$150 million for Husky Stadium? I don't think so. Why not just move to Seahawks Stadium?

I'm a Husky. (Class of '81, Army ROTC)

But my time at that school did not include the installation of cataracts.

The university wants... no, DEMANDS; that the taxpayers of this state gratefully fork over $150 million for yet another in the series of Husky Stadium renovations.

Apparently, all involved with this effort have taken graduate seminars in "cluelessness."

We have a school that is in such a financial hurt locker that it won't take any new students for Spring quarter; a budget that has built itself a dandy $6 to $8 BILLION deficit... and the University itself sits on a multi-billion dollar endowment... and they demand that WE pay for their stadium upgrades NOW?

No.

Shades of Paul Allen's rip-off to save the Seahawks.

Look, I'm as giddy as the next Dawg with we scarfed up Sarkazian and Holt. I would love to see a resurgence of Husky football... after all, when you have, by any measure, the WORST major college football team in the country, you really have no way to go but up.

But one of the things I was taught at the UDub was to face reality. And the reality is that the UW already HAS the money; and the people of this state DON'T; the UW just doesn't want to spend it.

Further, the UW shouldn't get dime one for our stadium that WSU also doesn't get. Further, every other college stadium in the state could also use money for upgrades. The issue is one of fairness.

But with our huge and increasing fiscal issues confronting us, putting new paint on our major college football stadiums is NOT a priority.

Thanks, but no thanks. The worst that can happen is.... nothing.

If, as Huskies allege, the stadium is "unsafe," then fine: close it. Make a deal to use Qwest. Even if the school paid a million dollars per game to use Qwest, it would take 25 years to cost as much as the UW wants us to spend... and they could use the money they already have.

To me, that is an extremely viable alternative, as opposed to wasting (yes, I said WASTING) tens of millions of dollars when we already have a stadium available.

We, as a state, cannot afford this, do not need this and do not want this: Our legislature should commiserate, but do nothing more.


Last updated January 18, 2009 12:00 a.m. PT

Husky Stadium fight a new Apple Cup
By NICHOLAS K. GERANIOSASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

SPOKANE, Wash. -- The University of Washington's bid for taxpayer money to renovate Husky Stadium is moving the rivalry of the Apple Cup game from the football field to the back rooms of politics.

Husky boosters and Washington State University fans are squabbling over a proposal that would use tax revenues to pay for half the $300 million renovation project.

The entertainingly insult-filled debate illustrates how deeply emotional some of the issues can be.

"That's a very rich football program," said Mike Bernard, a Bellevue tax consultant and WSU graduate who is leading the opposition to the UW proposal. "They can pay for it themselves."
For his trouble, Bernard has been called a fool by Husky boosters who contend he is being used by WSU to derail the project.

"This shouldn't be a Husky-Cougar thing," said Ron Crockett, a UW booster who is pushing the tax proposal.

Officials for Washington State University insist they have no position on the UW request, although they would like some public money of their own if the Huskies get some.

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