Jolt
Afternoon Jolt: Freeman Quits Pro-Rail Bellevue Business Group
Today's winner No. 1: The Bellevue Downtown Association.
Kemper Freeman---the Bellevue megadeveloper and longtime opponent of light rail to the Eastside---has resigned from the Bellevue Downtown Association, the Bellevue business group, where he served as a member of the board.
The reported reason for the split: The BDA has consistently supported light rail through downtown Bellevue. With Freeman's departure, the organization is no longer headed by the Eastside's loudest anti-light rail voice.
BDA spokesman Patrick Bannon said the group had agreed not to release Freeman's resignation letter, which Bannon described as "brief." He said he would characterize Freeman's rationale as "concern over the focus and direction of the organization."
Freeman has not returned a call for comment.
Today's winner No. 2: Light rail.
Update: The Seattle Times ran a longer story on Freeman's departure late Monday night after this piece ran.
Kemper Freeman---the Bellevue megadeveloper and longtime opponent of light rail to the Eastside---has resigned from the Bellevue Downtown Association, the Bellevue business group, where he served as a member of the board.
The reported reason for the split: The BDA has consistently supported light rail through downtown Bellevue. With Freeman's departure, the organization is no longer headed by the Eastside's loudest anti-light rail voice.
BDA spokesman Patrick Bannon said the group had agreed not to release Freeman's resignation letter, which Bannon described as "brief." He said he would characterize Freeman's rationale as "concern over the focus and direction of the organization."
Freeman has not returned a call for comment.
Today's winner No. 2: Light rail.
Update: The Seattle Times ran a longer story on Freeman's departure late Monday night after this piece ran.
