The International Longshore and Warehouse Union says it plans
to sue over a recently approved plan to build a $490 million sports arena near the
waterfront, saying the location jeopardizes jobs at and near the Port of Seattle.
Seattle and King County councils on Oct. 15 gave final approval
to a plan to construct the combination basketball/hockey venue in Seattle’s SoDo
area. Under the plan, $200 million of the funding would come from public bonds,
with the rest raised by developer Chris Hansen. The public investment would be paid
back through rent money and taxes from the arena under the plan.
But prior to the vote, ILWU Local 19 revealed that it plans to
file suit in King County Superior Court challenging the agreement with the developer.
The lawsuit will be filed, according to ILWU attorney David Mann,
because the City of Seattle and King County have committed public funds to a project
without completing an environmental impact study on the proposed site.
“We cannot stand idly by while Mr. Hansen and his well-connected
lobbyists, along with our elected officials, build an arena in a location that threatens
the livelihood of our members and many other workers in the maritime industry,”
Local 19 President Cameron Williams said.
The Port of Seattle has also previously urged caution regarding
the arena proposal. Container operations, railway lines and truck activity are all
currently located within blocks of the proposed arena site, and multiple Port of
Seattle studies have determined that traffic congestion and pressure on industrial
businesses brought by a sports facility near the waterfront could squeeze out small
businesses, disrupt port operations and limit the potential for port growth.
A recent revision to the plan, however, includes a $40 million
road improvement fund. The fund, which would be covered by tax revenues, would go
toward the study and prioritization of area transportation improvements.
