Opponents of Sodo sports arena starting initiative drive
SEATTLE -- There’s a new effort to stop the planned NBA arena in Seattle's Sodo district. Longshoremen and manufacturing leaders have unveiled a new initiative effort to stop the city from giving money to the deal without at least making a profit.
“I’m frankly disgusted with what I’ve seen over the past four years relative to the development of this arena,” said Peter Goldman, an attorney who has worked with opponents. “Secret backroom deals, phony land-use processes, manipulation of emotion over the departure of the Sonics in 2008,” he said.
Goldman and others are pushing a November ballot measure that argues that a third sports facility south of downtown would wreak havoc on traffic and freight mobility in the area.
The Sodo arena deal is still contingent on investor Chris Hansen landing an NBA team.