Convention Center Plan May Wait Expansion Backers Join With West Side Cities, But Issue May Not Come To A Vote This Year

Spokane is trying to rush through an opening created by the Seattle Seahawks’ stadium victory last year.

The city is uniting with Tacoma and Vancouver to seek state tax money for their convention center expansion projects.

They’re following billionaire Seahawks owner Paul Allen’s successful push for state help in building a new football stadium in downtown Seattle.

“If it’s good enough for King County, we’d like a little of that largess ourselves,” said Mark Brown, an assistant city manager in Vancouver.

Backers consider the joint effort a politically sophisticated move that’s already winning much-needed support from Western Washington lawmakers.

But less than half of Eastern Washington’s 15-member delegation - none of them senators - has endorsed the proposal.

And proponents admit their chief obstacle likely will be one of Spokane’s own: Sen. Jim West, chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

As the upper house’s top budget guardian, the Republican’s support - or opposition - can determine whether other lawmakers even get to vote on the issue. So far, proponents say, West’s reaction has been lukewarm.

“As much as we’d like to think he’s a hometown boy, Jim is always looking at the big picture,” said Dave Mandyke, Spokane assistant city manager. He quickly added, “That’s what he should do.”

Attempts to reach West were unsuccessful last week. He did not return repeated phone calls to his office, and an aide said he was tied up in meetings and feeling ill.

But those pushing the three-city plan are familiar with West’s position.

“Sen. West has the point of view that all good (budget) chairs have: He’s got a statewide perspective,” said Randy Lewis, lobbyist for the city of Tacoma. “We’ve got a very high hurdle to get over to convince him that this is something that’s good for the state as a whole.”

Even some supporters don’t expect a bill to pass this year in a 60-day session, which GOP leaders maintain should focus on fixing mistakes, handling emergencies or seizing one-time opportunities. Most supporters are looking toward next year.

But the issues aren’t expected to change.

Working together, officials from the three cities are asking the Legislature to divvy up about $15 million in sales tax revenue each year for 20 years. The cities would use the money to resurrect stalled special events-center projects.

Bills currently filed in the House and Senate call for giving the three cities an additional two-tenths of 1 percent of the sales tax money collected within their borders.

In Spokane, that extra $5.9 million a year essentially would make the mortgage payment on an additional 62,000 square feet of exhibit hall space and 40,000 square feet of meeting room space. A recent study, which estimates the cost at $70 million, recommends the new space be built on a city block south of the Spokane Convention Center across Spokane Falls Boulevard.

Tacoma and Vancouver are proposing smaller-scale projects.

Mandyke calls the teamwork part of an “evolution” in Spokane’s legislative efforts. Joining with West Side cities gets other lawmakers interested and increases the odds of success.

“I think we’re working a little smarter,” he said.

Backing the bills from Spokane are a handful of Republicans, including Reps. Brad Benson, Duane Sommers and Larry Sheahan, and Democratic Rep. Alex Wood.

The entire Vancouver-area delegation is behind the idea, including the Speaker Pro Tempore and the vice chair of the House committee to which the bill has been assigned. Tacoma proponents include members of West’s committee.

In making their pitch, supporters cite studies that suggest tourismrelated spending brings a five-fold economic return, which in turn boosts state tax revenue.

Without more space, Spokane can’t attract bigger conventions and risks losing its two biggest regulars - the Northwest Mining Association and the Agricultural Expo. They now draw thousands of people to the city and use nearly all available space, which leaves them unable to grow, said Spokane Convention Center Director Mike Kobluk.

But the three cities also intend to argue that it’s simply their turn at the sales tax trough.

“The state found a compelling reason and need to fund a football stadium and statewide convention center in Seattle,” Tacoma’s Lewis said.

“We can make the case that the next-tier cities have a compelling need,” Lewis said.

King County uses some Legislature-approved sales tax money to finance new stadiums for the Seahawks and Mariners. The percentage is significantly less than what Spokane proposes, but the dollar value is higher - roughly $800,000 a month.

But critics, including Sen. Eugene Prince, R-Thornton, fear giving money to Spokane opens the door for every other city to make a similar pitch, and that could be a “budgetbuster.” He also maintains that a stadium issue is different.

“You’re talking about an athletic thing with a lot of backing that took a statewide vote,” Prince said. “That’s an entirely different subject.”

Other Spokane-area lawmakers say it’s too early in the process to make a commitment on the bills. Some want first to see if bills make it to the floor of either house. Enter West, who has the Senate version of a bill now before his committee.

Mandyke said West has indicated he might support something similar to the stadium package if the sales tax percentage was as small as King County’s. But that would raise only a few hundred thousand dollars - far less than the Spokane needs.

That leaves the lobbyists and city politicians doing what they do best: selling an idea.

“When West met with the Spokane folks a few months ago, I was told he said, ‘Be creative,”’ Brown said. “Well, this is creative. We just have to convince him.”

, DataTimes