“The stadium funding racket is an example of what’s broken in politics. It’s the poster child for a broken political system where these elected officials cater to wealthy business owners.”
—Dave Upthegrove, King County council member

“It’s obviously a successful model that has worked very well over the years…. [They’re] publicly owned facilities…and a small investment on the part of taxpayers.”
—Rebecca Hale, spokesperson for the Seattle Mariners

“It’s a good use of taxpayer dollars if the stadium’s benefits are greater than those tax benefits. The problem is, it’s tough to quantify those benefits.… Many of the most powerful benefits of professional sports are both intangible and invaluable.”
—Justin Marlowe, University of Washington professor of public finance and civic engagement