Everett City Council Approves Downtown Stadium

Most recent rendering of the new stadium that would sit just east of Broadway, between Hewitt and Pacific in Downtown Everett.

Several agenda items related to the proposed Downtown Everett Stadium proposal were up for final vote tonight in a lengthy council meeting.

The Everett City Council approved the “Outdoor Event Center” by a count of 6-1, with the only “no” vote coming from Judy Tuohy.

The stadium construction is expected to be around $40 million, but the total cost would be around $82 million. $20 million would be allocated to the land acquisition and business relocation costs and about $20 million for designs, permits, taxes, fees and contingency.

The new stadium would serve as the home for the Everett Aquasox, a potential USL Soccer team, and other outdoor events that would include things like concerts, motocross, and graduations.

The city would spend about $7.25 million up front. It would not spend any general fund dollars or raise taxes to fund the project.

Comparison stadium in Knoxville, TN

The rest of the money would come from the State of Washington, Snohomish County, the AquaSox, the United Soccer League (USL), and bonds. Those bonds, to be paid back by the stadium’s future revenue, would serve as the bulk of the funding for the project, totaling around $40 million.

Among the approved agenda items were:

• Everett Event Center Fund: $4.8 million for partial design services, consulting and legal services for project management, project labor agreement consultation and initial property acquisition costs.
• Eminent Domain Ordinance for Everett Outdoor Event Center: This ordinance is the next step in acquiring properties for
  the Everett Outdoor Event Center (EOEC), including by use of eminent domain.
• Authorize the Mayor to Execute a Professional Services Agreement with Intelligent Partnerships, INC. for initial work related to the Project Labor Agreement ($50,000)
• Authorize Mayor to Sign Professional Services Agreement with Kimley Horn for Initial Work Related
  to Property Acquisition and Relocation for the Outdoor Event Center Project ($200k)
• Authorize Mayor to Sign Professional Services Agreement amendment with Shiels Obletz Johnsen Inc. for the Progressive Design-Build ($200k)
• Select Bayley Construction LP as Design-Builder for the Everett Outdoor Event Center ($2,901,602)
• Adopt Resolution Selecting Public Facilities Group as the 63-20 Facilitator/Issuer for the Everett Outdoor Event Center Project (non-profit to issue bonds).

A few council members left lengthy thoughtful comments that we will transcribe and add below in the coming hours.