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x185468
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"title": "Transportation, Waterfront, and Seattle Center Committee 4/2/2026",
"date": "2026-04-02",
"committee": "Transportation, Waterfront, and Seattle Center Committee",
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"ABOUT TIME",
"AGENDA ITEM THREE",
"AGENDA ITEM TWO",
"ALL RIGHT",
"ARE YOU READY",
"BUILD UP THAT LOCKER ROOM",
"CAN YOU SPEAK INTO THE",
"COLOR OR COLORS",
"CONFIRMED",
"DAVID HANES",
"EXCELLENT POINT",
"GOOD MORNING",
"GREEN AND GOLD",
"GREEN GOLD",
"HOME",
"I DEFER TO THE FANS",
"I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT",
"I KNOW THERE WAS A",
"I WORKED WITH BRIAN AS A",
"JOY",
"LEGACY RESTORED",
"LOVE",
"LOVE IT",
"MAKES SENSE",
"NO APOLOGIES NEEDED",
"OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL",
"PLEASE",
"PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WILL",
"SECOND",
"SO THIS IS A RESOLUTION THAT",
"SONG",
"TERRIFIC",
"THANK",
"THANK YOU",
"THANK YOU SO MUCH",
"THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT",
"THE SEATTLE CITY DESERVES",
"THE SPEAKER WILL",
"WE ARE READY FOR THE RETURN",
"WE DID IT",
"WHAT EXCITES YOU THE",
"WILL OUR PRESENTERS AND"
],
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"committee:transportation-waterfront-and-seattle-center-committee",
"year:2026",
"month:2026-04",
"date:2026-04-02"
],
"text": "ALL\nRIGHT, GOOD MORNING. ALL SET?\nGOOD MORNING.\nTESTING.\nHELLO, TESTING.\nGREAT.\nCOOL.\nWE'RE READY TO\nROLL. THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT\nAND ASSIST TAPS IN RESOLVING\nTHAT.\nALL RIGHT, GOOD MORNING,\nTHE APRIL 2nd, 2026 MEETING OF\nTHE\nTRANSPORTATION, WATERFRONT, AND\nSEATTLE CENTER COMMITTEE, I\nSHOULD STRAIGHTEN MY\nTIE WHEN SAYING THAT, BUT THIS\nMEETING\nWILL COME TO ORDER.\nI AM ROB SAKA, CHAIR OF THE\nCOMMITTEE.\nWILL THE COMMITTEE\nCLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.\n[ ROLL CALL TAKEN ]\nCHAIR, THERE ARE FIVE\nMEMBERS\nPRESENT.\nALL RIGHT, EXCELLENT.\nIF THERE IS NO OBJECTION,\nTHE AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED.\nHEARING AND SEE NOTHING\nOBJECTION, THE AGENDA IS HERE BY\nADOPTED.\nGOOD MORNING, MEMBERS OF THE\nPUBLIC, COLLEAGUES,\nMEDIA PARTNERS AND OTHERS.\nTHIS IS OUR VERY FIRST\nSTEPS COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE\nSPRING.\nSPRING OBVIOUSLY SYMBOLIZING\nRENEWAL, REBIRTH, AND GROWTH.\nACTING AS A POWERFUL\nMETAPHOR FOR EMBRACING NEW\nBEGINNINGS.\nIT'S MY PERSONAL FAVORITE\nSEASON.\nI LIKE TO THINK OF SPRING AS\nAN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK FORWARD.\nAND TO BE MINDFUL OF THE\nPAST, AS\nWELL. OUR AGENDA TODAY HAS\nSOME EXCITING ITEMS TO DO JUST\nTHAT.\nFIRST AND FOREMOST, I'LL\nSHARE THAT I'M DISHEARTENED TO\nREPORT\nTHAT TRAGICALLY SEATTLE RECENTLY\nEXPERIENCED ITS SECOND TRAFFIC\nFATALITY IN 2026.\nA WOMAN OF APPROXIMATELY\n52 YEARS OF AGE TRAGICALLY LOST\nHER LIFE IN A SINGLE CAR\nCOLLISION ON THE 1500 BLOCK OF\nELLIOTT AVENUE WEST ON MARCH 18,\nJUST\nBEFORE OUR LAST COMMITTEE\nMEETING.\nBECAUSE OF SOME LATENCY IN\nDATADATA\nREPORTING, WE'RE LEARNING\nABOUT IT NOW.\nHER NAME HAS NOT BEEN PUBLICLY\nRELEASED.\nSO THEREFORE, WE'RE NOT NAMING\nHER TO\nPROTECT AND PRESERVE HER DIGNITY\nAND PRIVACY.\nMY OFFICE HAS BEEN\nWORKING CLOSELY WITH S- DOT AND\nTHE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS\nTO\nHOLD A FIRST- EVER\nCOMMUNITY TRAFFIC SAFETY FORUM.\nTHE PLAN IS FOR THIS TO OCCUR\nSOMEWHERE, AND I APPRECIATE\nTHE PARTNERSHIP AND\nCOLLABORATION OF\nCOUNCILMEMBER LYNN, AS WELL.\nI KNOW THIS IS AN ISSUE NEAR AND\nDEAR TO HIM AND HIS\nCONSTITUENTS, AND SO\nWE'RE WORKING WITH THE\nDEPARTMENTS RIGHT NOW TO\nFINALIZE,\nAGAIN, THE FIRST- EVER COMMUNITY\nTRAFFIC\nSAFETY\nFORUM. STAY TUNED FOR DETAILS.\nIN THE SPRING SOMETIME, IT WAS\nSUPPOSED TO BE LATE MARCH,\nEARLY\nAPRIL. BUT STAY\nTUNED. I IMAGINE IT WILL BE IN\nTHE SPRING AT THE LATEST.\nSO STAY TUNED.\nAND ALSO WE'LL SHARE ON\nTHE TRAFFIC SAFETY FRONT THAT AT\nOUR\nVERY NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING,\nI'VE INVITED S- DOT TO COME\nSHARE A NEW DIMENSION AND REPORT\nOUT ON THE STATE OF TRAFFIC\nSAFETY IN OUR CITY.\nAND SO AT OUR VERY NEXT\nMEETING, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE\nTHE\nCHIEF TRAFFIC SAFETY OFFICER\nFROM\nS- . DOT COME DO EXACTLY THAT.\nTHIS ISSUE REMAINS A\nHIGH PRIORITY FOR ME AND THIS\nCOMMITTEE. I KNOW MANY OF MY\nCOLLEAGUES, AS\nWELL. SO WE'LL KEEP LASER\nFOCUSED ON\nTHAT AND HOLDING OURSELVES\nACCOUNTABLE, INCLUDING\nBY INITIATING THE EFFORTS THAT I\nMENTIONED EARLIER AND MORE.\nON A LIGHTER NOTE, LAST WEEK\nI HAD THE PRIVILEGE\nOF ATTENDING THE MARINERS\nOPENING DAY GAME\nAGAINST THE\nCLEVELAND GUARDIANS AT T-MOBILE\nPARK.\nI TOOK A PERSONAL RECORD\nFOR SHARED MICROMOBILITY TRIPS\nIN\nONE DAY.\nEXCITING TIMES, FROM\nTHE WATERFRONT TO CITY HALL,\nCITY HALL TO THE CONVENTION\nCENTER, BACK TO CITY\nHALL, AND CITY HALL TO\nTHE STADIUM, AND MORE, PROBABLY.\nBUT LOVE SHARING MICROMOBILITY.\nWE ALSO KNOW ON THE SPORTS\nFRONT, WHICH IS A PART OF\nWHY WE'RE HERE TODAY WITH THE\nLEADERSHIP OF CO- OWNERS\nSAMANTHA HOLLOWAY OF THE SEATTLE\nCRACKEN, THEY HAVE ESTABLISHED\nTHEMSELVES AS A VIABLE AND\nLEADING NHL\nFRANCHISE IN MANY RESPECTS IN\nJUST FIVE YEARS.\nIT'S REALLY EXCITING TO THINK\nABOUT THE SUCCESS OF A\nPERSPECTIVE NBA FRANCHISE WE\nCOULD EXPERIENCE RIGHT HERE\nIN THE CITY OF SEATTLE, GIVEN\nOUR RICH TRADITION\nAND HISTORY AS A BASKETBALL\nCITY.\nNOW, SOME SAID SEATTLE MIGHT GET\nA SHOT.\nTHE TRUTH IS, WE'VE BEEN\nREADY ALL ALONG.\nFOR MANY IN SEATTLE AND\nACROSS OUR REGION, THE MERE\nPROSPECT\nOF RETURNING AN NBA FRANCHISE\nTO OUR CITY\nHAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING.\nSENSE THE SONICS DEPARTED IN\n2008, THERE'S BEEN A\nNOTICEABLE VOID IN SEATTLE'S\nCULTURAL\nLANDSCAPE. BUT THE EXCITING NEWS\nIS\nTHAT LAST WEEK, ON MARCH 25th,\nTHE\nNBA BOARD OF GOVERNORS VOTED TO\nAUTHORIZE FORMAL EXPANSION\nTALKS WITH PERSPECTIVE\nOWNERSHIP GROUPS IN SEATTLE AND\nLAS VEGAS.\nBEGINNING PLAY AS SOON AS\nTHETHE 2028-'29 SEASON.\nSO THE QUESTION ISN'T IF\nTHETHE SONICS COMING\nBACK, IT'S WHEN.\nAND IN FAIRNESS, THE LEAGUE\nIS IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT AT\nTHIS POINT.\nTHE LEAGUE IS IN CHARGE OF THIS\nVERY IMPORTANT PROCESS,\nAND THERE ARE ALSO A LOT\nOF INTRICATE DEPENDENCIES AT\nPLAY, AS WELL.\nTHAT SAID, THE CITY OF\nSEATTLE REFUSES TO BE A PASSIVE\nOBSERVER IN THE PROCESS.\nWE'RE STEPPING UP AND TAKING\nSPECIFIC, CONCRETE ACTIONS AND\nWORKING WITH LOCAL\nPOLICY AND MORE TO HELP SHAPE\nAND\nINFLUENCE OUR OWN DESTINY.\nIN SPORTS SPEAK, WE'RE\nCONTROLLING OUR OWN\nCONTROLLABLES.\nRESPONSIBILITY FOR BRINGING BACK\nOUR SONICS IS\nSHARED. AND I'M PROUD TO SAY\nTHAT\nOUR CITY IS STEPPING UP TO DO\nITS\nPART, AS WELL.\nTHAT'S WHY I PROUDLY\nSPONSORED AND INTRODUCED A JOINT\nMAYORAL COUNCIL RESOLUTION\nAFFIRMING\nSEATTLE'S READINESS TO\nWELCOME BACK THE SONICS.\nBUT LET IT BE KNOWN, HEAR\nYE, HEAR YE, WE'RE NOT\nAUDITIONING, WE'RE READY, AND\nWE'RE READY\nTODAY.\nYOU CAN HEAR IT IN OUR\nGYMS, FEEL IT ON OUR STREETS.\nTHIS IS A BASKETBALL CITY!\nAND THIS MOMENT REFLECTS REAL\nACTION. THIS IS ABOUT SHOWING\nTHE\nLEAGUE, OWNERSHIP GROUPS AND\nTHE WORLD THAT SEATTLE IS\nALIGNED,\nPREPARED, AND VERY SERIOUS.\nWE HAVE DEEP -- WE HAVE A DEEP\nBASKETBALL LEGACY, A\nSTRONG, RABID AND PASSIONATE\nGLOBAL FAN\nBASE.\nTHE ARENA ISN'T A PROPOSAL,\nIT'S PROOF.\nWE'VE GOT ONE OF THE\nSTRONGEST MARKETS IN THE\nCOUNTRY.\nUNIFIED LEADERSHIP ACROSS OUR\nREGION, CITY AND STATE.\nTHIS IS BIGGER THAN BASKETBALL,\nFOLKS. IT IS ABOUT ECONOMIC\nGROWTH,\nCOMMUNITY INVESTMENT AND\nRESTORING A DEFINING PART OF\nSEATTLE'S IDENTITY.\nI DID A RECENT HOT TAKE VIDEO ON\nSOCIAL MEDIA.\nSEATTLE IS\nNOT WAITING, SEATTLE IS READY.\nSEATTLE READY.\nWE'RE DOING THE WORK,\nWE'RE CLOSELY COLLABORATING,\nAND\nIMPORTANTLY, WE'RE LEADING.\nWE'RE ALSO READY AND WILLING TO\nPARTNER WITH THE NATIONAL\nBASKETBALL ASSOCIATION TO\nBRING OUR SONICS BACK HOME ONCE\nAND FOR ALL.\nBUCKLE UP, BECAUSE TODAY\nYOU'LL LEARN THAT SEATTLE IS\nNOT\nMAKING A CASE, SEATTLE IS MAKING\nDECLARATION.\nTHE HEADLINE ABOUT OUR CITY'S\nREADINESS IS CRYSTAL CLEAR.\nIF YOU'RE BUILDING A 32- TEAM\nLEAGUE, YOU DON'T SKIP THE\nCITY OF SEATTLE.\nWE'VE GOT THE FANS, THE\nARENA, THE ECONOMY.\nTHIS IS A LAYUP.\nLAYUPS IS TOO EASY.\nTHIS IS ACTUALLY CHANNEL THE\nSONICS HISTORY AND LEGACY.\nTHIS IS AKIN TO A GARY PAYTON\nALLEY- OOP WITH THE VERY VICIOUS\nPOSTERIZATION TOMA HAWK JAM BY\nTOM KEMP.\nSO FOR TODAY'S MEETING, WE\nHAVE TWO EXCITING AGENDA ITEMS\nTHAT\nARE INTENDED TO SEND A\nCRYSTAL CLEAR MESSAGE THAT\nSEATTLE IS\nREADY FOR THE RETURN OF\nA PROFESSIONAL MEN'S STABLE\nTEAM.\nFIRST, WE WILL HOST AND\nCONVENE A COMMUNITY\nROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION BETWEEN\nLEADERS\nAND REPRESENTS FROM THE MAYOR'S\nOFFICE, THE SEATTLE\nSPORTS COMMISSION, LOCAL FAN\nADVOCACY\nGROUPS, A YOUTH ADVOCACY\nORGANIZATION.\nWE WILL ALSO HAVE A -- WE'RE\nLUCKY TO HAVE A TEN- YEAR\nNBA VETERAN AND LOCAL LEGEND\nWHO PLAYED HIS HIGH SCHOOL AND\nCOLLEGE BASKETBALL RIGHT HERE\nIN THE CITY OF SEATTLE.\nTHIS IS TRULY -- THIS WILL\nTRULY BE A HISTORIC AND TIMELY\nCONVERSATION.\nNEXT, WE WILL CONSIDER A BOLD,\nTRANSFORMATIVE NEW\nLEGISLATIONLEGISLATION THAT MY\nOFFICE DEVELOPED IN\nPARTNERSHIP AND\nCOLLABORATION WITH MAYOR WILSON,\nWHICH\nUP EQUIVOCALLY DECLARES\nTHAT SEATTLE IS READY FOR AN NBA\nTEAM. SEATTLE READY.\nTHIS TRANSFORMATIVE PIECE\nOF LEGISLATION HAS THE POTENTIAL\nTO\nBE, AGAIN, IN THE SPORTS\nCONTEXT, A TOTAL GAME\nCHANGER IN TERMS OF SEALING THE\nDEAL TO\nBRING OUR SONICS BACK HOME\nONCE AND FOR\nALL. THIS HISTORIC BILL\nLEVERAGES\nA DATABASED APPROACH TO\nHIGHLIGHT A NUMBER OF KEY\nFACTORS THAT\nREALLY DEMONSTRATE OUR CITY'S\nREADINESS, RESOLVE, AND ENDURING\nCOMMITMENT TO BRING HOME OUR\nSONICS. SO TODAY, WE'RE\nRALLYING\nAROUND SEATTLE READY.\nGO, SONICS!\nAND I WILL SHARE EQUALLY\nEXCITING, EQUALLY AS\nGLAMOROUS, AT LEAST IN MY MIND,\nIN MY\nHEART, OUR THIRD AND\nFINAL AGENDA ITEM WILL BE\nA PRESENTATION FROM THE\nWASHINGTON\nDEPARTMENT OF\nTRANSPORTATION ABOUT THE 1st\nAVENUE\nSOUTH BRIDGE REPAIR PROJECT.\nBRIDGES ARE GLAMOROUS.\nBRIDGES ARE IMPORTANT, AND\nWE'RE GOING TO CHECK IN ABOUT\nTHIS\nIMPORTANT PROJECT THAT'S CAUSED\nSIGNIFICANT DISRUPTIONS AND\nDELAYS IN MY COUNCIL\nDISTRICT BUT HAVE CITY WIDE\nIMPACT.\nIT LED TO LANE CLOSURES AND\nA FULL REPAIR RESPONSE DUE\nTO SAFETY CONCERNS.\nSO REALLY APPRECIATE\nOUR PARTNERS AT WASH- DOT\nAND THEIR RESPONSE TO THIS\nEMERGENCY SITUATION SO FAR.\nLOOKING FORWARD TO\nHEARING THEIR\nUPDATE. THANK YOU.\nWE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR PUBLIC\nCOMMENT PERIOD.\nIT SHOULD RELATE TO ITEMS ON THE\nAGENDA.\nCLERK, HOW MANY SPEAKERS\nARE SIGNED UP TODAY?\nCHAIR, WE HAVE ONE IN-\nPERSON SPEAKER SIGNED UP AND ONE\nREMOTE\nSPEAKER.\nTHE SPEAKER WILL: THE SPEAKER WILL\nHAVE APPROXIMATELY TWO MINUTES.\nWE'LL TALK WITH IN SPEAKERS\nFIRST.\nCAN YOU PLEASE READ THE PUBLIC\nINSTRUCTION COMMENTS.\nPUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WILL: PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WILL\nBE MODERATED IN THE FOLLOWING\nMANNER.\nSPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN THE\nORDER IN WHICH THEY REGISTERED.\nSPEAKERS WILL ALTERNATE.\nSPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME WHEN\nTEN SECONDS ARE LEFT IN THEIR\nTIME.\nTHE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS\nNOW OPEN, AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH\nTHE FIRST SPEAKER ON THE LIST,\nTHAT WILL BE IN-\nPERSON SPEAKER AARON PRICE.\nARE YOU READY: ARE YOU READY?\nGOOD MORNING, COUNCIL\nMEMBERS.\nI'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS THE\nCORRECT NUE TO CHOICE THESE\nCOMMENTS.\nBUT MY COMMUNITY HAS\nBEEN DESPERATE TO BE HEARD.\nI'M AARON PRICE, A RESIDENT\nOF 14th AVENUE WEST.\nI'M HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF\nMY NEIGHBORS TO ADDRESS THE\nPROPOSAL OF REMOVAL OF PARKING\nSPOTS.\nTHE IMPACT IS REAL.\nSENIORS AND RESIDENTS WITH\nDISABILITIES WHO DEPEND ON\nPARKING TO REACH THEIR HOMES.\nTHIS WILL LEAD TO A\nSIGNIFICANT VALUE LOSS FOR\nHOMEOWNERS.\nWE WENT FROM ANNOUNCEMENT TO\nENFORCEMENT WITH NO\nOPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY INPUT.\nAS TAXPAYERS AND VOTERS,\nTHIS IS NOT HOW THIS SHOULD\nWORK.\nTO BE CLEAR, WE\nSUPPORT EMERGENCY VEHICLE\nACCESS.\nWE'RE NOT HERE TO OPPOSE THE\nFIRE DEPARTMENT.\nWE ARE HERE BECAUSE\nALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS EXIST.\nFOR EXAMPLE, FORMALIZING\nHOW RESIDENTS HAVE PARKED FOR\nOVER 25 YEARS COULD GUARANTEE\nACCESS TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT\nNEEDS WITHOUT DESTROYING PARKING\nFOR\nA NEIGHBORHOOD.\nWE ARE REQUESTING A MEETING FOR\nOUR COMMUNITY, AND THE\nSEATTLE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO\nDISCUSS SOLUTIONS\nBEFORE ENFORCEMENT. THANK YOU\nFOR YOUR TIME.\nOUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL: OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL\nBE REMOTE SPEAKER DAVID HANES.\nPLEASE PRESS STAR 6, MR. HANES.\nDAVID HANES: DAVID HANES.\nIS THERE ANY WAY WE CAN GET\nA LAW THAT SAYS ANY WASH-\nDOT CONTRACT HAS TO\nHAVE DOUBLE- SHIFTS ON THE JOB\nWITH A\nPROPER AMOUNT OF PAY SO\nTHAT WE CAN EXPEDITE THE\nPROJECTS\nAND GET IT DONE IN A TIMELY\nFASHION?\nSECONDLY, I WOULD LIKE TO\nLODGE A PROTEST AND COMPLAINT\nABOUT THE RESOLUTION THAT\nCOUNCIL IS\nOFFERING UP AS A FAVORITE OF\nOBG, MA NOP RISING THE\nOWNERSHIP OF THE NBA.\nTHE ARENA VIOLATED THE\nMEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING\nAND DUG 20 FEET DEEP AND CUT OFF\nEVERY FOUNDATION TO THAT\nCRACKED ROOF AND PUT THESE\nCRANES UNDERNEATH\nIT TO HOLD THE BALANCE, AND THEN\nSPACKLED\nIT AND REPAINTED IT.\nIT'S THE UGLIEST\nTHING YOU'VE EVER SEEN.\nTHEY WOULD PUT THESE TIE BACKS\nUNDERNEATH THE SIDEWALK TO\nHOLD UP THE UNSAFE WALLS.\nIT'S NOT FAIR THAT --\n[ INAUDIBLE ]\n-- WITH A PEDOPHILE MAYOR THAT\nDID A DEAL WITH THE CRACKEN THAT\nALLOWS THEM TO GET A\n$100 MILLION TAX BREAK.\nIT LOOKED LIKE A\nSLUM -- WE HAVE A BETTER\nINTERPRETATION OF POLICY.\nI CAN'T EVEN GET TO THE BUS\nSTOP BETWEEN PINE ON 3rd\nAVENUE BECAUSE IT'S STILL TOO\nUNSAFE.\nTHE PUBLIC BUS STOP THAT\nTHEY PAID $1 MILLION TO PUT IN.\nAND WE MISS THE TRANSFER EVERY\nTIME.\nYET ALL THESE DRUG ADDICTS\nARE OUT TO RUIN IT FOR\nEVERYBODY, AND WE STILL DON'T\nHAVE\nA COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE\nBUS DRIVERS -- AND THE\nSHERIFFS DEPARTMENT TO SHUT DOWN\nTHE\nEVIL PREDATORS IN AND AROUND\nTRANSIT ORIENTED PUBLIC\nTRANSPORTATION AND THEY --\n[ MUTED ]\nALL RIGHT: ALL RIGHT.\nCONFIRMING THERE ARE\nNO ADDITIONAL REGISTERED\nSPEAKERS.\nCONFIRMED: CONFIRMED.\nWE\nWILL PROCEED TO OUR ITEMS OF\nBUSINESS.\nSO LET US NOW MOVE ONTO\nOUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS.\nPLEASE\nREAD ITEM NUMBER ONE INTO THE\nRECORD.\nAGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE,\nSEATTLE NBA READINESS\nROUNDTABLE.\nWILL OUR PRESENTERS AND: WILL OUR PRESENTERS AND\nPANELISTS PLEASE JOIN US AT THE\nTABLE WHILE THE PRESENTERS\nCOME TO THE TABLE, COLLEAGUES,\nI'LL\nEXPLAIN THE SORT OF GENERAL\nPLAN FOR TODAY'S COMMUNITY\nROUND TABLE CONVERSATION.\nAGAIN, TO FRAME THIS\nCONVERSATION, THE NBA BOARD OF\nGOVERNORS HAS\nRECENTLY AUTHORIZED EXPLORING A\nSEATTLE EXPANSION TEAM, AND\nOWNERSHIP GROUPS MAY NOW APPLY.\nTHE LEAGUE WILL CONDUCT A\nSTRICT APPROVAL PROCESS LED BY\nCURRENT\nOWNERS. TODAY'S ROUNDTABLE\nCONVERSATION IS INTENDED TO BE A\nFACILITATED\nDISCUSSION DESIGNED TO SHOW\nSEATTLE'S READINESS\nFOR THE RETURN OF THE SONICS.\nNOW, THERE ARE MANY FANS,\nORGANIZATIONS,\nINDIVIDUALS, LEADERS WHO HAVE\nSUPPORTED THIS\nINITIATIVE OVER THE YEARS.\nAND IN ORGANIZING THIS PANEL\nAND CONVENING IT, WE'VE HAD TO\nMAKE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS TO\nHAND SELECT -- BUT WE WERE ABLE\nTO HAND SELECT, BUT WE WILL\nNEED TO BE SEVEN OF THE BEST\nLEADERS IN\nTHIS SPACE THAT SHARES\nINVALUABLE PERSPECTIVES\nAND CONTRIBUTE TO THE BROADER\nCOMMUNITY\nCONVERSATION SHOWCASING OUR\nREADINESS\nTO WELCOME BACK THE SONICS.\nEACH PANELIST WILL GET\nANAN TO SORT OF\nBRIEFLY INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND\nEXPLAIN\nYOUR AFFILIATION TO THE LOCAL\nBASKETBALL COMMUNITY.\nYOU HAVE ONE MINUTE MAX.\nAT THAT POINT, I WILL\nTHEN FACILITATE A\nSTRUCTURED, GUIDED CONVERSATION\nBY ASKING A SERIES\nOF QUESTIONS TO INDIVIDUAL\nPANELISTS.\nEACH PANELIST WILL GET AT LEAST\nONE QUESTION TO ANSWER, AND IF A\nQUESTION IS ASKED OF ANOTHER\nPANELIST NOT DIRECTED AT\nYOU, BUT IT REALLY IS ON YOUR\nMIND AND HEART AND YOU FEEL\nMOVED TO\nSPEAK, FEEL FREE TO DO\nTHAT.\nOCCASIONALLY. AND SO WE'LL GO\nTHROUGH THAT\nSORT OF PROCESS, AND AFTER\nWE FINISH THE STRUCTURED\nQUESTIONS FOR EVERYONE, I'LL\nTURN IT OVER\nTO MY COLLEAGUES FOR\nQUESTIONS AND FEEDBACK THAT THEY\nHAVE.\nBUT FIRST, LET'S BEGIN WITH\nSOME BRIEF SELF- INTROS,\nSTARTING FIRST WITH OUR DEPUTY\nMAYOR AND\nTHEN GO BACK THAT WAY.\nDEPUTY MAYOR, AND FOR\nEVERYONE, STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR\nBASKETBALL COMMUNITY\nAFFILIATION, AND LET'S\nGO WITH WHAT EXCITES YOU\nTHE MOST ABOUT THE PROSPECT\nOF BRINGING BACK OUR SONICS.\nGO AHEAD, DEPUTY MAYOR.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER\nAND CHAIR SAKA AND MEMBERS\nOF THE STEPS COMMUNITY.\nI'M THE DEPUTY MAYOR FOR\nTHE CITY OF SEATTLE.\nMY AFFILIATION TO THIS,\nTO SONICS BASKETBALL WAS, I\nMOVED FROM OKLAHOMA TO SEATTLE\nIN\n1998.\nTHIS WAS MY FIRST NBA TEAM,\nFIRST NBA EXPERIENCE, AND PROUD\nOF THAT FACT.\nSO WHAT WAS THE THIRD QUESTION?\nWHAT EXCITES YOU THE: WHAT EXCITES YOU THE\nMOST ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF\nWELCOMING OUR SONICS BACK HOME?\nJUST HAVING BASKETBALL,\nMEN'S\nBASKETBALL HERE TO ROUND IT OUT.\nEVERYONE ELSE HAS STAYED THE\nCOURSE.\nOUR WOMEN'S STABLE.\nBUT WE NEED TO BRING\nMEN'S PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL\nBACK TO\nSEATTLE.\nLOVE IT. THAT'S A DOPE\nSHIRT.\nCAN YOU SHOW IT OFF FOR THE\nCAMERA?\nTHERE IT IS. THERE IT IS.\nSO THEY CAN SEE IT IN THE BACK.\nTHANK YOU.\nMR. HAAS, WELCOME.\nYOUR NAME,\nWHAT EXCITES YOU THE MOST ABOUT\nBRINGING BACK THE\nSONIC?\nSONG: SONG.\nI'M SPENCER HAAS, BORN\nAND RAISED IN SEATTLE WHO\nWAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH\nTO PLAY FOR A WHILE IN THE NBA.\nBUT ALWAYS A SONICS FAN\nFIRST, AND I THINK THE THING\nTHAT\nI'M MOST EXCITED ABOUT IS\nGOING BACK\nTO A GAME WITH MY\nDAD.\nLOVE: LOVE\nIT. I NOTE THAT YOU ARE A\nFORMER\nHUSKIE. GO, DOGS.\nAND ONE OF OUR LOCAL LEGENDS, AS\nWELL.\nWELCOME.\nALL RIGHT. GO AHEAD.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.\nI'M BRYAN ROBINSON, A SEATTLE\nNATIVE, UNIVERSITY OF\nWASHINGTON GRADUATE.\nIN JULY 2006, NEARLY 20 YEARS\nAGO, I FOUNDED SAVE OUR\nSONICS AND STORM AND FOR 20\nYEARS, I\nWITNESSED A FAN MOVEMENT SO\nLASTING THAT IT'S\nDESCRIBED AS UNPRECEDENTED IN\nTHE HISTORY\nOF PROFESSIONAL SPORTS.\nI WANT TO JUST TAKE A SECOND TO\nREMIND EVERYBODY THAT WE HAVE\nAN OBLIGATION TO PROTECT THE FAN\nBASE THAT HAS BEEN THROUGH A\nLOT, AND THAT WE SHOULD NOT GET\nAHEAD OF THIS ISSUE.\nIN THIS MOMENT OF\nOPPORTUNITY, GOOD LEADERSHIP\nMEANS ENCOURAGING OUR CITY TO\nBE PREPARED WHILE MANAGING\nEXPECTATIONS AND\nCOMMUNICATING CLEARLY THAT THIS\nDEAL IS NOT\nDONE.\nTO QUOTE COOPER KUPP, I'M\nNOT SMILING UNTIL THERE ARE\nTHREE ZEROS ON THE CLOCK.\nTHE THING THAT EXCITES ME THE\nHOST, THE HEART OF THE\nCONFLICT, THE MORE GLORIOUS THE\nTRIUMPH.\nENDEARNESS IS THE ONLY\nTHING THAT GIVES IT VALUE.\nBECAUSE OF OUR LONG JOURNEY,\nNOT IN SPITE OF IT.\nWE HAVE THE FAN BASE THAT IS\nHUNGRIER THAN ANY OTHER IN\nHISTORY.\nWE ARE RABID AND OBSESSED AND\nREADY. IN ADDITION, I'M EXCITED\nABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR SONICS\nFAN\nBASE.\nPEOPLE NEW TO THE CITY,\nPEOPLE WHO ARE TOO YOUNG TO\nREMEMBER THE TEAM, ARE DRAWN TO\nTHIS\nISSUE.\nTHEY SENSE THE\nCONNECTION BETWEEN THE TEAM AND\nTHE\nCITY THAT IS DEEPLY FELT, EVEN\nIF IT\nDEFINES EXPECTATIONS.\nI'M EXCITED WHEN THIS NEW FAN\nBASE COMES TOGETHER WITH\nOUR LONG STANDING COMMUNITY OF\nFANS, WE ARE GOING TO CREATE THE\nMOST UNIFIED MOMENT IN SEATTLE\nHISTORY.\nLOVE IT: LOVE IT.\nTHANK YOU, MR. ROBINSON.\nGOOD MORNING: GOOD MORNING.\nMY NAME IS KRISTEN ACRES.\nIN 2012, WHILE I WAS A\nSTUDENT AT UW, I WORKED WITH\nBRIAN --\nCAN YOU SPEAK INTO THE: CAN YOU SPEAK INTO THE\nMICROPHONE?\nI WORKED WITH BRIAN AS A: I WORKED WITH BRIAN AS A\nVOLUNTEER AT ARENA SOLUTIONS.\nTHAT INTRODUCED ME TO THE SONICS\nCOMMUNITY AND SHOWED ME\nTHE POWERFUL ROLE THAT SPORTS\nCAN PLAY IN COMMUNITY IDENTITY.\nTODAY, 14 YEARS LATER\nAFTER MEETING BRIAN, I'M A\nCORPORATE ATTORNEY AND PROUD TO\nSTILL\nBE PART OF THE SONICS COMMUNITY.\nI SERVE IN A VOLUNTEER EDUCATION\nDEDICATED TO SUPPORTING\nTHE RETURN OF BASKETBALL TO\nSEATTLE.\nWE WANT TO ENSURE THAT FANS HAVE\nA VOICE IN THE RETURN OF THE\nSONICS.\nIN MANY WAYS, THE FAN BASE\nHAS BEEN ACTIVATED FOR THE PAST\n18\nYEARS. WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW IS\nJUST\nTHE ACCELERATION OF THAT.\nSPORTS UNIFY COMMUNITIES IN\nA UNIQUE WAY, WHERE EVERY\nPOLITICAL PARTY, RACE AND\nGENDER IS REPRESENTED IN THE\nSTANDS. SO USING THIS MOMENT IS\nSPECIAL OPPORTUNITY.\nTHAT'S WHAT I'M MOST EXCITED\nABOUT.\nLOVE IT: LOVE IT.\nTHANK YOU SO MUCH.\nGOOD MORNING: GOOD MORNING.\nMY NAME IS ROSE SULLIVAN.\nI SERVE ON THE ONE- ROOF\nFOUNDATION BOARD.\nI'M MOST EXCITED ABOUT\nTHE RETURN OF THE SONICS OR THE\nRETURN OF NBA BASKETBALL\nFOR PROFESSIONAL REASONS, BUT\nFOR A\nPERSONAL REASON IN HOW\nWE EXPERIENCED WHAT SPORTS CAN\nDO\nTO COMMUNITY.\nIT'S SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY\nIMPACTFUL ACROSS A LARGE\nBREADTH OF OUR COMMUNITY.\nI THINK WHAT SPORTS HAS THE\nPOWER TO DO IS\nUNPRECEDENTED. SO IT'S EXCITING\nTO SEE\nTHEM\nCOME BACK.\nTERRIFIC. THANK YOU.\nGOOD MORNING,\nCOUNCILMEMBER AND CHAIR SAKA.\nI'M BETH KNOX, PRESIDENT AND\nCEO OF THE SEATTLE SPORTS\nCOMMISSION.\nOUR PRIMARY PURPOSE, IN\nADDITION TO SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL\nSPORTS SPORTS\nCOMMUNITY, IS TO WORK WITH\nOUR PROFESSIONAL TEAMS AND\nOUR SPORTS VENUES TO BID ON\nFUTURE\nEVENTS, AS WELL AS FUTURE TEAMS\nTO BRING TO THIS REGION.\nSO THIS IS AN EXCITING TIME.\nONE OF MY GREATEST\nEXCITEMENT ABOUT BRINGING BACK\nTHE\nSONICS OR HAVING AN NBA TEAM\nHERE\nIS THE NATIONAL AND\nINTERNATIONAL ATTENTION THAT\nWILL BRING TO OUR\nREGION.\nWE ARE -- HAVE TREMENDOUS\nMOMENTUM RIGHT NOW WITH ALL OF\nOUR RECENT EVENTS THAT WE HAVE\nHOSTED, THE RECENT SUCCESSES,\nAND PROVING THAT WE ARE TRULY\nA WORLD CLASS SPORTS CITY.\nAND I THINK THE NBA\nTEAM WILL JUST DRIVE THAT\nMESSAGE HOME.\nTHANK YOU, MS. KNOX.\nLOVE IT.\nLAST BUT NOT LEAST.\nGOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS.\nI'M BRAD MYERS, CO- FOUNDERS OF\nA NONPROFIT CALLED RISE ABOVE\nAND WE ALSO HAVE FORMAL\nPARTNERSHIPS\nWITH GARY PAYTON, DALE\nELLIS, BEN BAKER, ET CETERA.\nWE USE SPORTS AS A MODALITY\nTO REACH OUR YOUTH.\nALONG WITH EDUCATIONAL AND\nMENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, WE SERVE\nABOUT 20,000 KIDS A YEAR.\nTERRIFIC: TERRIFIC.\nTHANK YOU.\nWHAT EXCITES YOU THE\nMOST?\nI THINK WHAT EXCITES ME IS,\nWELL, THERE'S TWO THINGS.\nONE IS THE PLATFORM THAT THE\nSONIC FRANCHISE CAN GIVE US TO\nREACH MORE YOUTH.\nI'LL GIVE YOU ONE EXAMPLE.\nWE BROUGHT A GUY IN HERE ABOUT\nA YEAR AGO, CHRIS HARRIS, A\nFORMER\nNBA PLAYER, BEEN IN RECOVERY FOR\n13 YEARS.\nWE BROUGHT SHAWN KEMP WITH US.\nWE GOT ABOUT 1800 KIDS IN THE\nASSEMBLY.\nWE FOCUS ON THE MENTAL\nELEMENT, HAVING SHAWN THERE.\nAT THE END, WE HAD 70 KIDS\nCOME FORWARD AND ASK FOR HELP.\nTHAT'S THE BEAUTY AND MAGIC\nTHATTHAT\nTHE HAVE, AND THE\nGUYS WE WORK WITH UNDERSTAND\nIT'S\nNOT ABOUT AUTOGRAPHS, IT'S\nABOUT REACHING THE YOUTH.\nTHAT GIVES US A\nPLATFORM TO REACH MORE KIDS.\nWE SEE THIS AS\nAN OPPORTUNITY TO REACH\nTHOUSANDS OF KIDS.\nLOVE IT, LOVE IT.\nTHANK YOU SO MUCH.\nSO I HAVE SOME\nQUESTIONS, TARGETED QUESTIONS TO\nEACH\nPANELIST.\nI WILL START WITH\nDIRECTLY FROM THE PLAYERS\nEXPERIENCE,\nPLAYERS PERSPECTIVE WITH MR.\nHAAS.\nSO MANY NBA PLAYERS PLAYED THEIR\nHIGH SCHOOL AND/OR COLLEGE BALL\nIN SEATTLE AND THE SURROUNDING\nREGION.\nCAN YOU PLEASE DISCUSS AND SHARE\nHOW THIS NETWORK\nSPECIFICALLY CONTRIBUTES TO THE\nLOCAL BASKETBALL CULTURE AND\nIDENTITY\nHERE IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE?\nYEAH, THAT'S A\nGREAT\nQUESTION. I THINK WE'RE SO\nUNIQUE KIND OF\nBEING TUCKED UP HERE AT THE\nEDGE OF THE COUNTRY.\nI THINK THE THING THAT STANDS\nOUT THE MOST TO ME IS\nTHE CONNECTION KIND OF THROUGH\nTHE\nGENERATIONS, AND\nTHE ACCESSIBILITY THAT -- TO\nBRAD'S\nPOINT, THE KIDS HAVE ALWAYS HAD,\nWHETHER IT BE SONICS OR LOCAL\nPROFESSIONAL GUYS LIKE MYSELF.\nI NEVER PLAYED FOR THE\nSONICS BUT PLAYED ELSEWHERE.\nAND THE WILLINGNESS FROM KIND\nOF THE OLDER GENERATION TO\nSTICK OUT THEIR HANDS AND TAKE\nUS\nUNDER THEIR WING,\nPROVIDE MENTORSHIP AND INSTILL\nCONFIDENCE IN THEM, AND I\nTHINK IT STARTED KIND OF -- MY\nEXPERIENCE BACK IN THE EARLY\nTO MID '90s AND ROLLING\nFORWARD\nSINCE. DESPITE THE SONICS BEING\nGONE,\nI THINK WE KIND OF DOUBLED DOWN\nON\nSHARING THAT RESPONSIBILITY.\nIF YOU LOOK AT JAMAL\nCRAWFORD AND ALL THE WORK THAT\nHE'S PUT\nINTO THAT, SUMMER AFTER\nSUMMER, YOU KNOW, CALLING IN\nFAVORS,\nGETTING GUYS TO COME OUT\nAND PARTICIPATING IN THAT.\nI THINK A LOT OF US\nVIEW THAT AS THE ONLY WAYWAY WE\nCAN PROVIDE,\nYOU KNOW, IT'S NOT AN NBA GAME,\nBUT TO SEE LeBRON JAMES COME\nOUT, CHRIS PAUL, IT GIVES KIDS\nTASTE OF THAT. THERE IS A LOST\nGENERATION\nHERE THAT HAS NO EXPERIENCE WITH\nPROFESSIONAL --\nMALE PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL IN\nTHE\nCITY. AND I THINK THE COOL\nTHING ABOUT THE CULTURE HERE IS\nTHAT PART\nNEVER DIED, THAT\nCONNECTION NEVER DIED.\nI THINK IT MAKES IT THAT MUCH\nEASIER GOING FORWARD HAVING\nTHAT COLLECTIVE IN THE\nCOMMUNITY THAT'S READY TO JUMP\nBACK IN\nAND EMBRACE IT WITH OPEN ARMS.\nI'M JUST REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE\nBEEN A PART OF IT, AND JUST\nWANT TO HELP SEE THE NEXT\nGENERATION\nSUCCEED ON AND OFF THE COURT.\nI THINK THAT MENTORSHIP\nIS WHAT STANDS OUT IN THE\nCOMMUNITY,\nAND FOR ME PERSONALLY WAS A\nHUGE PART OF MY DEVELOPMENT AS\nA PLAYER AND AS A PERSON.\nMAKES SENSE: MAKES SENSE.\nTHANK YOU SO MUCH.\nYOU MENTIONED SEATTLE LEGEND\nJAMAL CRAWFORD.\nI HAD THE PLEASURE RECENTLY\nOF WATCHING HIS SON PLAY AGAINST\nWEST SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL THAT\nREPRESENT. I THINK THE KID IS IN\nTHE 9th\nGRADE, BUT HE'S A STONE COLD\nKILLER ON THE COURT.\nMAYBE HE WILL BE A\nFUTURE SONIC ONE DAY.\nBUT THANK YOU.\nDEPUTY MAYOR, WE WOULD LOVE TO\nHEAR FROM YOU, FROM A CITY\nPERSPECTIVE, WHAT DOES NBA READY\nACTUALLY REQUIRE IN TERMS OF\nPOLICY, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND\nALIGNMENT? AND WHERE ARE WE\nTODAY ON THAT\nPATH?\nTHANK: THANK\nYOU AGAIN, COUNCILMEMBER AND\nCHAIR SAKA.\nI WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO\nSTEP BACK AND GROUND US ON WHAT\nCLIMATE PLEDGE ARENA REPRESENTS\nAND WHY IT'S ONE OF\nTHE STRONGEST\nPRIVATE/PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS THAT\nTHE CITY\nHAS EVER DELIVERED.\nA LITTLE OVER A DECADE AGO, WE\nFACED A CLEAR CHALLENGE.\nKEY ARENA, WHILE ICONIC, WAS NO\nLONGER VIABLE AS A MODERN SPORTS\nVENUE.\nWE WERE LOSING CONCERTS,\nEVENTS, AND WE HAD ALREADY LOST\nTHE\nSONICS.\nTHE QUESTION BEFORE THE CITY\nAT THAT TIME WAS\nSTRAIGHTFORWARD, HOW DO WE\nTRANSFORM A\nCRITICAL CIVIC ASSET WITHOUT\nPLACING\nNEW BURDENS ON TAXPAYERS?\nTHIS CITY COUNCIL, THIS\nCITY, MADE A DELIBERATE POLICY\nCHOICE.\nWE WOULD PURSUE A\nPRIVATELY FINANCED SOLUTION ON\nPUBLIC OWNED LAND.\nSO THE TIME MACHINE, 2016,\nWE ISSUED A COMPETITIVE RFP,\nWHICH\nI WAS HONORED TO HAVE LED\nWITH TWO OTHER CITY LEGENDS, BEN\nNOBLE, WHO WE HONORED LAST\nNIGHT, AND ROBERT NOMS.\nTHE THREE OF US ULTIMATELY\nSELECTED A DEVELOPER THAT WOULD\nDO WHAT OTHERS WOULD NOT\nDO, FULLY FINANCE, DESIGN,\nAND OPERATE A WORLD CLASS\nARENA WHILE PRESERVING THE\nHISTORIC ROOF AND INTEGRATING\nTHAT\nFACILITY INTO THE FABRIC\nOF SEATTLE CENTER.\nFROM THERE, THE CITY\nCOUNCIL APPROVED AN MLU AND\nFINAL\nTRANSACTION DOCUMENTS SETTING\nIN MOTION MORE THAN $1 BILLION\nOF PRIVATE INVESTMENT AND\nDELIVERED\nWITHOUT A SINGLE\nCENT OF DIRECT PUBLIC CAPITAL.\nAND THE STRUCTURE OF THIS\nDEAL IS WHAT MATTERS THE MOST.\nTHE CITY RETAINED OWNERSHIP\nOF THE ARENA AND THE LAND.\nTHE PRIVATE PARTNER TOOK ALL\nTHE CONSTRUCTION RISKS,\nINCLUDING COST OVERRUNS AND\nOPERATIONAL\nRESPONSIBILITY.\nTHE CITY BENEFITTED FROM THE\nRENT, TAX REVENUE, AND LONG-TERM\nASSET VALUE.\nTHAT WAS A RIGHT ALIGNMENT OF\nRISK AND REWARD.\nBUT AT THE SAME TIME, THIS\nWAS NOT JUST A FINANCIAL\nTRANSACTION. IT WAS A POLICY\nDRIVENDRIVEN AGREEMENT REFLECTED\nALL OF OUR\nVALUES.\nSTRONG LABOR, AND WORKFORCE\nCOMMITMENTS, INNOVATION THAT --\nWITH THE GOAL TO REDUCE\nCONGESTION, GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN\nSUSTAINABILITY AND CLIMATE\nINNOVATION, AND INTENTIONAL\nINTEGRATION WITH THE\nSEATTLE CENTER AS A CIVIC AND\nCULTURAL\nCAMPUS.\nTODAY, WE ARE SEEING THE\nRESULTS.\nWE HAVE THE SEATTLE CRACKEN.\nWE HAVE THE STORM.\nWE HAVE THE TORRENT.\nWE HAVE RESTORED SEATTLE AS A\nTOP- TIER GLOBAL ENTERTAINMENT\nMARKET.\nWE HAVE CREATED JOBS\nAND ECONOMIC ACTIVITY\nTHAT RIPPLE ACROSS THIS REGION.\nAND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THIS\nARENA WAS BUILT TO BE NBA READY\nFROM DAY ONE.\nSO\nWE TALK ABOUT THE POSSIBLE\nRETURN OF THE SONICS, THIS IS NO\nLONGER A QUESTION IF THE CITY\nIS READY, BUT IT IS A QUESTION\nOF\nTIMING. SEATTLE IS READY.\nWE HAVE ONE OF THE\nSTRONGEST MEDIA MARKETS AND FAN\nBASES\nIN THE COUNTRY, A PROVEN\nTRACK RECORD OF SUPPORTING\nSTABLE THROUGH THE SEATTLE\nSTORM, AND\nA CIVIC AND BUSINESS\nCOMMUNITY ALIGNED AND BRINGING\nBACK THE\nSONICS.\nAND A STRONG PARTNER IN ONE\nROOF SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT TO\nBRING THIS ALL HOME.\nJUST AS IMPORTANTLY, WE HAVE\nSHOWN THE LEAGUE SOMETHING\nCRITICAL.\nWE CAN DELIVER MAJOR\nLEAGUE INFRASTRUCTURE THE RIGHT\nWAY.\nALIGN WITH OUR VALUES WITHOUT\nPUTTING TAXPAYERS AT RISK.\nTHAT MATTERS, BECAUSE LEAGUES\nDON'T JUST EVALUATE MARKETS,\nTHEY EVALUATE STABILITY,\nPARTNERSHIP, AND EXECUTION.\nAND OUR CITY\nHAS DEMONSTRATED ALL THREE OF\nTHOSE.\nNO DEAL IS WITHOUT TRADEOFFS.\nWE HAVE AGREED TO A LONG-\nTERM ARENA EXCLUSIVE CONTRACT\nAND\nLEASE TERMS TO SECURE THIS\nINVESTMENT.\nBUT IN RETURN, WE UNLOCKED THE\nTRANSFORMATIONAL PROJECT\nTHAT CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY\nARE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT\nHOW\nTO DO BETTER.\nSO AS REFLECTED ON THIS\nPROJECT, AS LOOK AHEAD, THE\nCONCLUSION IS\nCLEAR -- WE PRESERVE PUBLIC\nOWNERSHIP, WE TRANSFER RISKS, WE\nDELIVERED A WORLD CLASS NBA\nREADY FACILITY, AND WE\nPOSITIONED SEATTLE FOR THE\nRETURN OF THE SONICS.\nAS YOU SAID IN YOUR OPENING\nCOMMENTS, WE ARE READY, AND\nWE'VE BEEN PREPARING\nOURSELVES FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.\nTHANK YOU.\nTHANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR.\nWELL SAID, AND I APPRECIATE YOU\nWALKING US THROUGH THE ARC\nOF THE JOURNEY AND VARIOUS\nPLAYERS AND LEADERS INVOLVED IN\nTHAT\nPROCESS.\nYOURSELF INCLUDED.\nI APPRECIATE YOUR\nPRIOR INVOLVEMENT AND YOUR\nCURRENT\nINVOLVEMENT.\nNOW THERE'S ALWAYS\nNEW PARTICIPANTS AND NEW LEADERS\nAND PEOPLE STEPPING UP TO THE\nPLATE TO BUILD UPON THAT GREAT\nWORK THAT IS A VERY INNOVATIVE\nMODEL\nTHAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, AS\nYOU DESCRIBED FOR THE\nPUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP\nMODEL, SO LET'S GO.\nSEATTLE READY.\nALL RIGHT, I'M GOING TO PASS\nTHE\nBATON AND ASK A QUESTION OF OUR\nPARTNERS AND FAN GROUP LEADERS.\nCAN YOU SHARE FROM EACH OF\nYOUR PERSPECTIVES WHAT ARE\nTHE STRONGEST INDICATORS TODAY\nTHAT\nSEATTLE IS\nAN UNDENIABLE NBA MARKET?\n20 YEARS AGO WHEN WE FORMED\nSAVE OUR SONICS AND STORM,\nWE WERE PARTIALLY SUCCESSFUL.\nWE ARE GRATEFUL TO THE STORM\nFOR MAINTAINING BASKETBALL\nCULTURE IN THE CITY.\nWE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THOSE\nWHO KEPT THE CULTURE ALIVE\nAND WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR CLIMATE\nPLEDGE\nARENA, ALL THE HARD WORK OF\nTHE DEPUTY MAYOR.\nALL OF THOSE THINGS\nHAVE CONTRIBUTED TO SEATTLE\nSTATUS AS\nAN UNDENIABLE MARKET.\nGEORGE\nTHE SEATTLE CITY DESERVES: THE SEATTLE CITY DESERVES\nTHIS TEAM.\nTHE SUCCESS OF THE STORM,\nTHE ACTIVITIES OF THE BASKETBALL\nCULTURE, COMMERCIAL VENTURES\nSUCH AS THE PODCAST THAT'S\nHOSTED HUNDREDS OF PODCASTS\nAND BROUGHT TOGETHER THOUSANDS\nOF\nPEOPLE.\nTHE SONICS APPAREL IS ONE OF\nTHE TOP SELLING COLLECTIONS,\nWITH DEMAND SURGING, AND WE\nARE SEEING A SIGNIFICANT\nINTEREST FROM FANS TO THE RETURN\nOF THE\nSONICS. SO YOU HAVE A LEVEL\nOF COMMERCIAL INTEREST, A LEVEL\nOF CULTURAL INTEREST.\nYOU HAVE RESTAURANTS, NIGHT\nLIFE, YOU HAVE MUSIC, ALL\nDEEPLY ATTACHED TO THE SONICS\nMOVEMENT.\nALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE\nINDICATORS THAT, OVER 20 YEARS,\nTHE CULTURE HAS STAYED ALIVE.\nBUT THE THING THAT MAKES\nSEATTLE MOST UNDENIABLE AS AN\nNBA\nMARKET IS OUR FUTURE AUDIENCE.\nIT IS THE INTEREST OF THE YOUNG\nPEOPLE.\nIT IS ALL OF THE PEOPLE\nTHAT HAVE BEEN NURTURED BY\nSPENCER\nHAWES, PEOPLE THAT GREW UP\nCHEERING FOR THE STORM, THAT\nARE READY FOR THE NBA'S RETURN.\nLOVE IT: LOVE IT.\nAND VERY WELL SAID.\nMS. ACRES, FEEL FREE TO\nBUILD UPON THAT IF YOU WANT, BUT\nI'M\nGOING TO TEE UP A\nNEW QUESTION FOR YOU, IF YOU\nDON'T MIND AS\nWELL.\nSO SPEAK TO WHICH EVER IS\nON YOUR HEART THE MOST.\nWHERE DO GRASSROOTS EFFORTS LIKE\nSEATTLE NBA FANS HAVE THE MOST\nINFLUENCE AND IMPACT FROM YOUR\nPERSPECTIVE?\nTO BUILD ON WHAT BRIAN SAID,\nI THINK WE ALSO HAVE ONE OF\nTHE STRONGEST CORPORATE\nECOSYSTEMS\nTO SUPPORT NBA EXPANSION.\nWE HAVE A GROWING TECH FORWARD\nYOUNGER AUDIENCE THAT PERFECTLY\nALIGNS WITH THE NBA'S FUTURE.\nSEATTLE ISN'T A MARKET\nWAITING TO PROVE ITSELF, IT'S A\nPROVEN\nMARKET THAT'S MISING A TEAM.\nAND I THINK PARTICIPATING\nIN DISCUSSIONS LIKE THIS ONE\nSTARTS\nWITH ENSURING FANS HAVE A\nVOICE AND A SPOT AT THE TABLE.\nWE DEMONSTRATE THAT\nTHE INTEREST IS ACTIVE AND\nGROWING.\nTHE SONICS BRAND IS IN HIGH\nDEMAND, AND VERY FEW TEAMS\nHAVE GONE THIS LONG AND STILL\nCARRY THIS LEVEL OF RECOGNITION\nAND\nEMOTIONAL CONNECTION.\nTHERE CAN BE A DECENT AMOUNT\nOF FAIRNESS WITH THE FANS HOW WE\nLOST THE TEAM IN 2008.\nSO WE HAVE DEDICATED OURSELVES\nTO BEING FORWARD LOOKING AND\nPOSITIVE, AND TO SET THE\nTONE, ESPECIALLY FOR A NEW\nGENERATION THAT ARE JUST HAPPY\nTO HAVE A\nTEAM IN THEIR CITY.\nLOVE, LOVE, LOVE ALL OF THAT.\nCOUNCILMEMBER, CAN I ADD --\nPLEASE: PLEASE.\nOVER THE YEARS, WE\nLOOKED BACK TO SEE WHY THE\nSONICS HAVE\nTHE STAYING POWER THAT THEY DO.\nWHAT WE HAVE HEARD FROM PEOPLE\nIS THAT THE SONICS\nEXISTEDEXISTED\nTHE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE\nOUR COMMUNITIES LIVE AND WORK.\nTHEY WERE CLOSE TO WORKING\nCLASS PEOPLE.\nTHEY HAD AN ACTIVE PRESENCE IN\nPIONEER SQUARE.\nAND THE FUTURE OF THE SONICS\nIMPACTING THE FAN BASE WILL\nLIE IN THOSE TRADITIONAL\nNEIGHBORHOODS, NEIGHBORHOODS\nOF COLOR THAT HAVE DEEP TIES\nAND MEMORIES OF GARY PAYTON\nAND SPENCER HAWES.\nBUT THE PRESENCE OF THE\nSONICS IN THOSE COMMUNITIES\nORIGINALLY IS WORTH NOTING AND\nRECOGNIZING.\nMAKES SENSE. THANK YOU.\nI'M GOING TO MOVE ON TO OUR\nCLIMATE PLEDGE ARENA LEADER.\nHOW IS CLIMATE PLEDGE ARENA\nUNIQUELY POSITIONED\nAND SPECIFICALLY READY TO HOUSE\nTHE SONICS FOR A NEW NBA\nFRANCHISE?\nAND ARE THERE PLANS FOR ANNUAL\nUPGRADES TO THE FACILITY?\nSURE, THANK YOU,\nCOUNCILMEMBER.\nSO WE'RE FORTUNATE THAT WE\nPOSTED OVER 90 STORM GAMES,\nWITH FIVE SUCCESSFUL SEASONS.\nSO WE'VE BEEN HOSTING\nBASKETBALL\nSINCE WE OPENED FIVE YEARS\nAGO WITH THE L.A. CLIPPERS,\nWE'VE ALSO HOSTED TWO NCAA\nMARCH MADNESS EVENTS WITH THE\nWOMEN'S SUPER REGIONAL IN 2023,\nAND THE\nMEN'S FIRST AND SECOND ROUNDS\nIN '25, WHICH WE WILL AGAIN\nHOST\nIN\n'28. SO THIS BUILDING, AS THE\nDEPUTY MAYOR ALLUDED TO, WAS\nBUILT\nINTENTIONALLY WITH BASKETBALL\nIN MIND, WITH HOCKEY IN MIND\nOBVIOUSLY, AND WITH CONCERTS\nAND OTHER EVENTS, PRODUCING\nNEARLY 1,000 EVENTS SINCE WE\nOPENED.\nIT'S SOMETHING OUR STAFF AND\nOUR TEAM ARE UNIQUELY CAPABLE\nOF DOING THAT TYPE OF VOLUME.\nSO THAT'S ONE WAY I WOULD SAY\nTHAT WE'RE READY TO HAVE\nTHE SONICS PART OF OUR\nLEASE THAT WAS NEGOTIATED AS AN\nANNUAL\nIMPROVEMENT PLAN.\nWE DO HAVE TO PUT MONEY\nBACK INTO THIS BUILDING TO MAKE\nSURE\nIT'S STATE OF THE ART\nFOR LONG-TERM.\nAND I THINK SPECIFICALLY TO AN\nNBA FRANCHISE, I THINK MANY OF\nYOU HAVE SEEN THE NBA\nLOCKER ROOM SPACE THAT IS ON THE\nEVENT\nLEVEL, SITTING THERE READY TO BE\nBUILT OUT.\nTHAT'S ONE OF THE FIRST\nTHINGS THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE\nCONTEMPLATED, BUT WE ARE\nREADY FOR NBA BASKETBALL TODAY,\nAND\nARE COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH\nTHE LEAGUE SHOULD ANY OTHER\nREQUIREMENTS BE NECESSARY.\nYES, THANK YOU FOR THAT.\nAND THANK YOU FOR\nSPECIFICALLY CALLING OUT AND\nMENTIONING OUR\nFOUR- TIME CHAMPION SEATTLE\nSTORM. LOVE TAKING MY FAMILY TO\nTHE STORM GAMES AND WATCHING\nTHOSE\nTERRIFIC WOMEN DO GREAT\nTHINGS ON AND OFF THE COURT AND\nIN OUR\nCOMMUNITY.\nTHIS ISN'T ABOUT ONE OR THE\nOTHER.\nMANY THINGS CAN CO- EXIST\nAT THE SAME TIME.\nTHIS ISN'T EVEN\nABOUT PROFESSIONAL VERSUS SEMI\nPRO.\nWE ARE A SPORTS CITY AND WE ARE\nA BASKETBALL CITY.\nSO THANK YOU FOR THAT.\nI'M GOING TO ASK A QUICK\nFOLLOWUP QUESTION FOR YOU\nBEFORE RETURNING TO MS. KNOX.\nHOW WOULD ADDING AN NBA\nFRANCHISE CHANGE THE\nARENA'S EVENTS AND ECONOMICS,\nAND\nWHAT DOES A SUCCESSFUL LONG-\nTERM PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE\nARENA AND A TEAM LOOK LIKE?\nYES.\nI THINK I'LL GO BACK TO WHEN WE\nDEVELOPED OUR OPERATING PLANS\nFOR THIS ARENA.\nIT IS TO BE BUSY EVERY DAY\nOF THE YEAR, IF POSSIBLE.\nWE DO ABOUT 220 PUBLIC\nEVENTS EVERY YEAR, ADDING 40\nPLUS\nMORE GUARANTEED DATES IS THE\nGOAL.\nAND SO THAT'S ABSOLUTELY\nSOMETHING THAT WE\nHAVE CONTEMPLATED SINCE OPENING\nIS HOW DO WE FIT AS MANY DATES\nINTO THE BUILDING AS POSSIBLE.\nWE HAVE AN AMAZING\nPROGRAMMING TEAM THAT MANAGES A\nREALLY COMPLICATED\nCALENDAR. THEY HAVE GOTTEN\nREALLY GOOD\nAT WORKING WITH THE LEAGUE\nAND GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS.\nSO ADDING 40 PLUS MORE DATES\nFOR US IS THE GOAL EVERY YEAR.\nSO SOMETHING WE'RE ABSOLUTELY\nPLANNING ON.\nI THINK IN REGARDS TO\nA PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN A TEAM AND\nARENA, WE LOOK\nAT WHAT WE HAVE DONE WITH THE\nCRACKEN,\nHOW WE HAVE INTEGRATED INTO\nTHE COMMUNITY AND SEATTLE CENTER\nAND\nDRIVEN ECONOMIC IMPACT INTO THE\nAREA.\nTHAT'S A GOAL WITH ANOTHER\nFRANCHISE, THE EXPANSION TEAM\nWITH THE PWHL, WE HAVE\nSEEN ACTIVITY WITH THAT TEAM\nCOMING THROUGH AND INTEGRATING\nTHEMSELVES INTO OUR CITY.\nSO THAT WOULD BE WHAT OUR GOAL\nIS WITH A NEW TEAM.\nTHANK YOU SO MUCH: THANK YOU SO MUCH.\nMOVING ON TO OUR PARTNER AT THE\nSEATTLE SPORTS COMMISSION, MS.\nKNOX.\nTHERE ARE CURRENTLY FIVE\nCITIES, FIVE THAT HAVE ALL SIX\nMAJOR PROFESSIONAL SPORTS\nLEAGUES.\nTHE MLB, NFL, NBA, WNBA,\nNHL, AND MLS.\nTHESE CITIES ARE NEW YORK, L.A.\nCHICAGO, DALLAS,\nAND WASHINGTON,\nD.C. THE OTHER WASHINGTON.\nWHAT MAKES SEATTLE UNIQUELY\nPREPARED AND POSITIONED\nTO BECOME THE SIXTH CITY TO HAVE\nTEAM FROM ALL SIX LEAGUES?\nWELL, FIRST OF\nALL, WE HAVE ALREADY HOSTED THIS\nTEAM.\nWE'VE ALREADY HAD THIS TEAM\nHERE. SO THAT FOUNDATION AND\nGROUND\nWORK HAS ALREADY BEEN LAID.\nI THINK THAT IT'S\nALSO INTERESTING THAT, TO YOUR\nPOINT, WE ACTUALLY ALSO HAVE A\nNUMBER OF OTHER PROFESSIONAL\nTEAMS\nIN ADDITION TO THE FIVE YOU\nMENTIONED.\nAND WE HAVE ALSO\nRECENTLY LAUNCHED A NEW\nPROFESSIONAL TEAM\nHERE IN SEATTLE WITH THE PWHL,\nJUST OVER A YEAR AGO.\nSO WE ARE UNIQUELY QUALIFIED\nFROM THAT STAND POINT.\nBUT WE HAVE -- WE'LL -- WE\nARE SUCCESSFUL IN BRINGING THE\nNBA\nBACK, SEATTLE WILL BE THE\nONLY CITY IN THE UNITED STATES\nTO HAVE NINE PROFESSIONAL TEAMS\nHERE.\nSO YOU'VE GOT THE MWSL, THE\nPHSP, MAJOR\nLEAGUE RUGBY. THIS IS AN\nECOSYSTEM\nOF SPORTS HERE IN STAT THAT WILL\nIS\nUNIQUE AND VERY SPECIAL.\nWE HAVE CROSS SUPPORT FROM ALL\nOF OUR PROFESSIONAL TEAMS.\nWE HAVE SEEN IT WHEN\nPLAYERS ATTEND THE GAMES OF\nOTHER TEAMS,\nAND THE SUPPORT FROM THE FRONT\nOFFICE ORGANIZATIONS\nIN PROMOTING WHAT THE TEAMS ARE\nDOING, CHEERING EACH OTHER ON.\nTHIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS\nUNIQUE TO SEATTLE, AND I CAN\nASSURE YOU FROM TALKING WITH MY\nCOUNTERPARTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY\nTHAT IT IS UNIQUE, THAT THAT\nCOLLABORATION AND\nREALLY INCLUSIVE SUPPORT FOR\nEACH OTHER\nIS SOMETHING SPECIAL THAT WE\nHAVE.\nAND THAT IS, I THINK WHAT\nIS REALLY AN ELEMENT\nTHAT PROVIDES A LOT OF\nCONFIDENCE IN OUR\nABILITY TO BRING ON A TEAM\nLIKE THE NBA AND KNOW IT WILL BE\nSUCCESSFUL.\nWELL SAID, MS. KNOX.\nI SAY AGAIN THAT WAS VERY\nIMPORTANT.\nI'M GOING TO ECHO WHAT I JUST\nHEARD. THE SONICS COME BACK,\nSEATTLE\nWOULD BE THE ONLY CITY TO HAVE\nNINE PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS.\nTHE ONLY CITY, AND THAT IS A\nREFLECTION OF OUR CITY, OUR\nECONOMY, THE LOCAL MARKET,\nTHE CLIMATE PLEDGE ARENA\nREADINESS, SO MANY FACTORS.\nWE HAVE A LOYAL FAN\nBASE, COMMUNITY GROUPS AND\nORGANIZATIONS AND SO MUCH MORE.\nTHE LEAGUE WOULD BE LUCKY TO\nREENTER THE SEATTLE\nMARKET WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MEN'S\nPROFESSIONAL\nBASKETBALL. AND IF GIVEN THE\nOPPORTUNITY, OUR CITY AND OUR\nFAN BASE WOULD\nBE LUCKY TO HAVE THEM, AS WELL.\nMOVING ON TO MR. MYERS, LAST BUT\nNOT LEAST, OF COURSE.\nWHAT WILL AN NBA TEAM ADD TO\nTHE YOUTH EXPERIENCE IN THE\nSEATTLE AREA THAT IS UNIQUE\nFROM WHAT OTHER LOCAL TEAMS\nCONTRIBUTE?\nWELL, I THINK THERE'S A FEW\nTHINGS.\nFIRST OF ALL, I THINK\nBASKETBALL HAS BEEN A CENTRAL\nPART OF\nTHIS COMMUNITY FOR A LONG TIME,\nAND I\nBROUGHT A PHOTO TODAY I WANT\nTO SHARE WITH YOU RIGHT NOW.\nIT'S MY BROTHER AND I IN\n1968 WEARING OUR SEATTLE SONIC\nT-SHIRTS. I WENT TO THE FIRST\nGAME HERE.\nBOB RULE WAS THE FIRST SUPERSTAR\nFOR THE SONICS IN '68.\nSO BASKETBALL IS ENTRENCHED IN\nTHIS COMMUNITY.\nWE HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH\nTHE PRO FRANCHISES, BUT I WANT\nTO\nHIGHLIGHT, ONE IS THE\nSEATTLE STORM RELATIONSHIP WE\nHAVE.\nIT'S VERY INTENTIONAL.\nIT'S MENTAL HEALTH RELATED.\nWE'RE ABLE TO SERVE THOUSANDS\nOF KIDS EVERY YEAR, SO IT\nGIVES US A PLATFORM TO REACH\nKIDS.\nTHE SECOND GROUP I WANT TO\nACKNOWLEDGE, JACKIE WAS\nBLESSED ENOUGH TO RECEIVE A\nNATIONAL\nAWARD AROUND HEALTH AND WELLNESS\nBY JOE BIDEN AND ABLE TO GO\nBACK TO THE WHITE HOUSE A COUPLE\nYEARS AGO AND PRESENT THE\nWORK THAT WE'RE DOING, AND\nMORE IMPORTANTLY PRESENT\nWHY PARTNERSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT.\nWHAT ONE GROUP HAS DONE IS\nGIVEN US A PLATFORM TO REACH\nTHOUSANDS OF KIDS BECAUSE\nTHEY'RE SPENGSAL.SPENGS\n-- INTENTIONAL.\nBETH AND HER PLATFORM HAS\nGIVEN\nUS TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITIES TO\nREACH KIDS.\nTHERE ARE\nAMAZING ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO\nGIVE BACK TO OUR\nYOUTH. WE ARE PART OF THE WNBA,\nNBA,\nNFL, MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL,\nAND THEY'RE ALL ON A PUSH NOW\nFORFOR\nMENTAL HEALTH,\nSPECIFICALLY AROUND THE YOUTH.\nSO WE HAVE ALIGNED\nOURSELVES WITH THE FRANCHISES\nLOCALLY,\nBUT I WILL SAY THIS, AND JACKIE\nUSED THAT TESTIMONY BACK WITH\nJOE\nBIDEN TO SAY HERE'S WHAT CAN BE\nIMPACTED WHEN A FRANCHISE IS\nBACK IN THE COMMUNITY.\nIT'S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT\nDOLLARS, IT'S ABOUT ACCESS.\nWE'RE BLESSED IN SEATTLE TO\nHAVE THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE\nHAVE.\nTHANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.\nI'M GOING TO CLOSE OUT\nSOME QUESTIONS AND OPEN IT UP TO\nMY\nCOLLEAGUES. AT THE END OF THE\nDAY, THIS\nIS ABOUT CREATING A VIBRANT,\nRICH,\nFUN, SAFE EXPERIENCE FOR OUR\nFANS, AND EAT ENVIRONMENT.\nSO FINAL TWO\nQUESTIONS FOR OUR GROUP.\nMR. HAWES, FIRST OFF,\nIF YOU COULD JUST BRIEFLY --\nI'M A\nFIRM BELIEVER IN THE POWER OF\nSTORY\nTELLING. I THINK YOU ALL ARE, AS\nWELL.\nWHAT STORY ABOUT\nSEATTLE BASKETBALL IS RESONATING\nMOSTMOST RIGHT NOW FROM YOUR\nPERSPECTIVE?\nI THINK WE'RE STICKING\nTO SEATTLE IS READY AND SEATTLE\nIS\nA BASKETBALL CITY AND ALWAYS\nHAS BEEN.\nSEATTLE NEVER TURNED ITS BACK ON\nTHE SONICS AND NOW THAT STORY IS\nEVOLVING INTO SOMETHING BIGGER.\nIT'S INCREASINGLY VIEWED AS\nTHE MOST OBVIOUS EXPANSION AND\nRELOCATION DECISION IN SPORTS.\nWE'RE SEEING A SHIFT\nFROM NOSTALGIA TO READINESS, AND\nTHERE'S A NATIONAL CONSENSUS\nTHAT SEATTLE IS THE RIGHT\nCHOICE.\nTHERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WE WISH\nWERE STILL HERE TO SEE\nTHIS. IF AND WHEN WE HAVE A\nTEAM, I'M\nEXCITED TO SEE THOSE STORIES BE\nCELEBRATED. I SEE COMMENTS\nONLINE THAT SAY\nTHINGS LIKE I LIVE IN\nDENVER, BUT I HOPE SEATTLE GETS\nITS TEAM\nBACK. IT JUST FEELS LIKE THE\nENTIRE COUNTRY IS ROOTING FOR US\nRIGHT\nNOW.\nYES, INDEED.\nMR. ROBINSON, I'M GOING TO\nSHIFTSHIFT UP HERE JUST A LITTLE\nBIT.\nWHAT DOES AN ACTIVATED\nSONICS FAN BASE LOOK LIKE IN\n2026?\nIN 2026, AN ACTIVATED SONICS\nFAN BASE STOPS ASKING IF\nSEATTLE IS READY AND STARTS\nASKING WHAT IS SEATTLE READY\nFOR?\nBASED ON ASKING WHAT IS THE\nBEST CASE SCENARIO IF THE SONICS\nRETURN.\nTHEY START IMAGINING\nTREMENDOUS, POSITIVE COMMUNITY\nIMPACT.\nTHEY START STRIVING FOR\nDEEPLY ROOTED FRANCHISE THAT IS\nTIED TO\nHISTORY, BUT ALSO FOCUSED ON THE\nFUTURE. WE HAVE SEEN\nTREMENDOUS PARTICIPATION FROM\nKIND OF\nTHE HOLY TRINITY OF GATHERING\nSPACES, FOOD, MUSIC, SPORTS, ALL\nCOMING TOGETHER AROUND THIS\nISSUE.\nWE HAVE SEEN YOU NG PEOPLE\nAND NEW PEOPLE COMING AROUND\nTHIS\nISSUE.\nSO GOING FORWARD, OUR FAN\nBASE NEEDS TO NOT SETTLE AND NOT\nHAVE\nLOW EXPECTATIONS, AND AN\nACTIVATED SONICS BASE LOOKS AT\nTHE JOURNEY, LOOKS AT THE HUNGER\nWE HAVE AND SAYS WHAT CAN WE\nACCOMPLISH FROM HERE.\nYES.\nFINALLY, MR. HAWES, HOW\nHAVE PLAYER EXPECTATIONS AROUND\nARENAS AND FACILITIES CHANGED\nSINCE YOUR ERA, YOUR TEN-\nYEAR NBA ERA, AND HOW IMPORTANT\nIS\nA VENUE LIKE CLIMATE PLEDGE\nARENA\nTO LONG- TERM\nSUCCESS AND VIABILITY?\nIT'S BEEN A MONUMENTAL SHIFT\nFROM WHEN I CAME IN THE LEAGUE.\nI REMEMBER MY FIRST PRESS\nCONFERENCE DOWN IN\nSACRAMENTO, THEY ASKED ME IF I\nWANTED TO DO\nA TOUR OF THE OLD ARENA.\nI WAS VERY EXCITED.\nABOUT TWO MINUTES INTO\nTHE TOUR, I'M LOOKING AROUND\nAND\nTHINKING WE'RE LOSING THE\nSONICS\nBECAUSE KEY RENA IS NOT\nSUITABLE.\nARCO WAS IN A STATE OF\nDISREPAIR BEYOND THAT.\nSO THE LEAGUE HAS COME A LONG\nWAY. PLAYER EXPECTATIONS, GUYS\nARE\nA LITTLE SPOILED\nNOW BECAUSE OF THE CONSISTENCY\nOF THE LEVEL\nOF VENUES ACROSS\nTHE NATIONAL BASKETBALL\nASSOCIATION.\nBUT YOU NOTICE IT.\nFS EASIER WHEN I WAS PLAYING,\nBECAUSE THERE WAS MORE OF\nA DELTA BETWEEN THE WORLD CLASS\nVENUES AND THEN THE ONES\nTHAT WERE JUST KIND OF\nSUFFICIENT.\nI THINK THAT TIDE HAS\nRISEN SIGNIFICANTLY,\nLIKE I SAID. BUT IT'S SOMETHING\nAS A\nPLAYER, WHETHER IT'S YOUR HOME\nARENA, HAVING PRIDE IN THAT\nBUILDING.\nIF YOU'RE COMING IN AS A\nVISITOR, YOU NOTICE, WOW, THE\nAMENITIES, THE CROWD, IT'S\nSOMETHING YOU TAKE NOTE OF.\nFOR FREE AGENTS, YOU KNOW, IF\nIT'S EQUAL ON THE CONTRACT\nOFFERS, THINGS LIKE NOT ONLY\nTHE ARENA, BUT THE PRACTICE\nFACILITY AND EVERYTHING ALONG\nTHE LINE.\nTHOSE CAN SWING DECISIONS.\nSO I THINK IT'S VERY\nIMPORTANT, AND I'VE BEEN TO A\nLOT OF\nTHE NEW ONES, AND I CAN'T SAY\nI'VE BEEN TO ONE THAT'S MORE\nIMPRESSIVE THAN CLIMATE PLEDGE.\nOBVIOUSLY LIKE EVERYONE SAID,\nBUILD UP A LOCKER ROOM AND\nWE'RE READY TO GO.\nBUILD UP THAT LOCKER ROOM: BUILD UP THAT LOCKER ROOM\nAND WE'RE READY TO GO.\nI'M SO FIRED UP, I'M GOING\nTO THROW ON MY SONIC HAT HERE.\nCOLLEAGUES, I'M GOING TO\nTURN THE FLOOR OVER TO YOU FOR\nANY\nQUESTIONS, COMMENTS, FEEDBACK.\nI KNOW THAT\nCOUNCILMEMBERS KETTLE AND FOSTER\nHAVE\nTHEIR HAND UP.\nBUT I'M GOING TO GIVE IT TO THE\nVICE CHAIR FOR\nANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENT IT IS\nYOU HAVE ANY.\nKEEP THING MOVING ALONG.\nNEXT UP WAS COUNCILMEMBER\nKETTLE.\nTHANK YOU, CHAIR SAKA.\nI REALLY WANT TO THANK EVERYONE\nWHO, IN ADDITION TO\nSEATTLESEATTLE\nU DUB, I ALSO WANT TO CLAIM ST.\nANNE'S, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE\nSPENCER\nHAWES AND EVERYONE BEING HERE\nTODAY.\nYOU KNOW, I'M HAPPY THAT\nSEATTLE CENTER HAS BEEN ADDED TO\nTHIS\nCOMMITTEE, BECAUSE IT OFFERS\nUS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE\nTHIS FORUM AND TALK ABOUT WHERE\nWE'RE GOING AS A CITY.\nI THINK IT'S FANTASTIC.\nI'VE BEEN ENGAGED FROM\nTHE BEGINNING IN TERMS\nOF COMING FROM COMMUNITY.\nSTARTING WITH CPA, CLIMATE\nPLEDGE ARENA.\nTHIS IS NOT JUST AN ARENA,\nTHIS IS PART OF THE CENTER OF\nSEATTLE\nCENTER. IT IS PART OF THE\nCOMMUNITY CENTER.\nIT IS PART OF UPTOWN, QUEEN\nANN, SOUTHLAKE UNION.\nIT IS A COMMUNITY ASSET,\nIN ADDITION TO BEING A SEATTLE\nASSET.\nIT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN\nEMBRACED AND SOMETHING\nTHAT'S BEEN REALLY UNDERSTOOD\nTO\nBE, YOU KNOW, THAT NEXT LEVEL.\nTHIS GOES TO -- COMING BACK TO\nTRANSPORTATION, INNOVATIVE.\nYOU KNOW, NEW LIFE INTO\nTHE MOANO RAIL.\nJUST THINK ABOUT WHAT WE'VE\nDONE\nIN TERMS OF THE ENTIRE\nECOSYSTEM, IN TERMS OF THE\nBUSINESSES, THE TRANSPORTATION\nSYSTEMS, AND WHAT WE'RE\nGOING TO BE DOING IN THE FUTURE.\nA LOT OF THIS CENTERS ON\nWHAT WE HAVE DONE WITH THE\nARENA. AND I WATCHED THE\nCONSTRUCTION,\nYOU KNOW, FROM THE VERY\nBEGINNING.\nI WATCHED THE ROOF, WHICH WAS\nAN ENGINEERING MARVEL TO SEE\nTHE ROOF AND NOTHING UNDERNEATH\nIT.\nIT'S JUST INCREDIBLE.\nI WILL SAY LATER, I'VE\nBEEN THROUGH EVERY INCH OF\nTHAT ARENA, AND IT IS FANTASTIC.\nIT'S BEEN A GREAT HOME TO THE\nSTORM.\nTHE ADVANTAGE OF BEING A\nDISTRICT SEVEN REPRESENTATIVE\nIS TO GET TO KNOW THE STORM.\nIT ALSO HELPS HAVING A\nSO-YEAR- OLD DAUGHTER AND\nMY WIFE AND MYSELF ARE GREAT\nFANS.\nWITH THE OWNERSHIP GROUP OF THE\nSTORM, BUT TO BE THERE\nFOR COLLEGE BASKETBALL.\nWE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF MARCH\nMADNESS, RIGHT?\nWITH UCONN TAKING OUT\nDUKE,\nINCREDIBLE. BUT I WAS THERE WITH\nMY\nFAMILY SEEING CAITLIN CLARK AT\nTHE\n'23 MARCH MADNESS AT THE\nWOMEN'S\nTOURNAMENT. THIS IS WHAT THIS\nARENA\nOFFERS US AS A CITY TO BRING\nTHIS HERE.\nTHE CRACKEN, SO MANY MEMORIES\nTHERE, BEING\nTHERE AND WATCHING A GOALGOAL\nAROUND AND\nHIGH FIVING SOME INCREDIBLE\nPEOPLE THERE AT THE ARENA AND\nTHE\nEXCITEMENT\nOF THE GAME. IT WAS FANTASTIC.\nBUT EVEN RECENTLY, AGAIN,\nWITH MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER, BEING\nAT\nTHE OPENING GAME OF THE TORRENT.\nI MEAN, THIS IS UNIQUE.\nYOU DON'T SEE THIS AROUND THE\nCOUNTRY. THAT WAS UNBELIEVABLY\nBEAUTIFUL\nTO SEE THAT, AND THE GAME WAS\nINCREDIBLE.\nAGAIN, MAXED\nOUT. AT THE TIME, THE BIGGEST\nATTENDANCE OF ANY WOMEN'S\nPROFESSIONAL HOCKEY EVER.\nTHIS IS WHAT THE ARENA HAS DONE.\nBUT I ALSO WANTED TO GIVE\nCREDIT TO ONE GROUP SPORTS\nAND ENTERTAINMENT AND ALSO THE\nFOUNDATION.\nI THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT\nPIECE THAT GOES TO MY\nINITIAL POINT ABOUT THE\nCOMMUNITY\nAND ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY.\nWHAT THE ONE ROOF FOUNDATION\nDID WITH RESPECT TO MEMORIAL\nSTADIUM AND MEMORIAL WALL, WHICH\nIS DEAR\nTO MY\nHEART. YOU KNOW, I WAS THERE AT\nAN EVENT CLOSING OUT, AND ONE\nROOF FOUNDATION WAS SO KEY\nPROVIDING\nTHAT LAST PIECE OF\nFUNDING AND AT THE EVENT, I\nTHANK AMAZON FOR\nTHEIR SUPPORT BECAUSE THEY GAVE\nTHAT LAST $2 MILLION TO\nGET OVER THE\nGOAL. IT WAS INCREDIBLE,\nBECAUSE IT IS NOW TRANSFORMING\nTHAT SIDE\nOF SEATTLE CENTER, AND THE\nLINKAGES IN TERMS OF WHAT WE\nCAN DO BETWEEN VARIOUS PARTS OF\nSEATTLESEATTLE CENTER IS\nINCREDIBLE.\nTHAT'S A TESTIMONY TO\nCOMMITMENT AND COMMUNITY.\nSO I WANT TO THANK ONE\nROOF SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT IN\nADDITION TO THE FOUNDATION, AS\nWELL. IT'S LED BY SAM HOLLOWAY.\nTALK ABOUT BEING ENGAGED IN\nCOMMUNITY.\nI'VE SEEN HER.\nSHE'S BEEN TO MY OFFICE.\nI'VE SEEN HER IN COMMUNITY, AT\nTHE ARENA.\nEVEN AT A GIRL'S SUMMER\nSOCCER CAMP DROPOFF, WHICH\nREALLY SHOWS\nTHAT SHE IS HERE IN SEATTLE.\nYOU KNOW, AND\nENGAGED. I THINK THAT'S SUPER\nIMPORTANT.\nI THANK HER FOR ALL HER SUPPORT\nTHAT SHE'S DONE IN TERMS\nOF GETTING US TO WHERE WE ARE\nTODAY.\nI THINK IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT.\nBUT JUST TO CLOSE, CHAIR,\nAGAIN, I NOTED EARLIER, I'VE\nBEEN THROUGH EVERY INCH OF\nTHAT\nARENA. THE COOL LITTLE PIECES,\nTHE ATTENTION TO DETAIL.\nALL THESE DIFFERENT PIECES ARE\nINCREDIBLE.\nAGAIN, WATCHING IT BEING BUILT,\nTHAT WAS FASCINATING.\nWATCHING THEM ENGAGING WITH\nCOMMUNITY.\nTHE LITTLE THINGS, LIKE\nTHE TUNNEL UNDERNEATH THAT\nCOMES BACK ON THE OTHER SIDE.\nYOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN CONCERTS\nTHERE, INCREDIBLE TO SEE PETER\nGABRIEL. IT WAS\nUNBELIEVABLE. JUST DIFFERENT\nTHINGS.\nBUT WHAT'S KEY ABOUT THIS\nARENA,\nIT IS NBA READY.\nAND IT SHOWS THAT THE\nARENA, THE ENTIRE AREA, THE CITY\nTHAT WE\nARE, CAN I SAY IT, SONICS\nREADY, CHAIR.\nSO THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR\nCOMING.\nI'M NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY\nQUESTIONS, BECAUSE I CAN'T\nOUTMATCH MY CHAIR, BUT\nI WANTED TO THANK EVERYONE FOR\nCOMING\nAND PARTICIPATING IN THIS\nCOMMITTEE MEETING THIS MORNING.\nTHANK YOU.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER\nKETTLE.\nSHOUTOUT TO SAM HOLLOWAY.\nA TRUE LEADER IN THIS SPACE.\nAND DONE A LOT OF GREAT WORK TO\nBETTER POSITION OUR CITY AND\nOUR ARENA FOR THE SONICS RETURN.\nAND ALSO SHOUTOUT TO\nANOTHER GOVERNING PARTNER, AND\nFRIEND\nOF THE CITY AND FRIEND OF MY\nOFFICE, CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE,\nAMAZON WHO HAS\nDONE GREAT JOB IN OUR COMMUNITY,\nAS WELL.\nEVERYONE HAD THEIR HAND UP.\nWE HAD SOME MINOR TECHNICAL\nISSUES WITH THE VICE CHAIR\nEARLIER.\nWE'RE GOING TO RETURN TO HER\nAND SEE IF THAT HAS BEEN\nRESOLVED.\nVICE CHAIR, THE FLOOR IS\nYOURS, IF YOU'RE ABLE TO --\nCANNOT HEAR YOU, SO\nWE'LL TRY YOU AFTER THE OTHER\nTWO COLLEAGUES HAVE SPOKEN,\nSTARTING WITH COUNCILMEMBER\nFOSTER.\nFLOOR IS\nYOURS.\nTHANK YOU, CHAIR.\nCAN YOU HEAR ME?\nTHANK YOU SO MUCH TO\nOUR\nPRESENTERS. THIS WAS REALLY\nEXCITING.\nI ALSO DON'T HAVE A\nQUESTION, BUT I CAN'T RESIST\nTHE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE\nA COMMENT AND JUST SAY THIS\nIS TREMENDOUSLY EXCITING.\nSEATTLE IS MANY, MANY\nTHINGS, BUT WE ARE ABSOLUTELY A\nSPORTS\nTOWN.\nI MYSELF AM A SEASON\nTICKETHOLDER TO THE STORM AND I\nGOT TO BE THERE WHEN WE HUNG\nUP SUE BIRD'S JERSEY IN THE\nRAFTERS.\nIT WAS JUST INCREDIBLE.\nJUST WATCHING THE YOUNG\nKID'S FACES LIGHT UP AROUND\nTHAT\nENGAGEMENT, AND SEE THE IMPACT\nTHAT IT HAS FOR\nBOTH BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER\nAND GIVING\nOUR YOUNG PEOPLE SOMETHING TO\nLIKE JUST DREAM ABOUT\nAND PARTICIPATE IN AND FEEL\nCONNECTED TO.\nI ALSO HAD THE\nOPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AT AN EVENT\nBEFORE\nA SEAHAWKS PLAYER, AND I'VE\nNEVER BEEN MORE -- PEOPLE ARE\nLIKE, WE'RE READY, WE'RE\nREADY. SO I THINK\nABOUT THOSE EXPERIENCES AND I'M\nLIKE, I\nWANT TO HAVE THOSE WITH OUR\nMEN'S PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL\nTEAM,\nAS\nWELL. I WANT TO THANK THE FOLKS\nFOLKS\nCLIMATE FLEDGE.\nI GOT TO DO A TOUR OF\nTHE FACILITY AND SEE THE LOCKER\nROOM THAT'S WAITING THERE FOR\nOUR\nMEN'S TEAM TO COME BACK.\nAND I THINK THERE'S JUST\nNO GREATER\nTESTAMENT TO HOW READY WE ARE AS\nA CITY.\nTHE OTHER BENEFIT WE HAVE FROM\nOUR SPORTS TEAMS IS THE\nPRACTICE FACILITIES AND THE\nCRACKEN\nPRACTICE FACILITY AT NORTH\nGATE HAS BEEN THIS FANTASTIC\nPART OF\nREVITALIZATION AND INVESTMENT.\nWE HAVE HAD THE SEAHAWKS, THE\nSTORM ARE A LITTLE FURTHER UP\nNORTH.\nBUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING\nTHAT IF/WHEN WE GET TO WELCOME\nBACK A\nTEAM, WE WOULD BE BUILDING\nA PRACTICE FACILITY RIGHT HERE\nIN\nSEATTLE, IS THAT\nRIGHT?\nTHAT'S CORRECT.\nTHAT'S PART OF THE LEASE TERMS\nWE NEGOTIATED WITH THE FACILITY,\nYES.\nI JUST WANT TO SAY THAT: I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT\nWILL BE SO EXCITING.\nI CAN IMAGINE HOW ACTIVE\nTHAT WILL BE AND WHAT A LOCATION\nTHAT WOULD BE NOT JUST FOR THE\nTEAM BUT A COMMUNITY.\nJUST TO ADD ON TO THAT, I\nTHINK YOU'RE\nRIGHT, COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER,\nTHAT --\nAND SPENCER TALKED ABOUT IT\nAS FROM A PLAYERS STAND POINT,\nAS PART OF THEIR RECRUITMENT,\nTHAT LEVEL OF INFRASTRUCTURE,\nBUT ALSO I THINK TEAMS HAVE\nBECOME MORE SOPHISTICATED.\nI THINK THE CRACKEN HAVE LED THE\nWAY IN SAYING THESE ARE NOT\nJUST PRACTICE FACILITIES\nBUT COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACES.\nSO THAT IS CRITICALITY.\nIN A TIME WHERE WE WANT TO BE\nWITH COMMUNITY, IT IS -- WE'RE\nALL FOR IT.\nTHANK YOU: THANK YOU.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER\nFOSTER. AND I'LL JUST NOTE AS\nTHE\nCOUNCILMEMBER WHO CHAIRS\nTHE COMMITTEE THAT OVERSEES\nTHE SEATTLE CENTER, AND A\nCOUNCILMEMBER WHO\nREPRESENTS FIVE NEIGHBORHOODS IN\nTHE SOUTHWEST PORTION OF\nSEATTLE, INCLUDING SOTO, THE\nSTADIUM DISTRICTS AND ALL THE\nSPORTS TEAMS DOWN THERE, AND AS\nSEATTLE SPORTS FAN AND DAD OF\nTHREE, ALL OF MY KIDS ARE INTO\nSPORTS.\nI'LL JUST SHARE I AM STRONGLY\nADVOCATING, IT IS TRUE, DEPUTY\nMAYOR, THAT WE WILL HAVE,\nUNDER THE TERMS OF THE\nAGREEMENT,\nA PRACTICE FACILITY SOMEWHERE\nIN THE CITY OF SEATTLE.\nI'M GOING TO SHARE RIGHT\nNOW, I'M ADVOCATING AND\nFIGHTING\nFOR THAT NEW FACILITY TO BE\nBUILT IN\nWEST SEATTLE.\nSEATTLE'S LARGEST\nNEIGHBORHOOD BY GEOGRAPHY, AND\nPOPULATION. SO WHY NOT US?\nIN ANY EVENT, THANK YOU.\nCOUNCILMEMBER, THE FLOOR IS\nYOURS.\nTHANK YOU, CHAIR.\nWHAT A FUN MORNING.\nTHANK YOU TO EVERYBODY ON\nTHE PANEL AND TO REALLY ALL THE\nFANS, EVERYONE WHO HAS\nBEEN WORKING SO HARD TO, YOU\nKNOW, HOPEFULLY BRING BACK THE\nSONICS.\nJUST A LITTLE BIT OF MY PERSONAL\nRELATIONSHIP STORY.\nI GREW UP IN DURHAM, NORTH\nCAROLINA, ONE OF THE STRONGEST\nAREAS OF BASKETBALL HISTORY WITH\nDUKE AND UNC WITH\nSOME INCREDIBLE COACHES AND\nPLAYERS,\nINCLUDING MICHAEL JORDAN.\nAND ALSO MY FAMILY, MY\nGRANDMAGRANDMA FROM OUTSIDE OF\nSPRINGFIELD,\nMASS, THE BIRTH OF BASKETBALL.\nSHE WORKED AT\nSPRINGFIELD COLLEGE WHERE,\nAGAIN, STABLE\nWAS STARTED AS A WAY TO, YOU\nKNOW,\nSPRINGFIELD MASS HAS\nCOLD WINTERS LIKE WE DO HERE,\nAND WANTED TO -- THERE WAS A\nPE TEACHER THAT WANTED TO\nDEVELOP\nAN ACTIVITY FOR YOUTH DURING THE\nWINTER, WHICH IS UNDERSTANDABLE.\nWE HAVE SEEN JUST THE\nINCREDIBLE GROWTH OF BASKETBALL\nBECOME\nA WORLDWIDE PHENOMENON.\nYOU KNOW, I THINK JUST A FEW\nCOMMENTS HERE, NO QUESTIONS,\nBUT IT'S CLEAR WE ARE SO READY\nAND\nPOISED.\nOBVIOUSLY, CLIMATE PLEDGE,\nJUST A SHOUTOUT TO ALL THE HARD\nWORK THAT MADE THAT SUCH\nAN INCREDIBLE FACILITY FOR\nSPORTS, FOR OTHER ARTS.\nANYBODY THAT HAS BEEN THERE\nUNDERSTANDS WHAT\nAN INCREDIBLE FACILITY THAT IS.\nAND, YOU KNOW, WELL NAMED FOR\nTHE FUTURE, YOU KNOW, BEING\nSUCH A GREAT FACILITY, LEADING\nTHE WAY THERE.\nOBVIOUSLY IT'S SO IMPORTANT.\nALSO, IT IS CRYSTAL CLEAR\nTHAT OUR FAN BASE, OUR\nSPORTS IS SECOND TO NONE.\nI WOULD PUT UP OUR FAN BASE\nHERE TO ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE\nCOUNTRY\nREALLY, ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE\nWORLD.\nAND I THINK IT'S CLEAR HOW\nCOMPLEMENTARY THAT\nECOSYSTEM THAT WE WERE HEARING\nABOUT,\nHOW COMPLEMENTARY IT IS BETWEEN\nMEN AND WOMEN'S SPORTS, BETWEEN\nALL THESE DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW,\nYOU\nTHINK THAT THESE SPORTS\nMIGHT COMPETE WITH EACH OTHER,\nBUT THAT'S NOT TRUE.\nTHEY COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER.\nYOU KNOW, I THINK BOTH WITH\nTHE FANS, BUT ALSO WITH THE\nATHLETES, WHERE PEOPLE,\nTHE CIVIC PRIDE, AND IT'S NOT\nJUST\nSEATTLE, IT'S REGION WIDE, IT\nIS\nSTATEWIDE THAT THE CIVIC PRIDE\nBUILDS AND COMPLEMENTS EACH\nOTHER.\nI ALSO JUST WANT TO POINT OUT\nTHAT I THINK SEATTLE IS\nSUPER WELL POSITIONED -- AGAIN,\nWE SEE\nBASKETBALL AS A WORLDWIDE\nPHENOMENON.\nI HAD THE PLEASURE TO STUDY\nABROAD IN CHINA IN 2000, AND TO\nSEE THE LOVE FOR BASKETBALL ININ\nCHINA.\nWE KNOW THE LOVE FOR\nBASKETBALL IN THE PHILIPPINES IS\nINCREDIBLY\nSTRONG.\nAND SEATTLE, ONE, WE\nOBVIOUSLY HAVE A VERYVERY\nCOMMUNITY\nHERE, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A\nGATEWAY FROM THE PACIFIC\nNORTHWEST\nTO ASIA AND HAVE THESE STRONG\nCONNECTIONS.\nSO IT IS JUST ANOTHER REASON WHY\nI THINK WE ARE SO WELL SUITED.\nFINALLY, JUST, YOU KNOW,\nTHE YOUTH BASKETBALL.\nTHE LOVE FOR\nBASKETBALL CONTINUES TO BE\nSTRONG WITH OUR\nYOUTH. I'M SUPER HONORED TO\nREPRESENT SOUTHEAST SEATTLE,\nWHICH\nHAS SOME VERY STORIED, YOU KNOW,\nSTABLE BASKETBALL LEGENDS WITHIN\nOUR\nHIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS.\nTHEY HAVE HAD AN INCREDIBLE RUN,\nAND JUST WANT TO SPEAK TO\nTHE POSSIBILITY THAT IT WOULD\nBE INCREDIBLE TO SEE SOME OF OUR\nSEATTLE YOUTH WEARING THE\nSONICS JERSEYS IN THE NEAR\nFUTURE.\nSO, AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL, TO\nEVERYONE WHO HAS PUT IN\nCOUNTLESS HOURS.\nTHE LOVE IS REAL.\nTHE PRIDE IS REAL, AND LET'S\nMAKE IT HAPPEN. THANK YOU.\nTHANK: THANK\nYOU, COUNCILMEMBER LIN. WELL\nSAID.\nAND I WAS CONNECTING WITH\nCOUNCILMEMBER -- OR VICE CHAIR\nOFFLINE, AND WE SHARED -- WE'RE\nWORKING WITH OUR I.T. TEAM,\nHOPEFULLY WE RESOLVE THE\nAUDIO ISSUES SOON.\nBUT SHE INDICATED SHE\nDIDN'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR\nCOMMENTS, BUT JUST EXPRESSING\nHER\nGRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION\nFOR YOU ALL BEING HERE TODAY.\nSO THANK YOU.\nI'M GOING TO CLOSE OUT WITH\nSOME\nQUICK, FUN, HOPEFULLY PLAYFUL\nRAPID FIRE QUESTIONS.\nVERY SHORT ANSWERS.\nVERY SHORT.\nEMPHASIS ON SHORT.\nQUICK, RAPID FIRE RESPONSE.\nFIRST QUESTION, EVERYONE,\nJUST GOING TO GO DOWN THE LINE.\nIF THE LEAGUE ENDS UP\nAPPROVING A NEW NBA EXPANSION\nFRANCHISE\nIN SEATTLE, MY UNDERSTANDING IS\nTHE\nFINAL DECISION WHETHER TO\nEVEN USE THE SONICS NAME, LOGO,\nBRAND, COLORS WOULD\nESSENTIALLY BE FOR THE NEW\nOWNERSHIP GROUP.\nALL THAT ASIDE, JUST FROM YOUR\nPERSPECTIVE, WHAT IS\nYOUR PREFERRED COLOR FOR A NEW\nNBA FRANCHISE IN SEATTLE?\nDEPUTY MAYOR?\nCOLOR OR COLORS: COLOR OR COLORS?\nWHY MESS WITH THE\nBRILLIANCE THAT WE HAVE RIGHT\nNOW?\nDON'T CHANGE.\nNOT A DAMN THING.\nLOVE IT: LOVE IT.\nGREEN, GOLD, BABY.\nGREEN GOLD: GREEN GOLD.\nGREEN AND GOLD: GREEN AND GOLD.\nGREEN AND GOLD: GREEN AND GOLD.\nGREEN AND GOLD: GREEN AND GOLD.\nI DEFER TO THE FANS: I DEFER TO THE FANS.\nI AM OBVIOUSLY PARTIAL TO\nGREEN\nAND GOLD. BUT THE UNOFFICIAL\nCOLORS\nOF OUR CITY ARE GREEN AND BLUE.\nSO IF WE RESTORE THE\nBRANDING, MY HOPE PERSONALLY\nWOULD\nBE AT LEAST THERE'S AN\nALTERNATIVE UNIFORM THAT\nREFLECTS THAT\nGREEN AND BRILLIANT BLUE\nIDENTITY\nOF OUR CITY AND OUR SPORTS KIND\nOF\nHERITAGE HERE.\nNEXT QUESTION, WHAT WILL THE\nHEADLINE READ THE DAY\nTHE SONICS FINALLY DO RETURN?\nWHAT WILL THE HEADLINE READ THE\nDAY THE SONICS FINALLY DO\nRETURN?\nABOUT TIME: ABOUT TIME.\nYES.\nMS.\nKNOX?\nLEGACY RESTORED: LEGACY RESTORED.\nWE'RE BACK.\nWE DID IT: WE DID IT.\nJOY: JOY.\nHOME: HOME.\nFINALLY, LET'S MAKE THIS\nREAL FOR JUST A MOMENT.\nPANELISTS, COLLEAGUES\nACTUALLY, ANYONE IN THE\nAUDIENCE.\nWHO IS READY, MY SHOW OF HANDS,\nWHO IS READY TO TO BACK OUR\nSONICS?\nSHOW OF HANDS IN THE AUDIENCE.\nEVERYONE -- OUR CLERK IS\nNOT READY APPARENTLY.\nOKAY, OKAY.\nEVERYONE.\nUNANIMITY. RARE IN\nSEATTLE POLITICS. EVEN JOEL.\nLET'S GO, LET'S BRING OUR\nSONICS\nBACK.\nTHANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK\nYOU, EVERYONE, FOR BEING HERE\nTODAY.\nWE'RE GOING TO NOW MOVE ON\nTO OUR SECOND ITEM OF\nBUSINESS, WHICH GOOD NEWS IS, I\nDON'T\nEXPECT TO GO NEARLY AS LONG.\nSO I THINK WE CAN KEEP\nTHIS MOVING IN FAIRLY SHORT\nORDER.\nTHANK YOU AGAIN.\nBUT WE WILL MOVE ON.\nWILL THE CLERK\nPLEASE READ ITEM TWO INTO THE\nRECORD.\nAGENDA ITEM TWO: AGENDA ITEM TWO.\nA RESOLUTION AFFIRMING THE CITY\nOF SEATTLE'S READINESS FOR\nAA NATIONAL BASKETBALL\nTEAM, DECLARING THE ARENA IS\nREADY FOR AN NBA TEAM\nAND AFFIRMING SEATTLE IS\nA BASKETBALL CITY.\nALL RIGHT: ALL RIGHT.\nTHANK YOU.\nWILL OUR NEWEST -- WE HAVE\nA RETURNING\nPRESENTER. JOIN US AT THE TABLE.\nONCE READY\nREINTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND BEGIN\nYOUR\nPRESENTATION.\nGOOD MORNING: GOOD MORNING.\nWE ARE READY FOR THE RETURN: WE ARE READY FOR THE RETURN\nOF THE NBA AND READY TO\nWELCOME THE SONICS HOME.\nTHIS RESOLUTION IS GROUNDED\nIN BOTH HISTORY AND REPARATION.\nSEATTLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN\nA BASKETBALL CITY FROM THE\nLEGACY OF THE SONICS TO THE\nSTRENGTH\nOF OUR YOUTH AND\nGRASSROOTS PROGRAMS AND TO THE\nCONTINUED\nSUCCESS OF THE SEATTLE\nSTORM, WHICH HAS KEPT THIS CITY\nON THE\nFOREFRONT OF PROFESSIONAL\nBASKETBALL.\nTHIS IS ALSO ABOUT READINESS.\nTHROUGH A COMPETITIVE\nPROCESS, WE DEVELOPED THE ARENA\nINTO\nA WORLD CLASS VENUE DESIGNED\nFOR NBA PLAY.\nIT'S OPERATIONALLY\nPROVEN, SUPPORTED BY UNION\nWORKFORCE\nAND BACKED BY LEASE TERMS\nTHAT ANTICIPATE AN NBA TEAM.\nAT A MOMENT WHEN\nTHE NATIONAL BASKETBALL\nASSOCIATION BOARD\nOF GOVERNORS IS CONSIDERING\nEXPANSION, THIS JOINT MAYOR\nAND COUNCIL RESOLUTION SENDS A\nCLEAR AND UNIFIED MESSAGE.\nSEATTLE IS PREPARED.\nSEATTLE IS ALIGNED, AND\nSEATTLE IS READY.\nI LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR\nCONSIDERATION AND\nPARTNERSHIP,\nAND ADVANCING THIS CHAIR AND\nEFFORT. THANK YOU.\nWELL SAID, DEPUTY MAYOR.\nTHANK YOU.\nMR. WHITSON, GO AHEAD.\nSO THIS IS A RESOLUTION THAT: SO THIS IS A RESOLUTION THAT\nDECLARES THE CITY'S\nINTERESTS AND READINESS TO\nPARTNER\nWITH THE NBA AND REGIONAL AND\nLOCAL\nPARTNERS TO BRING\nA PROFESSIONAL\nBASKETBALL TEAM BACK TO THE\nCITY.\nTHANK YOU: THANK YOU.\nAND I THINK THE LEGISLATION\nCONTENT IS STRAIGHTFORWARD,\nBUT I'LL JUST CHIME IN AS THE\nPRIME\nSPONSOR OF THIS, AND\nSEATTLE IS READY.\nPAST TIME.\nNO ONE OR NOTHING IS OWED\nANYTHING IN LIFE. BUT WE ARE\nREADY.\nAND WE ARE A BASKETBALL CITY.\nWE ARE A GLOBAL CITY, AND\nA LEADING CITY IN SO MANY\nRESPECTS.\nTHAT'S WHAT THIS\nRESOLUTION MAKES CLEAR.\nSO I APPRECIATE THE\nPARTNERSHIP OF MAYOR WILSON,\nDEPUTY\nMAYOR AND HER OFFICE, SURRAT,\nAND\nSO MANY OTHERS, TO -- IN\nTHEIR COLLABORATION AND\nPARTNERSHIP, AS THE DEPUTY MAYOR\nNOTED, WE ARE TRULY UNIFIED IN\nOUR\nAPPROACH. THIS IS PART OF AN\nINTENTIONAL, PRINCIPLED APPROACH\nAND NIFIED\nSTRATEGY TO BRING THE SONICS\nBACK, AND THERE'S MORE\nTO COME BY THE WAY.\nBUT WE ARE DEMONSTRATING THROUGH\nPOLICY THAT SEATTLE IS READY.\nSO AT THIS MOMENT, I\nWILL WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS,\nCOMMENTS\nFROM MY COLLEAGUES, IF\nANY, BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO A\nVOTE, STARTING FIRST, TO THE\nEXTENT\nTHE TECHNICAL ISSUES\nHAVE BEEN RESOLVED WITH THE VICE\nCHAIR.\nLET'S GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER LIN.\nTHANK YOU, CHAIR.\nAGAIN, JUST WHAT A FUN MORNING.\nI WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO\nTHE NBA BOARD OF GOVERNORS\nFORFOR UNANIMOUSLY TO\nEXPLORE EXPANSION AND JUST WANT\nTO PROVIDE OUR ASSURANCES THAT,\nYOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO\nDO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE\nTHIS\nHAPPEN.\nSO THANK YOU.\nEXCELLENT POINT: EXCELLENT POINT.\nWELL SAID.\nWE ARE IN A FRIENDLY\nAMENDMENT TO THAT, WE ARE --\nWE WILL DO EVERYTHING IN OUR\nPOWER,\nAND WE ARE DOING THAT.\nTHIS IS ONE METHOD OF THAT.\nANY OTHER COMMENTS,\nCOUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?\nTHANK YOU, CHAIR.\nI JUST\nWANTED TO SECOND COUNCILMEMBER\nLIN'S POINT\nABOUT THANKING THE NBA BOARD OF\nGOVERNORS, THE NBA COMMUNITY\nOVERALL.\nSIT A COMMUNITY, AND\nI APPRECIATE THEIR ENGAGEMENT\nWITH SEATTLE IN ALL ITS\nDIFFERENT\nFORMS.\nSO YES, LET'S WORK TOGETHER.\nYES.\nAND WE'RE EXCITED FOR\nAND GRATEFUL FOR THE VOTE FROM\nTHE\nNBA BOARD OF GOVERNORS, AND\nTHE IMPLICIT AND EXPLICIT VOTE\nOF\nCONFIDENCE IN THE\nSEATTLE MARKET IN RETURNING A\nTEAM BACK.\nIT WOULD BE MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL.\nI THINK THEY WOULD\nBE LUCKY TO\nHAVE US, AND LUCKY TO WELCOME\nTHEM BACK.\nSO AWESOME.\nTHERE'S NO -- OH, VIR CE CHAIR,\nGO AHEAD.\nPLEASE, AUDIO, WORK THIS TIME.\n[ NO AUDIO ]\nNO!\nI SEE YOU TRYING THROUGH YOUR\nMOBILE DEVICE.\nPRESS STAR 6 TO UNMUTE.\nSTILL CAN'T HEAR HER.\nSO APOLOGIES, VICE CHAIR.\nWE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE\nWORKING HARD ON THIS, AND I WANT\nYOU TO\nKNOW THAT.\nCAN WE AT LEAST GET A THUMBS\nUP THAT YOU\nARE PREPARED TO VOTE? OKAY,\nTHANK YOU.\nALL RIGHT.\nWELL, HEAR NOTHING\nFURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS\nFROM MY\nCOLLEAGUES, I MOVE THAT\nTHE COMMITTEE\nRECOMMEND PASSAGE OF SOLUTION\n32198.\nIS THERE A SECOND?\nSECOND: SECOND.\nI IMAGINE IFIF HAD AUDIO\nWORKING FROM VICE CHAIR,\nSHE WOULD HAVE CHIMED IN\nWITH A SECOND, AS WELL.\nIT'S MOVED AND SECONDED\nTO RECOMMEND PASSAGE OF SOLUTION\n32198.\nANY FINAL COMMENTS?\nHEARING AND SEEING NONE,\nI WILL -- WILL THE CLERK PLEASE\nCALL THE ROLL ON\nTHE RECOMMENDATION TO\nPASS RESOLUTION 32198?\n[ ROLL CALL TAKEN ]\nCHAIR, THERE ARE FIVE VOTES\nIN FAVOR AND ZERO OPPOSED.\nI KNOW THERE WAS A: I KNOW THERE WAS A\nVISUALLY\nENTHUSIASTIC TWO THUMBS UP FROM\nVICE CHAIR.\nSIGNIFYING HER STRONG\nSUPPORT FOR THIS.\nTHANK YOU.\nTHE MOTION CARRIES AND THE\nCOMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION\nTHAT THE COUNCIL PASS\nTHE RESOLUTION WILL BE SENT TO\nTHE APRIL 7,\n2026 CITY COUNCIL MEETING.\nTHANK YOU, FOLKS.\nTODAY, WE ALIGNED, WE ACTED,\nAND NOW WE ADVANCE.\nBUT I WANT TO MAKE CLEAR AGAIN\nTHAT TODAY'S SEATTLE\nREADINESS ROUND TABLE AND OUR\nSEATTLE\nREADY LEGISLATION ARE NOT\nONE- OFF EVENTS OR INITIATIVES.\nTHEY'RE PART OF A BROADER\nAND COORDINATED STRATEGY TO\nBRING BACK OUR SONICS.\nLET'S GO!\nTHANK YOU AGAIN FOR\nYOUR PARTNERSHIP AND\nCOLLABORATION.\nWE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR\nTHIRDTHIRD ITEM OF\nBUSINESS. WILL\nTHE CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM THREE\nINTO THE RECORD.\nAGENDA ITEM THREE: AGENDA ITEM THREE.\nUPDATE ON FIRST SOUTH BRIDGE\nREPAIRS.\nTHANK YOU: THANK YOU.\nWILL OUR PRESENTERS PLEASE\nJOIN US AT THE TABLE.\nBEFORE WE GET STARTED WITH\nOUR FINAL ITEM, I WOULD LIKE TO\nTAKE A MOMENT TO NOTE THAT\nBRIDGES AND REMIND EVERYONE,\nBRIDGES\nARE A CRITICALLY IMPORTANT\nELEMENT OF OUR LOCAL\nINFRASTRUCTURE.\nBRIDGES FACILITATE TRAVEL,\nCOMMERCE, AND EMERGENCY\nRESPONSE.\nBRIDGES ARE MUCH MORE THAN\nSTRUCTURES.\nTHEY ARE ECONOMIC LIFELINES,\nAS THE COUNCILMEMBER\nREPRESENTING WEST SEATTLE, I\nREMEMBER FIRSTHAND QUITE VIVIDLY\nTHE DAY\nTHE WEST SEATTLE\nBRIDGE CLOSED IN 2020.\nIT'S CAUSED MASSIVE,\nSIGNIFICANT DISRUPTIONS TO DAILY\nLIFE\nFOR THE WEST SEATTLE COMMUNITY\nANDAND\nBEYOND.\nTHE EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANTLY\nLONGER COMMUTES, INCREASED\nTRAFFIC ON ALTERNATIVE ROUTES,\nNEIGHBORHOODS STILL\nUNPACKING THE DAMAGE OF WHAT\nHAPPENS\nWHEN THE SINGLE INGRES/EGRESS\nPOINT, OR AT LEAST THE PRIMARY\nONE, THAT HOLDS THAT VOLUME OF\nTRAFFIC, WHEN TRAFFIC\nIS DEFERRED AND REROUTED THROUGH\nOUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND\nNONARTERIALS THAT\nWEREN'T SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED\nFOR THAT KIND OF TRAFFIC LOAD.\nSO AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, BRIDGES\nARE VERY IMPORTANT TO ME AND MY\nOFFICE.\nAND ALTHOUGH THEY DON'T\nHAVE QUITE THE APPEAL AS THE\nSONICS,\nAGAIN, IN MY VIEW, THEY\nARE EQUALLY GLAMOROUS, SUPER\nIMPORTANT.\nWHEN THE 1st AVENUE\nBRIDGE CLOSED FEBRUARY 18, WE\nSTARTED\nRECEIVING CALLS, MY OFFICE\nDID, AND EMAILS FROM MEMBERS OF\nTHE\nCOMMUNITY AND OTHERS WHO\nRELY HEF LIE AVILY ON THAT\nBRIDGE.\nSO I KNOW OUR PARTNERS HAVE\nBEEN HARD AT WORK DEVELOPING A\nPLAN AND IMPLEMENTATION\nAPPROACHAPPROACH\nMAKE THIS RIGHT AS QUICKLY AS\nPOSSIBLE, WHICH I REALLY\nAPPRECIATE. WORKING CLOSELY WITH\nOUR PARTNERS AT S- DOT, WASH-\nDOT\nOWNED AND MANAGED ASSET\nWITHIN SEATTLE THAT CONNECTS TO\nOUR\nCITY TRANSPORTATION NETWORK.\nHENCE, THE S- DOT TIE- IN AS\nWELL.\nTHAT'S WHY I REQUESTED THIS\nPRESENTATION.\nI'M EAGER TO HEAR WHAT YOU\nHAVE\nTO SHARE TODAY. SO PANELISTS,\nPLEASE\nINTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND WHEN\nYOU'RE\nREAD READY, BEGIN YOUR\nPRESENTATION.\nGOOD MORNING, CHAIR SAKA\nAND FELLOW COMMITTEE MEMBERS.\nI AM BRIAN GILLSON, REGIONAL\nADMINISTRATOR FOR THE NORTHWEST\nREGION. THANK YOU FOR TIN I HE\nINVITATION TO\nSPEAK WITH YOU ABOUT\nTHE EMERGENCY REPAIR WORK ON THE\nBRIDGE.\nI'M BILL\nPARK, REPRESENTING\nTHE SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF\nTRANSPORTATION.\nOKAY, MY APOLOGIES.\nNO APOLOGIES NEEDED: NO APOLOGIES NEEDED.\nSO THANK YOU FOR THE\nOPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE SOME\nINFORMATION ABOUT THE REPAIR\nWORK.\nI'M GOING TO START\nTHE PRESENTATION WITH THE\nHISTORY ABOUT THE NORTH BOUND\nSPAN.\nWE'LL DISCUSS OUR EFFORTS\nTO MAINTAIN AND PRESERVE THIS\nBRIDGE OVER THE LAST 30\nYEARS AND EXPLAIN BOTH THE\nEMERGENCY WORK THAT WAS\nCOMPLETED\nLAST MONTH AND THE BRIDGE DECK\nREPAIRS WE WILL START LATER\nTHIS WEEK.\nI'LL ALSO TALK\nSPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE\nCOMMUNICATIONS\nOUTREACH EFFORTS WE PLAN\nAHEAD OF THIS UPCOMING REPAIR.\nTHE STATE ROUTE 509 AND\n99 CORRIDOR CONNECT CITIES IN\nTHE\nSOUTHERN KING COUNTY, THE\nSEATTLE AND POINTS NORTH AS\nA PRIMARY ALTERNATE TO\nINTERSTATE\n5.\nIT'S A BUSY ROUTE, AND THE\nFREIGHT CORRIDOR FOR VEHICLES\nBOUND FOR THE PORT OF\nSEATTLE AND BEYOND.\nTHIS IS A DOUBLE LEAF BRIDGE\nTHAT OPENS TO ALL MARITIME\nTRAFFIC TO PASS ALONG THE RIVER\nAND DOUBLE LEAF BRIDGE IS A\nTERM MAYBE NOT ALL ARE FAMILIAR\nWITH.\nSIMPLY, THE BRIDGE IS --\nTHE MAIN SPAN IS BROKEN INTO TWO\nLEAVES.\nTHOSE LEAVES ARE FOUNDED ON\nTHE SHORES WITH A HINGE, AND\nTHEY\nCONNECT IN THE MIDDLE.\nSO WHEN A BOAT NEEDS TO\nPASS THROUGH THE SPAN, THE\nBRIDGE -- THE LEAVES OPEN\nTOWARDS\nSHORE AND OPEN UP THAT MAIN\nCHANNEL.\nTHE BRIDGE ALSO IS A BICYCLE AND\nPEDESTRIAN LINK BETWEEN\nGEORGETOWN AND THE OTHER\nNEIGHBORHOODS. THIS IS A HEAVILY\nTRAVELED\nBRIDGE, AND IT'S SHOWING ITS\nAGE.\nDESPITE CONSISTENT\nMAINTENANCE OVER THE YEARS TO\nKEEP IT\nOPERATIONAL, WE LAST\nREPLACED THIS BRIDGE DECK IN\n1999,\nWITH THE EXPECTATION THAT THE\nSTEEL GRID PANELS WOULD LAST 20\nTO 25\nYEARS.\nWE ARE NOW PAST\nTHAT EXPECTED LIFE SPAN FOR THE\nDECK.\nEMERGENCY WORK THIS\nSPRING SHOULD ALLOW US TO\nSAFELY OPERATE THE BRIDGE AT\nFULL\nCAPACITY UNTIL 2027, WHEN\nWE WILL REPLACE THE ENTIRE\nBRIDGE DECK ON THE NORTH BOUND\nBRIDGE.\nWE WILL, OF COURSE, SHARE\nDETAILS ON THAT PROJECT AS WE\nA LITTLE MORE ABOUT THE REPAIRS.\nIN LATE FEBRUARY, WASH- DOT\nBRIDGE INSPECTORS IDENTIFIED\nFAILURES ON THE STEEL GRATES\nON THE NORTH BOUND BRIDGE.\nWE CLOSED TWO LANES ACROSS\nTHE BRIDGE AND DEVELOPED A\nTHREE- PHASE REPAIR STRATEGY.\nPHASE ONE REPAIRS WERE\nCOMPLETED DURING A FIVE- DAY\nNORTH BOUND\nBRIDGE CLOESHER SURE.\nCREWS INSTALLED STEEL PLATES\nACROSS FIELD DECK SECTIONS\nAND WELDED MORE THAN 100 CRACKED\nGRID NUMBERS, ALLOWING ALL\nLANES TO SAFELY REOPEN TO\nTRAFFIC, ALBEIT\nWITH A REDUCED SPEED LIMIT.\nPHASE TWO REPAIRS ARE\nSCHEDULED TO BEGIN LATER THIS\nMONTH.\nTHIS PHASE, WE'LL REMOVE AND\nREPLACE TEN DECK PANELS THAT\nWERE TEMPORARILY REPAIRED IN\nMARCH.\nAS I MENTIONED BEFORE,\nWE'RE PLANNING FOR A FULL\nREPLACEMENT OF THE BRIDGE DECK\nTHAT\nWE EXPECT TO BEGIN AS SOON AS\nNEXT\nYEAR.\nTHIS HIGHLIGHTS SOME OF THE\nSTRUCTURAL FAILURES\nWE IDENTIFIED IN FEBRUARY AND\nTHE TEMPORARY FIXES OUR CREWS\nMADE DURING THE EMERGENCY\nREPAIRS LAST MONTH.\nEACH OF THE FRACTURED PANELS\nTHAT ARE NOW COVERED WITH\nSTEEL PLATE ALSO BE REPLACED AS\nPART OF THE EMERGENCY\nWORK STARTING LATER THIS MONTH.\nTURNING TOWARD THESE\nFAILURES, WE DO NOT HAVE A\nDETAILED CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE\nTO SHARE.\nFACTORING IN THE PROCUREMENT\nTIME FOR THE REPLACEMENT\nPANELS AND NORMAL MOBILIZATION\nTIME\nFOR OUR CONTRACTOR, WE\nEXPECT CONSTRUCTION TO BEGIN AS\nSOON\nAS A MONTH AND LAST ABOUT A\nMONTH.\nWE ARE PLANNING ON\nMULTIPLE NORTHBOUND LANE\nCLOSURES\nACROSS THE BRIDGE AT LEAST A\nWEEK BEFORE AND THE WEEK\nFOLLOWING CONSTRUCTION TO SET\nUP AND REMOVE SCAFFOLDING.\nONCE CONSTRUCTIONAL BEGINS,\nWE EXPECT TO USE A COMBINATION\nOF WEEKEND AND WEEKNIGHT\nCLOSURES ON THE NORTH BOUND\nBRIDGE\nTO COMPLETE THE\nWORK. OUR HOPE IS THAT THE PHASE\nTWO\nREPAIR CAN BE COMPLETED\nOVER WEEKENDS IN LATE APRIL AND\nMAY WITH WEEKNIGHT CLOSURES IN\nBETWEEN.\nTHERE ARE MANY\nFACTORS INFLUENCING THE SCHEDULE\nFOR THESE PHASE TWO REPAIRS,\nEND COLLUDING WORLD CUP\nMATCHES STARTING IN MID JUNE.\nWE AIM TO BEGIN\nCONSTRUCTION AS SOON AS THE\nBRIDGE PANELS\nARRIVE, TO ENSURE WE CAN\nFINISH WELL BEFORE THE FIRST\nMATCH, WHICH IS JUNE 15th.\nWE NEED OUR HIGHWAY NETWORK\nIN FULL CAPACITY ONCE THE WORLD\nCUP ARRIVES, AS WE ARE GOING TO\nBE ACCOMMODATING HUNDREDS\nOF THOUSANDS\nOF VISITORS TO THE SEATTLE AREA.\nWE'RE PLANNING WEEKEND\nAND OVERNIGHT CLOSURES\nAFTER LISTENING TO THE CONCERNS\nABOUT TRAFFIC ALONG THE\nDETOURED ROUTES IN PHASE ONE.\nSTRUCTURING THESE REPAIRS\nOUTSIDE OF HEAVY HOURS\nSHOULD REDUCE THE NUMBER OF\nVEHICLES USING THE DETOUR ROUTE.\nWEEKEND CLOSURES GIVE CREWS\nMORE TIME DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS\nAND REDUCES THE NUMBER OF\nEXPECTED BRIDGE OPENINGS NEEDED\nFOR MARITIME TRAFFIC, WHICH\nHAPPENS MORE FREQUENTLY ON\nWEEKDAYS.\nI WANT TO\nBE CLEAR WHERE WE ARE IN THE\nPLANNING PROCESS.\nWE HAVEN'T HIRED A CONTRACTOR\nYET.\nWE'RE IN DISCUSSIONS WITH A\nCOUPLE OF CONTRACTORS WORKING\nTO DETERMINE WHO IS BEST\nRESOURCED TO PERFORM THIS WORK\nONCE\nWE SELECT CONTRACT, A\nCONTRACTOR, WE WILL AWARD THE\nCONTRACT.\nAND THEN WE WILL GO INTO VERY\nDELIBERATE SCENARIO\nPLANNING WITH THE CONTRACTOR.\nYOU KNOW, THERE'S\nTHREE DIFFERENT WAYS TO APPROVE\nTHIS THAT WE WANT TO WORK\nTHROUGH.\nTHERE'S DOING THE PANEL\nREPLACEMENTS WITH OVERNIGHT\nCLOSURES, DOING THE\nREPLACEMENT WITH OUR TYPICAL\nWEEKEND\nCLOSURES, WE CALL THEM 55\nWEEKEND. THEY START FRIDAY NIGHT\nAFTER THE COMMUTE HOURS AND OPEN\nBY\nMONDAY MORNING COMMUTE.\nWE ALSO WILL EXPLORE WITH\nTHE CONTRACTOR EXTENDED WEEKEND\nCLOSURES.\nSO STARTING THURSDAY NIGHT AND\nGOING THROUGH MONDAY.\nOUR GOAL IS TO IDENTIFY\nA STRATEGY THAT REALLY BALANCES\nTHE SPEED OF CONSTRUCTION\nWITH THE IMPACTS OF THE\nCOMMUNITY AND\nCOMMUTERS.\nAGAIN, WE WANT TO GET THE\nCONTRACTOR ON BOARD SO\nTHAT WE CAN TALK SPECIFICALLY\nABOUT, YOU\nKNOW, THE RESOURCES THEY\nHAVE AVAILABLE AND HOW THEY CAN\nMOST EFFICIENTLY DELIVER THE\nWORK\nSO WE MINIMIZE\nTHE TOTAL NUMBER OF CLOSURES.\nNEXT SLIDE.\nTHIS MAP SHOWS THE DETOUR ROUTE\nTHAT WILL BE USED FOR THE\nPHASE TWO REPAIRS STARTING LATER\nTHIS MONTH.\nAGAIN, THIS IS THE SAME\nDETOUR THAT WAS IN PLACE FOR\nTHE PHASE ONE REPAIRS IN MARCH.\nTHE BIG DIFFERENCE IS WE DON'T\nPLAN TO DO THE CLOSURES DURING\nTHOSE BUSIEST WEEKDAYS\nTUESDAY, WEDNESDAYS AND\nTHURSDAYS\nSPECIFICALLY AND PERHAPS NOT\nWEEKDAYS AT ALL.\nTHIS MAP IS SOMETHING\nWE'LL SHARE DIRECTLY WITH OUR\nMEDIA\nPARTNERS, FIRST RESPONDERS,\nFREIGHT COMMUNITY\nAND NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS.\nWE WILL ALSO POST WIDELY ON OUR\nSOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS TO\nBUILD PUBLIC AWARENESS.\nWHEN THE PUBLIC IS AWARE OF\nA MAJOR CLOSURE LIKE THIS ONE,\nIT WILL FREQUENTLY RESPOND\nBY TAKING ALTERNATE\nROUTES AND AVOID THE DETOURS.\nCOMMUNICATION IS ALWAYS A\nCHALLENGE WITH EMERGENCY\nWORK BECAUSE BY ITS NATURE,\nIT'S NOT\nSOMETHING THAT WE HAVE PLANNED\nFOR.\nPHASE TWO EMERGENCY BRIDGE\nREPAIRS ARE SOMETHING OF AN\nEXCEPTION IN THIS CASE, THOUGH.\nWE ARE PLANNING AN\nINTENSIVE CAMPAIGN TO INFORM\nCOMMUTERS,\nFREIGHT HAULERS, PORT PARTNERS,\nMARINERS, TRANSIT OPERATORS AND\nTHE SOUTH PARK RESIDENTS\nABOUT THIS EMERGENCY\nCONSTRUCTION.\nWE WILL FOCUS ON SHARING\nWHAT PEOPLE WHO LIVE, WORK,\nAND COMMUTE IN THIS AREA CAN\nEXPECT\nBEFORE, DURING,\nAND AFTER CONSTRUCTION.\nWE KNOW THIS TYPE OF WORK IS\nDISRUPTIVE, PARTICULARLY\nFOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE NEARBY.\nBUT THESE ARE NECESSARY REPAIRS\nTHAT HAVE RIPPLE\nEFFECTS\nTHROUGHOUT OUR REGION HIGHWAY\nNETWORK.\nOUR GOAL FOR THIS PROJECT AND\nALL OF OUR PROJECTS IS TO\nCOMPLETE THIS WORK AS QUICKLY,\nSAFELY, AND EFFICIENTLY AS\nPOSSIBLE, AND TO\nKEEP COMMUNITIES AND PARTNERS\nINFORMED AT EVERY STAGE OF THE\nPROCESS. I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT\nAGAIN, IN THIS CASE, EFFICIENCY\nREALLY MEANS THAT BALANCE\nBETWEEN\nSPEED OF CONSTRUCTION AGAINST\nAND\nWITH THE IMPACTS TO THE\nLOCAL COMMUNITIES AND COMMUTERS.\nSO WE'RE NOT GOING TO CHOOSE\nTHE\nMOST IMPACTFUL\nAPPROACH, WE'RE NOT GOING TO\nCHOOSE THE FASTEST\nAPPROACH.\nWE'RE LOOKING FOR THE\nBALANCE THAT\nSTRIKES FAIRNESS AND EQUITY IN\nTHAT.\nTHERE ARE\nJUST A FEW -- NEXT SLIDE.\nTHESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE\nWAYS WE KEEP THE PUBLIC INFORMED\nFROM OUR SOCIAL MEDIA TO\nSMARTPHONE APPS TO EMAIL\nNEWSLETTERS.\nWE HOPE YOU ARE FAMILIAR\nWITH AT LEAST SOME OF THESE\nTOOLS,\nBUT IF NOT, THIS\nSLIDE SHOWS HOW YOU CAN ACCESS\nEACH OF THEM.\nAND FINALLY,\nCONTACT INFORMATION FOR MYSELF\nAND OUR COMMUNICATION\nLEADS, SUPPORTING THE PHASE\nTWO EMERGENCY REPAIRS ON THE\nFIRST\nAVENUE SOUTH BRIDGE.\nFEEL FREE TO REACH OUT ANY\nTIME, AND THANK YOU AGAIN, CHAIR\nSAKA AND COUNCILMEMBERS, FOR\nTHE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE\nYOU\nTODAY.\nWITH THAT, I WILL TURN\nTHE FLOOR OVER TO YOU FOR ANY\nQUESTIONS.\nTHANK YOU SO MUCH, MR.\nNEILSON, FOR YOUR\nPRESENTATION AND THE UPDATE ON\nTHE STATUS\nOF THE\nWORK AND THESE IMPORTANT\nEFFORTS.\nWE HAVE -- WE HAVE A HARD\nSTOP BY 1:30, BUT AT THIS\nMOMENT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO\nMY COLLEAGUES FOR ANY QUESTIONS\nOR COMMENTS FROM YOUR\nPERSPECTIVE.\nWE'LL TRY AGAIN WITH THE\nVICE CHAIR, IF YOU HAVE ANY.\nNONE, THANK YOU.\nMOVING ON TO ANOTHER\nUNAPOLOGETIC CHAMPION\nAND SUPPORTER OF OUR BRIDGES\nAND BRIDGE NETWORK,\nCOUNCILMEMBER\nKETTLE. THE FLOOR IS YOURS.\nTHANK YOU, CHAIR SAKA.\nTHANK YOU, MR. NEILSON, TO GET\nTHIS UPDATE.\nAND ALSOALSO THANK TO S- DOT FOR\nBEING HERE, AS WELL.\nTHIS IS -- YOU KNOW,\nANOTHER LESSON WHERE WE HAVE\nMAINTENANCE IS SO IMPORTANT.\nWE HAVE THE TIMELINES AND IT'S\nNEVER A GOOD TIME PUSHING IT\nDOWN, YOU KNOW, THE PANDEMIC\nAND WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE,\nTHERE'S\nDIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE IN\nPLAY HERE, BUT I SUPPORT THIS\nEFFORT, AS PAINFUL AS IT MAY BE.\nBECAUSE IT HAS TO BE DONE.\nOBVIOUSLY, KIND OF LIKE THE SHIP\nCANAL BRIDGE PROJECT, VERY\nSIMILAR. YOU KNOW, IT HAS TO BE\nDONE.\nEVEN THOUGH IT'S PAINFUL.\nI APPRECIATE CARVING OUT A\nSPACE JUST LIKE THE SHIP CANAL\nPROJECT OR FIFA WORLD CUP TIME\nPERIOD,\nBECAUSE THAT'S A VERY UNIQUE\nCIRCUMSTANCE.\nSO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, AND\nTHINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO DO SO.\nI WOULD NOTE, CHAIR TOO,\nIT'S NOT JUST LOCAL\nCOMMUNITIES\nANYMORE. AND GIVEN 99 IS A WASH-\nDOT\nRESPONSIBILITY FROM DISTRICT\nSEVEN, MY CONSTITUENTS JUMP ON\n99 RIGHT THERE AT THE\nAURORA BRIDGE AND JUMP THROUGH\nTHE\nTUNNEL.\nNEXT THING YOU KNOW, THEY'RE\nAT THAT BRIDGE ON THEIR WAY TO\nTHE\nAIRPORT OR ON THEIR WAY TO\nA SOCCER GAME OR, YOU KNOW,\nALL THESE\nDIFFERENT SPORTS THAT WE HAVE\nTALKED ABOUT, CHAIR.\nAND SO THE COMMUNITY A LOT\nOF TIMES IS MUCH BROADER THAN\nONE\nTHING.\nI JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT.\nTHAT'S BASICALLY A\nCONSEQUENCE OF THE TUNNEL, WHICH\nHAS BEEN\nFANTASTIC, BUT IT CHANGED\nPATTERNS, WHICH IS ONE OF\nTHE REASONS WHY WHAT WE'RE\nDOING WITH OUR DISTRICT FUNDS,\nWE'RE MAKING THESE\nADJUSTMENTS BECAUSE TRAVEL\nPATTERNS CHANGE.\nTHE TUNNEL HAS BEEN SO\nGREAT, THAT REALLY FACILITATES\nTHIS\nMOVEMENT. SO I JUST WANTED TO\nHIGHLIGHT\nTHAT IN TERMS OF THE\nIMPACT, RECOGNIZING IT'S MORE\nSO FOR\nTHE LOCAL\nCOMMUNITY. BUT THIS IS A BROADER\nIMPACT, AND I WANTED TO\nHIGHLIGHT THAT.\nSO NO QUESTIONS.\nAGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.\nTHANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR THE\nCOMMENTS.\nTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER\nKETTLE.\nANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM\nCOLLEAGUES?\nHEARING AND SEEING NONE,\nI'LL JUST CLOSE OUT BY BY\nSAYING\nMY GRATITUDE AND SINCERE\nAPPRECIATION FOR YOU, AGAIN, MR.\nNEILSON, FOR BEING HERE TODAY,\nSHARING THIS VERY IMPORTANT\nUPDATE.\nAND I ALSO APPRECIATE\nTHE COMMITMENT TO DEVELOPING AND\nIMPLEMENTING A THOUGHTFUL,\nDELIBERATIVE,\nMETHODICAL APPROACH TO DO THIS\nWORK RIGHT.\nALSO DOING IT AND\nALSO APPRECIATE HEARING WASH-\nDOT'S\nCOMMITMENT TO DO IT\nQUICKLY, SAFELY AND EFFICIENTLY.\nAND I HEARD EQUITY MENTIONED\nAND SPECIFICALLY CALLED OUT AS\nAN IMPORTANT FACTOR.\nSO TO THE EXTENT WHICH MAKES\nA LOT OF SENSE IN OUR OWN S-\nDOT,\nUNDER OUR PLAN WE APPROVED A\nCOUPLE YEARS AGO, EQUITY IS\nA SIGNIFICANT FACTOR THAT\nGUIDES OUR WORK AT ALL TIMES.\nSO EQUITY IS A FACTOR, YOU\nKNOW, IN YOUR ANALYSIS, I WOULD\nJUST\nREMIND THAT THERE ARE\nSCANT BETTER NEIGHBORHOODS MORE\nDESERVING CANDIDATES FROM A\nNEIGHBORHOOD PERSPECTIVE ACROSS\nTHE CITY OF SEATTLE THAN\nTHE COMMUNITY WHERE\nTHIS RUNS THROUGH AND\nSERVES EVERY DAY, AND PEOPLE ARE\nIMPACTED.\nSO I KNOW -- I'M SURE WASH-\nDOT IS SIMILAR TO OUR VERY OWN\nS-\nDOT IN ADOPTING A VERY\nDATABASED APPROACH TO GUIDE\nYOUR DECISION MAKING.\nSO LET'S GO GET THIS --\nWE'LL STAY TUNED.\nHOPEFUL THAT\nWE WILL BE ABLE TO STICK TO THAT\nEARLY JUNE\n2026 TENTATIVE PROJECT\nCOMPLETION.\nIF IT HAPPENS TO SLIP MATERIALLY\nLATER THAN THAT, WE'LL\nPROBABLY INVITE YOU BACK LATER\nTHIS SUMMER TO CHECK\nIN, JUST BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH AN\nIMPORTANT\nAND CONSEQUENCE SHALL\nPROJECTPROJECT MY\nDISTRICT.\nFREIGHT AND CARGO MOBILITY\nACROSS OUR REGION AND CONNECTING\nPEOPLE WITH OPPORTUNITIES.\nSO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR\nYOUR PARTNERSHIP AND WORK AND\nGET THING DONE.\nHUGE SHOUTOUT TO OUR BRIDGES.\nALL RIGHT.\nTHANK YOU.\nWE HAVE REACHED THE END\nOF TODAY'S MEETING.\nOUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE HELD ON\nAPRIL 16, 2026 AT 9:30 A.M.\nIS THERE ANY FINAL BUSINESS\nTO COME BEFORE THE COMMITTEE\nBEFORE WE\nADJOURN? HEARING AND SEEING NO\nFURTHER\nBUSINESS, WE ARE ADJOURNED.\nIT\nIS 11:26 A.M. THANK YOU."
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