History
Destruction
Information
Tour the Dome
They Said It
Top 10
Memorabilia
| Kingdome History | ||
 |
A new program call "Forward Thrust" became the mist monumental bond issue ever presented to the city.
The $812 million package included parks, street improvements, swimming pools, rapid transit, sewers,
youth and community centers, low-income housing, fire stations, and a domed stadium with a price tag of $40 million.
With a well run campaign, and stars coming to show their support like Mickey Mantle, 62 percent of the voters said YES by passing the bond issue. Seattle would now get its stadium. Over the next few years Seattle would see a major league team, the Seattle Pilots, play in 1969 and leave to Milwaukee and the proposed stadium go through court cases and location issues. Finally on November 2, 1972 ground was officially broken. | |
| The Kingdome in 1974 | ||
| The life of King County Stadium began on February 13, 1968 when voters passed the issued by a 62 percent majority. First talk of a stadium began in 1957 and on November 8, 1960, Seattle voted down a $15 million bond issue. It stipulated that the money be committed to building a domed stadium, providing acquisition of a major league franchise preceding the issuing of the bonds. The lack of leadership to drive the issue home to the voters was the big reason the bond issue lost. However, it did spark support and as the years went on more people began to like the idea. Groups outside the region also wanted to see a stadium built. The National Football League began to eye Seattle |
as a possible expansion location and baseball
leaders were blunt in their statement - "No stadium, no team".
A spirited campaign was fought in 1966 but received only a 51.5 percent majority (60 percent was needed to pass). One of the problems was a school bond issue on the same ballot which opponents used by saying "schools were a necessity, and stadiums were not". The next year Seattle faced an important milestone. On October 19, 1967, the American League voted to finally grant an expansion franchise to the city. However, it was "good until 1971 and contingent on the city being able to provide suitable stadium facilities". |
|