Seattle Center Update

Here's a snippet of the Seattle Times article.  There are 181 comments on the article already.


June 2010 Emily Heffter:

"In a second attempt to sell the city and the public on a Dale Chihuly glass exhibit at Seattle Center, the Space Needle Corp. is proposing to add a free, art-inspired playground for kids and a free field trip to the exhibit for every eighth-grader in the Seattle school district.

The corporation also stressed the financial benefit of choosing the glass exhibit over eight other proposals for the 1 ½-acre site just south of the monorail station. The Chihuly exhibit needs no public investment and would return $24 million over 20 years to the city in lease money and taxes, according to the proposal released Thursday.

Among the eight competing ideas for the site are two proposals for more open space, a Native American cultural center and a new studio for the nonprofit radio station KEXP.

Chihuly faced criticism from some City Council members and the public this spring when his company unveiled the proposed exhibit, an idea it had quietly been working on for more than a year. At public meetings, some people questioned whether a private business should be able to use the Center, which is publicly owned. Some were critical of adding a paid-admission venue, and others felt a glass exhibit would not be a good place for kids.

The new Chihuly proposal seeks to address some of those concerns. The proposal includes a letter of support from Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson for a plan to develop an eighth-grade science and art curriculum about glass that would culminate with a field trip to the exhibit, all funded by the Space Needle Corp.

Space Needle CEO Ron Sevart said the company would pay Seattle teachers to write the curriculum, and the district could decide how extensive it should be. He said he thought it would be a couple of days of instruction before and after students' field trip to the exhibit.

Councilmember Sally Bagshaw, who chairs the Parks and Seattle Center Committee, thinks the public should have free access to its own property at Seattle Center. On the other hand, she said, the Center has to make money.

"That's the balance," she said. "It sounds like a really good start. It sounds like they listened to us." [...]"

Heffter, E. "Space Needle owners roll out new Chihuly proposal for Seattle Center."  The Seattle Times.  June 10, 2010.  Accessed June 11, 2010. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012083798_chihuly11m.html

Comments:

Duff Hendrickson:  "The city is continually asked to glorify Dale Chihuli. He already has Tacoma. Give him Olympia, or Bremerton if he wants it. Let him and his company and business friends buy property and build their own monuments. Chihuli is a business and doesn't need our help promoting his business."

Ballard Guy:  "I really do not get this Chihuly attraction. If he wants a statue of himself, let him build it in his yard not ours. I do not know of one adult or child that has been longing to see a glass museum. It will never be a big draw of growds. Ever see a line at Tacoma's museum?, not really, sure its cool but one is enough.Leave it open space & what the heck, plant a few more trees & call it a park. That would be unique & cool."

JDinSeattle: "As much as I think Chihuly would be a lame addition, I think it has the most potential to bring in money for the center. All summer long there is tour bus after tour bus parked right in front of the Space Needle and there are a lot of people that would pay for it and might even come to Seattle just because of it. Tourism money = good for Seattle.

I personally liked the KEXP idea since I'm a big fan of that station, definitely not because it's the most practical though."

auburnmom: "Almost Live was making fun of Chihully over 20 years ago. Even laughing at how ridiculous Chihully is has become passe. Can't this city think of something new? I've been to the glass museum in Tacoma and wanted to ask for my admission money back.

I know, how about we build an arena and try to get an NBA team to come to town?"