As Seattle officials come to "the stark realization"
that Mariners owners "may not be coming back" to the
negotiating table, U.S. Sen. Slade Gorton is among a group
leading a "quiet" effort to find new ownership, according to
Foster & Boren of the SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER. Gorton is
considering a trip to Japan to ask Mariners Majority Owner
and Nintendo Chair Hiroshi Yamauchi to remain a part of the
franchise (Foster & Boren, SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER,
12/20). The Public Facilities District [PFD] will meet
today to approve and make public their new 20-year lease for
the Mariners to operate and play at the new ballpark,
according to David Schaefer in the SEATTLE TIMES. Board
Member Bob Wallace said the lease "essentially" gives the
Mariners "all the revenue that can come from the stadium"
(SEATTLE TIMES, 12/19). An $8.1M interim financing plan was
approved to continue design work and property acquisition on
a new stadium (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 12/20).
MARINERS OVER 'HAWKS: A Seattle Times poll of 400
residents, conducted by Seattle-based Evans/McDonough Co.,
found that 52% support plans for a new Mariners park, 42%
support a new Seahawks stadium. Asked to choose between the
two, a baseball stadium was preferred by a 6-1 ratio. Among
women under 50, 54% favored the new baseball ballpark while
only 36% supported a new football stadium. The poll showed
that "people are more inclined to blame public officials,"
rather than the Mariners, for problems concerning MLB's
future in the city, but more people blame Seahawks officials
than public officials for problems concerning football.
However, Seahawks prospective Owner Paul Allen drew the most
favorable rating among ten local figures involved in stadium
issues (Jack Broom, SEATTLE TIMES, 12/19).
