KeyArena renovation bill gets frosty reception

OLYMPIA — A request by the Seattle Sonics and Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels for a taxpayer-financed $205 million expansion of KeyArena got a frosty reception yesterday on the day of its first hearing before state lawmakers. Hours before the legislation came up for a public hearing in the House, the Senate Transportation Committee approved a competing measure that would set aside the tax money the Sonics desire to rebuild the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

"We've got more desperate needs than KeyArena," said Sen. Ken Jacobsen, D-Seattle, who introduced the viaduct bill last week. "When you're sitting down here looking at $50 billion in unmet transportation needs, we're going to have to forgo the luxuries for a bit."

Though it's not clear Jacobsen's bill will go far, it signaled the weak enthusiasm the KeyArena proposal has received so far by lawmakers who are being asked to find more money for roads and schools during another tight budget year.

Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, said, "At this point, I'm not hearing a lot of momentum coming out of my caucus for it."

That sentiment was echoed by House Majority Leader Lynn Kessler, D-Hoquiam, who recalled previous stadium controversies.

"Now to go back into that at a time when we're cutting billions of dollars. I think the perception is a little difficult at the moment. ... It just feels like the timing is off," she said.

The bill asks the Legislature to redirect taxes used to pay the construction debt on Qwest and Safeco fields. Instead of expiring after the stadiums are paid off, the taxes would be shifted to the proposed KeyArena project, with a smaller slice going to fund local arts programs.

Those taxes, including portions of car-rental, hotel-motel, sales and restaurant taxes in King County, would pay for a new $205 million expansion of KeyArena, which would nearly double its size. The money also would retire the $58 million in debt remaining from the previous arena renovation in 1995.

Supporters of House Bill 2209 strongly played up the arts-funding angle at last night's hearing.

Rep. Eric Pettigrew, D-Seattle, one of the bill's three sponsors, said the legislation "is about the stability of Seattle Center, and it's about the stability of those arts."

The legislation drew applause from representatives of museums, theaters and other arts groups from across the state. But it was clearly the specter of more public funding for a professional sports team that loomed large for lawmakers.

"I know there is a lot of heartburn over this. It's bipartisan heartburn," said Rep. Dan Kristiansen, R-Snohomish, the ranking Republican on the House Economic Development, Agriculture and Trade Committee, which held last night's public hearing.

In case they forget the bruising battles over the Mariners and Seahawks stadiums, legislators were reminded yesterday by critics of those deals.

Chris Van Dyk, who led campaigns against those stadiums, told legislators their vote in 1995 to fund the Mariners stadium — despite a public vote narrowly rejecting a stadium package — was "the single most irresponsible act this body has taken in the last 10 years."

But Sonics President and CEO Wally Walker told lawmakers the KeyArena is a multiuse facility that benefits the whole region. He noted the team has lost $50 million over the past few years and said the current arrangement is "not a sustainable model" for the team or the city of Seattle.

Seattle Deputy Mayor Tim Ceis, who also testified in favor of the KeyArena bill, said he was not sure of prospects for the bill, which was introduced late in the session. "We'll see how far we get with this," he said.

Jacobsen said his competing measure, Senate Bill 6040, could raise $1 billion or more for the viaduct.

Senate Transportation Chairwoman Mary Margaret Haugen, who co-sponsored the bill, said it is a viable option for the viaduct and was not intended as a symbolic slam against the KeyArena proposal.

Jim Brunner: 206-515-5628 or jbrunner@seattletimes.com