Spokane, Shadow end Albi deal
The city of Spokane and the owner of the defunct Spokane Shadow soccer team are ending their deal over Joe Albi Stadium.
The City Council approved in a 6-0 vote Tuesday night an agreement that gives Bobby Brett’s Red Card LLC a payment of $330,000 in return for canceling the five years remaining on the team’s lease. Red Card will give up revenue from advertising at the stadium, and the city will get out of certain other costs it bore under the lease.
The council also confirmed the appointment of James Craven as the new city attorney, replacing Mike Connelly, over objections from one councilman about the process that led to his selection.
The Albi dispute centered around the aging artificial turf at the stadium, which Brett and high schools that also use the facility said was becoming unsafe. Those concerns were raised last year, when former Mayor Jim West was looking for a way for the city to sell Albi and build another stadium elsewhere.
West’s suggestion sparked public outrage, and the council failed to back it. The city and the Spokane and Mead school districts eventually negotiated an agreement to share the $1 million cost of new turf, which will be installed this summer.
But while the decision on the turf was delayed, Brett said he was forced to cancel the Shadow’s spring-summer season, which cost him the franchise.
Under the old lease, Brett received 90 percent of the revenue from advertising in the stadium, and the city received 10 percent. Now the city will receive all of that revenue, said Councilman Rob Crow, who helped negotiate the agreement.
The city was also responsible for utility costs, such as the electricity to run the lights during night games for the Shadow, and won’t be facing that expense, he said. The extra sign revenue plus the savings may cover the cost of buying out the lease, Crow said. “It’s the end of one vision, and hopefully the beginning of another,” he added.
On Craven’s appointment, Councilman Brad Stark criticized Mayor Dennis Hession for not having a more thorough application process for a position that pays more than $100,000 and is chief counsel for a $500 million municipal corporation. He also questioned whether Craven had enough experience in criminal law to head up an office that must oversee criminal cases as well as civil matters.
Other council members praised Craven’s qualifications. Council President Joe Shogan, himself an attorney, said few lawyers have a background in every facet of the law.
Craven’s appointment was approved 4-1, with Councilman Al French abstaining because Craven has worked for his architectural firm, and Councilwoman Mary Verner was absent.