by a panel discussion on homelessness in Seattle.

The Ballard event, called "The City of Seattle ... Thriving Or Dying?", was sponsored by the conservative Washington Policy Center's Young Professionals group. Some speakers included former Seattle City Council candidate Christopher Rufo, Seattle University law professor Sara Rankin, and Seattle restaurant CEO Chad Mackay.

Peddler said that it canceled because the owners "no longer felt comfortable" with the tone of the event.

"Two months ago we agreed to host a panel on homelessness. Since then the event has morphed into something that we are not comfortable being associated with and have canceled. Hopefully they will update their event page soon," Peddlar wrote in a tweet Monday.

"Seattle Is Dying" has divided the region (and beyond — the Spokane Valley police Facebook page highlighted it as an important piece of journalism), with some saying it's a realistic portrait of a deteriorating city. Others say it's inaccurate, exploitive, and over-simplifies the drug and homelessness epidemics.

The event has been relocated to the SURF Incubator space on the 7th floor of 999 3rd Avenue (Wells Fargo building), according to the Washington Policy Center.