Batter Up: $135 Million Mariners Subsidy Could Face Challenge

SEATTLE, WA - Less than two weeks ago, the King County Council approved giving the Mariners a $135 million for upgrades and repairs at Safeco. But on Thursday, a new group filed paperwork that might challenge the subsidy with a referendum.

The group CASSS - Citizens Against Sports Stadium Subsidies - opposes giving $135 million to the Mariners because its members believe the money would be better used to build affordable housing. Dmitri Iglitzin, CASSS' attorney, described the group as a "coalition of organizations and individuals," but was not immediately more specific.

"CASSS is considering moving forward with a referendum to repeal this bad deal for taxpayers. A final decision has not been made, but the referendum had to be filed today to meet the deadline to be able to move forward if public support is there for a referendum," Iglitzin told Patch Thursday.

The saga of the size of Mariners began over the summer when the Mariners negotiated a new lease for Safeco with the Seattle Public Facilities District, which owns the ballpark. The lease agreement included a $180 million subsidy that would come from future King County lodging tax revenue. That amount was later reduced to $135 million by the County Council.

File photo by Neal McNamara/Patch