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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Hawks Reach Agreement With Camp

From Wire Reports

The Seahawks have agreed to a “letter of understanding” to reserve Northwest College for their summer training camp.

The agreement won’t necessarily stop the Seahawks from moving to Anaheim, Calif., if they win a lawsuit against King County and break their lease with the Kingdome, which has 10 years left. But it would pay an undisclosed amount to the college if don’t have their camp in Kirkland.

In return, the Seahawks reserve a dormitory and cafeteria during their six-week training camp.

“We would love for them to be there,” Northwest College spokesman John Fox said. “If the Seahawks move, we would receive some renumeration.”

Since the Feb. 2 announcement that the team was moving to Anaheim, several area groups contacted the college about using the dormitory this summer. With weights and training-room equipment moved to Rams Park in Anaheim, executives didn’t know what to tell Northwest College officials about their plans.

The Seahawks are in the middle of a 20-year lease to have their team headquarters at upper-campus level of Northwest College. After 2005, the Seahawks hold two five-year options to extend the lease and keep the building as their headquarters.

After 2015, the building on the property belongs to the college.

Knowing that their fate in court wouldn’t be known until the middle of June, the Seahawks had to make provisions for the summer. They had looked at the Oakland Raiders’ former training-camp site in Oxnard, Calif. A decision to reserve that area would be needed soon if the Behring family has any hope of holding a training camp in Southern California.

Meanwhile, the time window is running out on the Seahawks’ chances of using Rams Park as a headquarters if they break the Kingdome lease. The Magnolia School District in Anaheim decided to proceed with architectural plans to turn the facility from a football building into an elementary school.

Threatened with a $500,000 fine by the NFL for being in Anaheim, the Seahawks decided not to sign a one-year, $275,000 lease at Rams Park. Instead, they loaded weights and equipment into five vans and returned them to the Seahawks facility.

Officials split on Kingdome

With the cost of remodeling the Kingdome for the Seahawks pegged by a consultant at $197 million, some King County officials are wondering if it would be wiser to build a new stadium instead.

Some County Council members think remodeling the Kingdome ought to cost less. Others question whether spending $197 million will do enough.