gstommylee
Registered User
- Jan 31, 2012
- 14,509
- 2,802
I'm from Seattle and have covered the NHL as a reporter. I lived in Lower Queen Anne (Basically across the street from the Arena) when the Sonics were at their peak. I've also done extensive research on this topic since the Sonics left the city.
These are the conclusions I've come to:
- The only way you can re-do the Seattle Center is to level a three block radius around the entire complex as well as the roads to/from 1-5 and start from scratch. We all know that isn't happening.
- If the City wanted SoDo to happen, it would have happened by now.
- The City messed up Key Arena the first time around, they still haven't learned their lesson.
- The City, State, and County governments are cowards in that they're too worried about getting re-elected than to look forward to the bigger picture with the arena and the region.
- Anyone who thinks a Key Arena re-model is the right way to go never sat in some of the narrow seats. They're so narrow that a barbie doll would not fit in them.
- Voters still remember the governments sneaking the other two pro stadiums past them years ago.
- Former Sonics owner Barry Ackerley made Key Arena into a basketball only arena and stopped the purchase of an NHL team at the last minute. We all know that turned out.
- Hansen not embracing the NHL as well as the NBA for an arena will be his undoing.
- Any option at the Seattle Center is a joke given how the region and traffic has grown.
- And yet again fans need to be reminded that the NBA and NHL won't touch Seattle with a 10 foot pole until an arena deal is signed, sealed, and delivered.
Looking at the designs of OVG's plan. It doesn't even come clsoe to being another 95 renovation. The city did learn their lesson in terms of making sure it fits the needs of the NBA/NHL. What OVG's planning is what we should have gotten in 95. The arena is 100% privately funded the only public fund thing is credit for it being a national historic landmark which isn't a given at this point and it'll take several years before that determination.
There is no other location to put the arena to where there isn't massive roadblock that's ideal. So essentially your suggesting the entire region is a joke for the arena.
Here's the thing its not OVG's responsiblity to adress every single traffic problem in Seattle.