The King County Council began preliminary work on a new
Mariners stadium yesterday, but also put the WA Legislature "on
notice" that changes might be necessary in the state stadium
funding package, according to this morning's SEATTLE POST-
INTELLIGENCER. Several council members do not believe the taxing
authority granted to the county by the Legislature is enough to
protect the county's operating budget. They also believe the
Public Facility District that would manage the stadium "would be
too powerful," even though county appointees would outnumber
state appointees by 4-3. After studying six other recently built
stadiums, King County Bond Counsel James Hattori noted that
bonding for other projects was based on a smaller part of the
revenue -- 50-75% as opposed to 90% for King County. Backers of
the Legislature's package "say there shouldn't be any problem in
reopening the tax package if it falls short of providing enough
money" (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 10/19).
IS IT A BASEBALL CITY? The fan reaction to the M's playoff
run has opened debate on whether Seattle is a baseball market.
ESPN's Peter Gammons described getting "chills" as he stood on
the field while the M's fans cheered for their players to return
after being eliminated. Gammons said in five years, Seattle will
be a top baseball market ("SportsCenter," 10/19). In Vancouver,
Tom Hawthorn writes of Seattle: "Taxes, they don't like; the
M's, they do" (Vancouver PROVINCE, 10/19). Archie McDonald asks,
"Does a month of sellouts after 19 seasons make you an instant
baseball town?" (VANCOUVER SUN, 10/19). In Boston, Bob Ryan
writes, "It may be too soon to label Seattle a baseball town, but
something was going on" (BOSTON GLOBE, 10/19).
