Downtown stadium is best

As stakeholders of Spokane and the Spokane Public Schools district we should be throwing our support behind the proposal for the downtown stadium.

A material number of new details have emerged since the advisory vote was farmed off to voters a few years ago. Failure of the SPS Board to consider all potential fiscal impacts to the community would be a massive disservice to their constituents. When the advisory vote was tallied in 2018 it was marred in confusion, the Podium building was not confirmed, long-term effects of the McCleary decision were yet to be fully understood, the SPS teachers collective bargaining agreement was a year away, and the community had yet to go through a generation-defining lockdown.

Fiscal responsibility is more important than ever. The downtown location for the new stadium puts forth the most fiscally responsible option for operating the facility and offers the largest potential for economic growth for the community.

Opportunities like this chart the trajectory of growth for our community. Creating a complex for the arts and sports including the Spokane Arena, the Podium, and the downtown Spokane Public Schools stadium would cement the downtown core as not only an economic hot zone that increases property values ultimately generating more funding for the district, but also fosters excitement around the community when it is needed more than ever.

The SPS Board’s priority goals for 2020-21 are: “Respond to the moment” and “Plan for the future.”

There is no better opportunity to follow through on their own goals.

Matt Nelson

Spokane