Cougar fans nip at request for Husky Stadium funds

Bringing the Apple Cup rivalry to the political arena, a group of Washington State University alumni urged state lawmakers Monday to scuttle a University of Washington request for $150 million in tax money toward a Husky Stadium renovation.

The WSU boosters told a legislative task force that the stadium request was a poor use of taxpayer money, given the state's budget problems. And, of course, it also would give the UW an unfair advantage when it comes to football recruiting.

Those arguments drew angry responses from a prominent UW booster who called the WSU group "fools" and from a Seattle legislator who labeled them "provincial."

The name-calling came as the task force met in Bellevue to consider the future of several King County taxes now going to pay for construction debts on Safeco and Qwest stadiums. Those taxes, mostly on hotels, restaurants and car rentals, could expire after the stadiums are paid off, but a host of groups — from arts organizations to youth-soccer-field advocates — are urging legislators to keep at least some of them in place for pet causes.

UW wants a portion of the money to pay half the cost of the proposed $300 million renovation of Husky Stadium, with private donors covering the rest.

Athletic Director Scott Woodward and noted Huskies booster Ron Crockett, owner of Emerald Downs racetrack, told legislators that the stadium, built in 1920, needs substantial repairs for basic safety that shouldn't be the responsibility of private donors.

But the unofficial group of WSU alumni, who have launched an e-mail campaign urging lawmakers to vote against the project, said UW should turn to its wealthy base of donors, not taxpayers, for the project, especially since the state is facing a deficit of at least $5 billion.

"We think that they have the capacity at the University of Washington to fund their own stadium," said Glenn Osterhout, a WSU alum who noted that WSU's Martin Stadium is also in the middle of a renovation, which has not received state money.

With only two Pacific-10 Conference schools in the state, Osterhout said, it would be unfair to give one an advantage when it comes to athletic recruiting. And a $300 million renovation for UW would be "a huge recruitment and marketing advantage for a university," he said.

Another WSU grad, Mike Bernard, a Bellevue tax consultant, said the Legislature should keep in mind that the tourist taxes in question were approved for a specific purpose — paying off Seattle's football and baseball stadiums.

"Wouldn't it be a great thing if state government let that tax expire?" Bernard said.

Sen. Joe Zarelli, R-Ridgefield, told Bernard and Osterhout that, while he was "sympathetic" to their argument about taxes, he saw their real motivation. "What you really want to do is go into an adversary on the sports field," he said.

Officially, WSU leaders have stayed out of the fight. WSU Athletic Director Jim Sterk has said he is keeping an eye on UW's efforts and could seek similar state aid if the Huskies are successful.

Crockett, the UW booster and fundraiser, said he didn't understand the mindset of the Cougars who showed up Monday to bash the UW proposal.

"These are two schools in the state of Washington — forget game day — that we want to succeed," Crockett said. "I would root for us to succeed so maybe sometime in the future I could succeed. But to each his own."

During a break in the hearing, Crockett bluntly told Bernard, "You guys are fools," adding for good measure that the WSU alums' arguments were "ludicrous" and "insane."

Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, publicly berated the WSU alumni for their testimony.

"I think you are launching a provincial and parochial war," said Murray, whose district includes Husky Stadium. "You should be ashamed."

Murray warned the men they would be "setting off a bomb" if backers of UW and WSU started fighting against one another's projects.

Bernard responded that UW was to blame for that because of its unprecedented stadium-funding grab.

"The one who dropped the bomb is the UW, not WSU," he said.

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