The $32.5M budget for the roof, ceiling, and structural
repairs to the Kingdome will reach $51M before the project is
completed early next year.  The figure, released by King County
officials, does not include payments to the Mariners or the
Seahawks, payments which could exceed $6M. Almost half of the
extra cost of repairs ($8.5M) is safety-related.  King County
Exec Gary Locke said if $51M is what it takes to finish the job,
"that is what we will have to do."  But County Councilman Pete
von Reichbauer "attacked the credibility" of acting Kingdome
Director Dick Sandaas and said he will fly in roof experts from
"back East" to review the work.  Von Reichbauer also threatened
to hold up additional funds until he "gets some answers."  How
the county will finance repair costs and tenants claims remains
undecided, although Locke has suggested extending the hotel-motel
tax, a Kingdome admissions tax, and a car rental tax (George
Foster, SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 11/15).

     Editorials in this morning's WASHINGTON POST and WASHINGTON
TIMES comment on the delay in plans for a downtown area in
Washington to further review the proposal of BET President Robert
Johnson.  The WASHINGTON POST urges the city to go with the
proposal put forth by Abe Pollin and the National Capital
Development Corp. (NCDC):  "The original proposal includes one
essential factor that is so far missing in Mr. Johnson's
counteroffer: the Bullets and the Caps" (WASHINGTON POST, 11/15).
The TIMES credits the city for "prudently put off making a final
decision" on the arena, adding that Pollin's proposal to bring
his teams into the city in a publicly financed arena "leaves the
city wide open to unpredictable costs and other problems. ... The
one thing the District can afford to do is take its time creating
more debt for itself" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 11/15).

     Seattle's Kingdome reopened its doors last week after the
extensive repair job on the facility, as the Seahawks played the
first part of their season at the University of Washington field.
In 1985-86, the Mariners and Seahawks signed a unique lease
arrangement that gave the Seahawks marketing rights to all the
luxury suites, and the Mariners control of advertising.  This was
based on 10-year projected revenue enhancements that would be
equal in value.  The Seahawks handle marketing of the suites for
every Kingdome event and receive 10% of sales and 50% of net
revenue.  The following profile is one of a continuing series of
the NFL's infrastructure.


  
 
    
 
      
STADIUM:
    
    
 
      
The 
        Kingdome, Seattle, Washington
    
  
  
 
    
AGE:
    
Completed March 27, 
      1976
  
  
 
    
CAPACITY:
    
66,000 -- 7th lowest 
      in NFL.
  
  
 
    
OWNERSHIP:
    
Owned and Operated 
      by the King County Government.
  
  
 
    
COST:
    
Cost $67 million - 
      $40 million paid in bonds. The restin loans and private donations.
  
  
 
    
LUXURY 
      BOXES:
    
48 -- 50% of the income 
      to the Seahawks, 40% to the Mariners and 10% to the county.
  
  
 
    
CONCESSIONS:
    
Ogden Services -- team 
      gets 30% of food and beverage and 52% of banquet and catering.
  
  
 
    
PARKING:
    
Three lots with 4,000 
      spots. $6 car, $5 car pool. Seahawks get no parking revenue.
  
  
 
    
ADVERTISING:
    
Mariners control stadium 
      advertising. Stadium gets approximately $230,000 - $250,000 annually.
  
  
 
    
RENOVATION:
    
$32-34M renovation 
      project to repair the roof.
  
  
 
    
RENT:
    
$1.16 million -- 15th 
      highest in NFL.
  
  
 
    
LEASE:
    
Lease for the Seahawks 
      expires in 2005.
  


(Sources: Tom Long/Kingdome; rent figure from Florida Times Union
article, July 24, 1994.)