Politics & Government
Crying Foul: Mariners Want $180 Million For Safeco Upgrades
Housing advocates and at least one Council member would rather spend hotel tax revenue on affordable housing.
SEATTLE, WA - A proposal to give $180 million to the Mariners for Safeco upgrades had its first hearing before the King County Council Monday - but housing advocates packed the meeting to demand the Council spend the money on desperately needed affordable housing.
The county and the Mariners have hammered out a new 25-year lease agreement for Safeco. As part of the lease, the Mariners would get about $180 million over the 25 years for capital improvements. If the Mariners don't get the money, the team might not sign the new lease.
The $180 million would come from the county's 2 percent hotel tax. When the county finishes paying off bonds for the construction of CenturyLink in 2021, that hotel tax revenue will be available for use. Of the total pot, 37.5 percent would go toward 4Culture, 37.5 percent to building affordable housing near transit, and the remaining 25 percent to tourism, including the $180 million for Safeco.
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But the 37.5 percent for housing is the minimum under state law. The housing advocates - and Councilman Dave Upthegrove - want the county to spend more.
"This revenue could be used instead to fund affordable housing and services for homeless youth. King County is in a severe affordable housing crisis, with unprecedented numbers of residents facing homelessness, housing insecurity, and displacement," the group Seattle Housing and Resource Effort wrote on its Facebook page before the Monday meeting.
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During Seattle's debate over a head tax, a report surfaced showing that King County and Seattle should be spending about $400 million per year on affordable housing. Also, this year, the King County Auditor found that the lack of available affordable housing in the county is exacerbating the region's homelessness crisis.
The county owns Safeco through the Washington State Major League Baseball Stadium Public Facilities District (PFD). The Mariners have said the county, as owner, should pay for some upgrades at the field. The team plans to spend more than $800 million over the 25-year lease for upgrades.
The Council's Committee of the Whole may vote on the measure on Aug. 29 with a vote of the full Council in September.
File photo by Neal McNamara/Patch
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