Did a Seattle City Council member let slip the timeline for the Oakview Group (OVG) renovation for Seattle’s Key Arena? It seems so after statements in a meeting that took place Monday.
Seattle Council Member Lets NHL Arena Timeline Slip
City Council member Mike O’Brien raised concerns about the $660 million OVG proposal. In doing so he seems to have released the proposed timeline. However, as he raised his concerns, he likely let the cat out of the bag. He said the following regarding his concern.
“I just want to flag, that I’m struggling during budget season to keep up with the complexity of (the deal), and I have tried to dig into it, but I gotta say the budget is taking all of my attention,” O’Brien stated. “I’m feeling very squeezed on the timeline, that we’re supposed to vote this out of.”
Seattle Key Arena Ready For NHL in 2020?
He continued later “I recognize that it is driven by a construction timeline designed to deliver an NHL team in 2020, the fall of 2020.”
The Seattle City Council is set for a final vote on the OVG Memorandum of Understanding or MOU. This is to happen during the first week of December. The group, led by Tim Liewike, has made it clear that they would like to be ready for the 2020-21 NHL season.
Seattle arena deal ‘designed to deliver NHL team by 2020,’ says @SeattleCouncil member:
https://t.co/o1zmSIpS9L#Seattle #NHL #KeyArena pic.twitter.com/FjunKK0any— Chris Daniels (@ChrisDaniels5) November 6, 2017
O’Brien said regarding the timeline for vote “(I’m) wondering if there is a way to get another month or so of time to look at that, if the tradeoff is between hockey in 2020 versus hockey in 2021, versus, uh, or me at least doing my thorough due diligence that’s a tradeoff I’m going to have to consider.”
Several council members said that they would assist him in understanding the MOU. His comments came after an announcement by councilmember Debora Juarez. She stated that the next Committee on Civic Arenas would take place on November 16, 2017. O’Brien stated that he is unable to attend that meeting and made his statements at Monday’s meeting.
In conclusion of the council meeting, Council President Bruce Harrell stated “I’m hopeful we get it [the arena deal] done this year.
Here’s @SeattleCouncil Prez @bruceharrell, on deal for New Arena at SeaCtr: “I’m hopeful we get it done this year”.
via @SeattleChannel pic.twitter.com/HhP6G4UhQO— Chris Daniels (@ChrisDaniels5) November 6, 2017
