I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, Seattle musicians love their local sports teams.
It’s continuing to look like the Sonics will return to Seattle so it should be no surprise that some of the big-hitters in the local music community are putting their weight behind Mayor Mike McGinn and the City Council’s efforts to bring the NBA back to town.
Watch: Celebrate the return of the Sonics with Pearl Jam, Blue Scholars, PUSA & Macklemore
Yesterday, a letter was sent to the mayor and city council expressing support for the new arena plan because of its economic and social benefits for the Seattle Center and SoDo areas. The letter was signed by every member of Pearl Jam (including the band’s manager, PR manager and fan club manager), Ben Gibbard, Macklemore, Ryan Lewis and the Presidents of the USA.
Watch: Jeff Ament on why the Sonics are important to Pearl Jam
But it wasn’t just the musicians who piled on the support. Multiple KEXP DJs, club owners and executives from the Seattle Theater Group, which owns and operates the Paramount, Moore and Neptune theaters along with Sasqsuatch!, also signed their names. Mayor McGinn thanked everyone who signed the letter with a series of personalized tweets.
You can read the letter here, or check out the full text of the letter and see who signed the letter below.
Dear Mayor McGinn and members of the City Council,
We are writing as members of Seattle’s music community to voice our support for
the efforts by Chris Hansen’s investor group to build a new arena in Sodo. Hansen’s
proposed development, along with its positive impact on Seattle Center, represents a
great opportunity for performers and fans alike, and aligns nicely with KEXP’s move to a
new home at Seattle Center in 2014.Seattle has one of the most thriving music communities in the country, a community that
is part of a broader, flourishing cultural landscape. Our city is alive with music, literary,
performing, and visual arts. We’re home to incredible cinema, culinary arts, design,
architecture, and yes, renowned professional sports franchises. Together, these diverse
cultural institutions strengthen the vitality of our region, fuel our economy, attract and
retain residents, and boost tourism. Most importantly, they make Seattle one of the
greatest cities in which to live and work.By opening the door for the possible return of professional basketball to Seattle, and by
offering a home for other sports franchises, as well as concerts, events, and exhibitions,
the Hansen development energizes the burgeoning Sodo neighborhood and strengthens
Seattle’s cultural community.We believe one of the great benefits of the Hansen project is that it devotes resources
to invigorating Key Arena at Seattle Center, which will be the temporary home of a new
basketball team while the new venue is completed. Soon, Seattle Center will also be the
new home of KEXP. As members of the KEXP Community, we wholeheartedly support
efforts to bring additional energy to the Center campus. New vitality at Seattle Center
benefits all the nonprofit campus tenants.We thank you for your support of this new development. We lend our voices
to the effort as well.Sincerely,
Ben Haggerty
Macklemore &
Ryan LewisRyan Lewis
Macklemore &
Ryan LewisJeff Ament
Pearl JamEd Vedder
Pearl JamKevin Cole
KEXP DJJohn Richards
KEXP DJ
Cheryl Waters
KEXP DJTroy Nelson
KEXP DJLarry Mizell Jr.
KEXP DJBen Gibbard
Megan Jasper
Vice President,
Sub Pop RecordsMatt Cameron
Pearl Jam
SoundgardenStone Gossard
Pearl JamMike McCready
Pearl JamChris Ballew
Presidents of the USAJosh LaBelle
Executive Director,
Seattle Theater GroupAdam Zacks
Producer,
Sasquatch!
Music FestivalJason Finn
Presidents of the USAAndrew McKeag
Presidents of the USADave Dederer
Presidents of the USADave Meinert
Music Manager,
Bar and Club OwnerKelly Curtis
Manager,
Pearl JamSteven Severin
Owner,
NeumosNicole Vandenberg
Principal,
Vandenberg
CommunicationsJerry Everard
Club and Restaurant
OwnerTim Bierman
Manager,
10 Club
