Everett/Snohomish County Development News

[USAPatriot]

Originally Posted by taiwanesedrummer36

Thank GOD somebody has a brain! None of the money from that package will improve the big-daddy of transportation problems, Interstate 5. I really doubt light rail will help, since it won't even reach Everett, where I live.

At least someone agrees with me too. Everyone else seems blind to just how little our tax money goes into the projects we want in this state.

Yes, I'd love Light Rail in Everett, but will it be effective and will our money go into what we want it too?

[Bond James Bond]

Originally Posted by taiwanesedrummer36

Thank GOD somebody has a brain! None of the money from that package will improve the big-daddy of transportation problems, Interstate 5. I really doubt light rail will help, since it won't even reach Everett, where I live.

Personally, I wouldn't call I-5 the granddaddy of all transportation problems. To be sure it needs some repairs, but its capacity is sufficient IMO. I don't think they need to go to the voters and ask for a lot of extra money just to make some repairs.

Sound Transit already has a commuter train running to Everett. Not sure they'd want redundant service with a light rail line.

And anyway, the light rail line will go all the way to up Mill Creek. If they wanted to expand it to Everett in the future, they could if they wanted to. Can't build everything all at once.

[sequoias]

All they need is more commuter rail stations, more times in the day and that will attract more riders to use it because the times are limited and some are worried about missing the train back home if they work longer than normal.

[taiwanesedrummer36]

I think we need to get back on topic (talking about developments in Everett/Snohomish County, not how the Puget Sound area can't fix its traffic problems).

Does anyone know anything about proposed zoning changes along Highway 99 in Lynnwood and Edmonds. I know a Home Depot is going up at Hwy. 99 and 196th St., but I haven't found anything else.

[NW Mike]

I did'nt know about that one. How will they sqeeze that in?(Homedepot)

[taiwanesedrummer36]

Originally Posted by NW Mike

I did'nt know about that one. How will they sqeeze that in?(Homedepot)

It's going to be built at the southwestern corner of the intersection. Recently they started tearing down the whole area. That area is pretty ghetto anyway.

[taiwanesedrummer36]

You should see what developers have been doing with the area around 164th St. and Alderwood Mall Pkwy. In 2 months they have cleared the entire area for what is to be called the "Northpointe Retail Center". The proposed developed area could probably fit two supermarkets. Does anyone know what retailers plan to have stores there?

[NW Mike]

I think its so sad that they tore out all those trees. They did not even leave One! I like it when a developer builds around some of the old growth to give the project some depth, but not Northpointe, They raped the property. Kinda like Alderwood.

That area where Homedepot goes in is very bad, cheap stores that no one goes to. that will be a good addition.

[NW Mike]

Here is a new shot I took of the Tulalip Resort going up. It really stand out. And it officially a high-rise.

[NW Mike]

Everett Events Center has new name
Article in the Herald:
EVERETT — The Everett Events Center reached a naming-rights deal Thursday with Comcast Corp. that will plaster the company's name all over the building, from the marquee to trash cans to souvenir cups.

The nation's largest cable service provider will pay $7.4 million over the next decade in cash and advertising under the deal.

In exchange, the building that has breathed new life into downtown Everett since it opened four years ago will be called Comcast Arena at Everett Events Center the first year of the contract, then Comcast Arena at Everett for the remaining nine years.

Under the deal, Comcast's payments to the Events Center will average $340,000 a year. It will also provide about $400,000 annually in advertising to promote the 10,000-seat arena, which is home to the Western Hockey League's Everett Silvertips hockey team.

"This is a major investment for us," said John Dietrich, a regional vice president for Philadelphia-based Comcast. "We want to be a partner with the city in terms of growing the economy."

The new name will be up on the Event Center's marquee by the time the puck drops on the Silvertips opening game in late September. The deal was approved Thursday by the facilities district that oversees the Events Center.

Everett City Councilman Mark Olson, who is also on the Events Center's board, said he believed it was important that the Events Center keep Everett in its name.

"I've always maintained that it needs to stay Everett," Olson said. "Our justification for building and maintaining the facility in the first place was to make (downtown Everett) a destination."

The advertising that Comcast provides under the contract will be a boon for Everett, he said. "It won't just draw attention to the facility it will also draw attention to the city," Olson said.

The Events Center planned to sell naming rights to the arena all along. It was part of the business plan. The city hoped the Events Center could get a half million dollars for naming rights, but that was four years ago.

Other companies "kicked the tires," but none stepped up with corporate sponsorship, said Kim Bedier, Events Center general manager.

In 2006, more than 700,000 visitors came to watch more than two dozen Silvertips games and a mix of concerts that included the Black-Eyed Peas, Barenaked Ladies and Mexican superstar Juan Gabriel.

The Everett Events Center opened in October 2003 and has been credited with attracting new shops and customers to Everett's downtown, which had been deteriorating for a number of years.

It features an arena that can sit 8,300 for hockey games and can be expanded to 10,000 seats for concerts. It also has a community ice rink and a conference center.

According to the contract, the center will place the Comcast logo on "How You Doin'" buttons worn by the center employees, on the main entrances and on signs posted along I-5.

As part of the deal, the Events Center cannot take any advertising from any of Comcast's competitors for 10 years.

Comcast will provide free premium cable and Internet service including pay-per-view for the luxury boxes and elsewhere throughout the Events Center.

Comcast, which has nearly 1,000 employees in Snohomish County, will also get the use of a luxury box and offer discounted tickets to its employees.

The contract can be altered if the average annual attendance dips below 270,000 or holds fewer than 80 events.

Global Spectrum, which manages the Events Center, negotiated the naming deal. Global Spectrum is owned by Comcast.

The facilities district had the contract independently reviewed by an Everett accountant to make sure it was a good deal for taxpayers, Olson said.

Comcast in 2003 came close to a similar naming deal with the Tacoma Dome, but it fell through following complaints about how the negotiations were handled.

Comcast has a franchise agreement to provide cable service to Everett residents. That deal runs through 2009.

The Events Center was built after the city created a special district that sold bonds to build the $71.5 million entertainment complex in downtown Everett at 2000 Hewitt Ave. The facilities district has a three-member board that is appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council.

Capacity: 10,000

Revenue: $350,000 cash, $400,000 in advertising

Teams: Everett Silvertips (WHL), Hawks (AF2

[sequoias]

Wow, that's great news. Finally they have a name.

[CrazyAboutCities]

Today, someone told me that IKEA is planning to open its second Seattle store on Lynnwood High School site. Anyone hear that? I heard rumors that IKEA is planning to open its second store at somewhere north of Seattle but never know the specific location long time ago. I am not sure if that rumor is true.

[NW Mike]

I have not heard that juicy bit of Gossip. I know Lynnwood High school has been trying to offload that land for a while, It would be a great site for IKEA.
Where did you hear this?

[CityView Jim]

There aren't many US urban areas that have more than one IKEA. But given how it is utter chaos every time I venture to the Renton one, another one would not be an unwise move!

[taiwanesedrummer36]

A new IKEA? That would be awesome! I recently went to the new IKEA in Portland, Oregon, and it was awesome! The selection was much better than the Seattle/Renton one and not to mention the building wasn't as ghetto as the Seattle/Renton one. With the great potential that an Lynnwood/Alderwood IKEA would have, I am so exicted. I think i'm getting my hopes up too quickly. The only problem I can think of is traffic. Traffic is already horrible in the vicinity of Alderwood, and an IKEA could probably triple the traffic there. But still,

IKEA FOR ALDERWOOD!

[taiwanesedrummer36]

Or they might open an IKEA in Marysville...there's more room there.

[BoulderGrad]

Originally Posted by taiwanesedrummer36

Or they might open an IKEA in Marysville...there's more room there.

Thats because theres no people there...

Lynwood makes the most sense, Big pile of people from Seattle, Everett, and the northern- East side

[CrazyAboutCities]

Originally Posted by NW Mike

I have not heard that juicy bit of Gossip. I know Lynnwood High school has been trying to offload that land for a while, It would be a great site for IKEA.
Where did you hear this?

Read my post again, I said someone told me.

[CrazyAboutCities]

Originally Posted by taiwanesedrummer36

A new IKEA? That would be awesome! I recently went to the new IKEA in Portland, Oregon, and it was awesome! The selection was much better than the Seattle/Renton one and not to mention the building wasn't as ghetto as the Seattle/Renton one. With the great potential that an Lynnwood/Alderwood IKEA would have, I am so exicted. I think i'm getting my hopes up too quickly. The only problem I can think of is traffic. Traffic is already horrible in the vicinity of Alderwood, and an IKEA could probably triple the traffic there. But still,

IKEA FOR ALDERWOOD!

Please do not get too excited because this rumor might not true. That is why I asked to see if anyone knows about it.

[CrazyAboutCities]

Originally Posted by CityView Jim

There aren't many US urban areas that have more than one IKEA. But given how it is utter chaos every time I venture to the Renton one, another one would not be an unwise move!

Only US metro area that have more than five IKEA stores that I know of... Los Angeles metro area.