A missed opportunity in Renton

More than $400 million in annual economic activity and 5,800 jobs, plus an additional 8,000 construction jobs: That was the opportunity presented by Clay Bennett and the owners of the Seattle Sonics and Storm to the state of Washington, the Puget Sound region and my city of Renton in the proposed King County Events Center.

Last week, the Legislature refused to pass legislation that would simply give King County the local option of extending existing taxes to create a new multipurpose events center. In addition to supporting hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity and thousands of jobs, this would have preserved 40 years of professional basketball heritage in Washington state by providing a new, world-class venue for the Sonics and Storm, as well as a tremendous variety of additional sports, business and cultural events.

I certainly agree that the state has higher priorities. However, the irony is that the events center proposal would have made the state general fund the largest recipient of new tax revenue — as much as $257 million over the next 25 years, at no cost to the state. That would be $257 million of real money that could be used by the Legislature to fund its stated priorities of education, transportation and health care.

The Legislature's failure to act is truly disappointing because of these missed opportunities, but also because of the lack of leadership that became apparent through the process. Complex issues such as this require a willingness of real leaders to come to a table, set aside their personal and political agendas, find common ground and problem-solve.

From our vantage point in Renton, there was unwillingness at the state and regional levels to take this issue seriously and find a solution. Regionalism is an easy sound bite, but its application requires serious work toward optimal outcomes.

Certainly, the Renton community will be forever grateful to Sen. Margarita Prentice and Reps. Eric Pettigrew and Fred Jarrett for their dedication and persistence on this issue. Their courage and commitment on behalf of Renton and our region is to be commended. I'd also like to acknowledge Gov. Christine Gregoire for her willingness to work with our legislative leaders and her commitment to sign the bill if approved by the Legislature.

Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce CEO Steve Leahy and Washington Labor Council President Rick Bender should also be acknowledged for seeing the regional benefits of the King County Events Center and working hard to make it happen.

And, I am so proud of the Renton Chamber of Commerce and the broader Renton community for stepping up and advocating for this project and our great city like never before.

I am hopeful that Bennett and his partners will continue to look for a way to keep the Sonics and Storm in the Puget Sound region. We will certainly have discussions with him and his team and are willing to help wherever we can. However, I respect Bennett's interests and I cannot hold it against him if he looks to move the teams to another region and a more-modern facility.

Renton's renaissance is in full swing. Renton is the home to many new businesses including the Seahawks, the Federal Reserve Bank, Providence Health Systems and more. The revitalization of our historic downtown is well under way. The Landing will forever transform this community by creating an entirely new retail, entertainment and residential district. Tremendous opportunities remain for additional office, residential and retail development throughout the city.

The fact that Renton was considered the preferred location for this facility is a testament to the hard work that this city and our public and private partners have done to create a new economic future. The same reasons the Sonics and Storm chose Renton — our central location, affordability, available land and community spirit — confirm our regional significance and leadership. Our efforts in support of the King County Events Center position Renton to capitalize on the next great opportunity.

Unfortunately, the lack of action in Olympia also reminds us that if we cannot put aside politics and personal agendas and work regionally to solve issues, we will continue to miss out on terrific opportunities. Today, we face competition from far and near — from foreign nations as well as our neighboring states. If we don't take bold steps and strive for an exciting, sustainable future, we will be left behind.

We must build bridges across political party roadblocks, consider and understand our philosophical differences, set aside jurisdictional parochialism and make regional decisions that benefit our future. It is difficult. It is challenging. And it is mandatory, if we are to succeed in the new global economy.

Kathy Keolker is the mayor of Renton.