Sides Line Up As Clock Ticks On Stadium Vote Opponents Challenge Allen To Debate Over Spending Taxpayers’ Money For New Seahawks Facility

Opponents and backers of a new stadium for the Seattle Seahawks have formally launched their campaigns, with those against the stadium challenging prospective team owner Paul Allen to a televised debate.

State voters will decide at a special June 17 election whether to approve contributing $300 million toward the $425 million project to replace the Kingdome with a new outdoor stadium and exhibition hall.

Stadium backers kicked off their “Our Team Works!” campaign this morning with speeches by former Seahawks owner John Nordstrom and Seahawks coach Dennis Erickson.

Proponents say the new field could help attract a professional soccer franchise to Seattle, while the exhibition hall would bring in large trade shows now usually staged in the Kingdome.

In addition to Seattle, the campaign opened field offices in Everett, Tacoma, Olympia, Vancouver, Tri-Cities, Yakima and Spokane. It also plans offices in Bellingham and in Kitsap County.

On Thursday, opponents had their day, saying the money needed for the stadium could be better spent on such things as roads, schools and public safety.

Chris Van Dyk, spokesman for the “Stop Stadium Madness” campaign, predicted the stadium-finance plan will be easily defeated.

“We don’t have to persuade anybody of anything,” he said. “We simply have to put out the reasons - articulate the rage if you will - that people already feel about this proposal.”

State Rep. Tim Sheldon, D-Hoodsport, challenged Allen to debate the issue.

“I don’t think that’s too much to ask,” said Sheldon, one of the Legislature’s most vocal critics of the plan.

“If he can’t come out and tell the public why he needs money and why he needs to tear down a perfectly good facility, I think he’s going to have trouble,” he said. “It’s pretty important to face the voters.”

A spokeswoman for Allen, the billionaire co-founder of Microsoft and owner of the Portland Trail Blazers, couldn’t immediately say whether Allen would accept Sheldon’s challenge.

A close vote is expected on the financing plan, which would allow the state to issue bonds for $300 million. Allen would pay another $100 million of the cost, and a sales-tax deferral on construction of the complex would cover about $25 million.

Allen also is covering the $3.4 million cost of the special election.

He has a $20 million option to buy the Seahawks from Ken Behring, who tried unsuccessfully last year to move the team to Southern California. The option expires in July, and Allen says he won’t buy the team unless public funding for the new stadium is approved.

Allen also has spent millions to attract new Seahawks players and is footing the cost of the pro-stadium campaign. His campaign manager, Sue Tupper, said the effort doesn’t have a firm budget, but probably would cost around $2.5 million.

“They’ll spend as much as it takes to win it,” she said.