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-♪ Christmas ♪

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-As we enter
the 2022 holiday season,

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Seattle is hoping for
some post-pandemic cheer.

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Big crowds
returned to the city

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for the tree lighting
at Westlake Center.

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And customers
are flocking back

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for new store openings
and sales downtown.

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-It's the ripple effect.

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And we've got to start.
We've got to get back.

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-But while businesses
are trying to stay positive,

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they still have concerns.

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-We have a crisis
with a lot of transient,

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a lot of drug issues,
a lot of safety issues.

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-With office vacancies
still high,

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and growing concerns over the
recent round of tech layoffs,

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is Seattle well positioned
for 2023?

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-We are slowly
moving the needle.

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-The tourism industry
is a huge economic driver.

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-Our panel of experts
weighs in.

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-Downtown's got to be safe,
and clean,

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and welcoming for all.

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-Will we end the year
on a high note or low note?

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Taking the pulse
of Seattle's economic recovery,

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next on "City Inside Out."

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♪♪

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♪♪

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♪♪

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Welcome to this edition
of "City Inside Out."

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I'm your host,
Brian Callanan.

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Businesses across
the Puget Sound

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are praying for a big boost
this holiday season,

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after more than two years

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of dealing with the effects
of the COVID pandemic.

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There are some signs
of hope.

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But in downtown Seattle,

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the home of more than half
the city's jobs,

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there's a lingering
office vacancy problem,

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a rise in tech job layoffs,
and ongoing concerns

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about homelessness
and public safety.

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This week, we're talking with
business leaders

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and local
elected officials

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about the state of
the Seattle economy,

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and if it's truly
a happy new year ahead.

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Want a boost
of holiday cheer?

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Get ready for the return
of the Seattle Men's Chorus --

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this year,
complete with

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an audience participation
conga line.

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-The Seattle Men's Chorus
holiday show

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is more than just music.

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It's really about
community.

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-Interim director Craig Coogan

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is glad to be back
at Benaroya Hall

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in front of live audiences
this December

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for the first time
in three years.

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-There's something about
just being connected.

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And after a period of isolation,
that is so important.

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[ Singing ]

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-Following the chorus'
virtual and masked performances

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during the pandemic,

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Coogan says
the 2022 holiday show

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is a sign that our region

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is slowly raising
the dimmer switch

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after COVID abruptly
shut out the lights.

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We're starting to
come back on.

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And we think we're
one of the bright lights

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of that dimmer switch,
and we are turning it up.

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-But while the chorus
is ready to crank up the heat,

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there's still a bit of a chill
around the Seattle

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business scene,
especially downtown.

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-All sort of good stuff.

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-Maria Coassin is the founder
of Gelatiamo,

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a downtown institution for
fresh-baked delights and gelato,

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for the past 27 years,
at Third and Union.

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-Nobody's gonna
kick me out of here.

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Nobody's gonna move Maria
on the corner.

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So, I'm staying here.

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-Back in April
of this year,

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the city rolled out
Operation New Day,

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with a heavier
police presence,

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to respond to multiple shootings
near Coassin's storefront.

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And she's thankful that support
from the SPD has continued.

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-I see police all over
the place, so that's good.

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It's good for -- for --
for people.

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They feel comfortable.

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-But recent photos
from Gelatiamo show,

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while tents may be gone
from Third Avenue,

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people who are homeless
still gather here,

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and street disorder
is still a problem,

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which Coassin says
has a lot to do

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with another glaring problem
for Seattle.

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-When the offices closed down
because of COVID,

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that really decimated
the amount of people

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that would come into
the downtown.

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-Economic reports from this fall
show downtown Seattle

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only has 36% of its workers
back on the job in-person

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compared to
pre-pandemic levels.

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Combine that with recent layoffs
in Seattle's tech sector,

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and it's no surprise
downtown's office vacancy rates

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are near the highest
in the region --

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a situation Coassin
wants to challenge businesses,

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as well as city leaders,
to respond to.

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-If we don't all show up,
and try to be here,

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and make our [indistinct] city
livable again, and safe again,

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then, we're just destined
to die.

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-Getting downtown
really humming again,

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hopefully, will make a
difference on our forecast.

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-Seattle City Council members,
like Andrew J. Lewis,

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had to reckon with a major
projected shortfall

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in real estate excise tax in
their recently passed budget --

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an indication that local
property sales are cooling off.

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-Look, people want to live here.
People want to build here.

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People want to start
a business here.

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And we need to work,
as a city government,

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to make those decisions
easier.

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-But Lewis is hoping the city's
investments in downtown

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with this year's budget

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will help boost property tax
and sales tax revenues,

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while the council considers
other progressive

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funding sources
in the future.

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-Let's increase the base
of the modes that we have

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while we're also looking at
progressive taxation.

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And that's what I'm
looking forward to in 2023.

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-My little babies, here.

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-There's a lot to look forward
to in 2023,

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but, like the 27-hour
process needed

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to make Gelatiamo's
famous Panettone,

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restoring downtown Seattle
back to health

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will take
a lot of patience.

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-I see hope.

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It may not be as immediate
as I really would want it to be,

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but it's definitely gonna
come back.

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-It's a comeback
that's just getting started.

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For Seattle businesses
all singing the same tune,

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the show must go on.

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-So, we don't expect that things
are gonna magically turn over,

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but we're all
in this together.

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[ Applause ]

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-And joining us to talk more
about these issues,

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we have with us Robert Nellams,
the director of Seattle Center.

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Robert,
great to have you.

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We also have with us
Tracey Wickersham.

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She is Senior Director
of Cultural Tourism

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for Visit Seattle.

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Great to have you,
too, Tracey.

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And finally, Jon Scholes,
president and C.E.O.

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of the Downtown
Seattle Association.

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John, good to
see you again.

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And John, maybe I can start
with you, here.

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Give us that big picture look,
if you could,

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the status of downtown Seattle
after two years plus

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of struggling with
the COVID pandemic.

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The downtown core, as you know,
as we all know,

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provides more than half
the city's jobs,

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more than half
its tax base.

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It's a huge part of
our regional economy, too.

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Talk to me about
some of the signs of life

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you're seeing, and also,
if you could,

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some of the concerns
you're still hearing

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from member businesses.

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-Yeah, Thanks, Brian.

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No doubt it was a difficult
two years for downtown Seattle,

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like downtowns
across the world.

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Our job's always been about
bringing people together.

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And in a pandemic, we were told,
for good reason, to stay apart.

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But really,
the beginning of 2022 and --

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and really kicking into
the spring

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was a turning point for
the recovery of our downtown.

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We saw a huge return of visitors
from, you know,

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within the county,

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but across the country,
across the world.

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We had the highest
hotel occupancy

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in a number of weekends
and weeks during the summer.

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Our friends
at Visit Seattle share,

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I'm sure, many other data points
around the cruise industry,

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but a really strong
return of visitors.

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More people living downtown
today than ever before,

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than before the pandemic.

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100,000 residents
of downtown.

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And we lost some
during the pandemic,

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but they came back,
plus more.

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So, record return
of residential.

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And return to work
has been slow but steady.

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We're in a stronger place
than we were, you know,

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four or five months ago,

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as far as the number of people
back in their offices

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three or more days
a week.

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It's about 40%.

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-Okay.

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-But January,
it was less than 20%.

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So, we're headed
in the right direction.

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And a lot -- have a lot to look
forward to.

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New openings and new ribbons
to be cut on --

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on projects that continued
throughout the pandemic.

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-Okay.

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I'll dive into
that worker question

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in a little bit with you.
but Tracey,

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let me jump to you next.

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Hotel visits are up,
as Jon was saying,

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got the cruise bookings up,

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arts and theater
on the rebound, here.

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I want to try to talk about some
of the positives you're seeing,

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and some of the things
that still need to happen

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for Seattle to
make a comeback, here.

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-Yeah.

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Well, we're -- we're seeing
tremendous rebound

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towards the numbers.

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Ironically --
[ clears throat ] -- excuse me.

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Pre-pandemic,
Visit Seattle was measuring --

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we had 10 years
of sustained

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year over year growth
in our tourism metrics.

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And in early 2020,

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that's what we were celebrating,
was that, in 2019,

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we had hit the 10th year
of record visitation.

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So, getting back up to that
level,

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as Jon says, I mean,
at a time when, you know,

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people were not being
encouraged to travel.

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But we're seeing that demand
being expressed really strongly.

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We're seeing changes
in patterns,

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but people are
coming back,

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and they're coming back
strongly.

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So we still have a ways to go
in both visitation numbers

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and in employment
in the sector.

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But the growth, especially in
this year, in 2022,

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has been really notable.

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And of course, all the reasons
that people travel

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are coming back,

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which is all of this great arts
and cul--

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culture,
all of these holiday events,

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all these reasons that people
want to come to Seattle.

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-Thank you.
I appreciate that.

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Robert,
let me jump to you, here.

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Having a winning hockey team
is definitely one of the good

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things happening
at Seattle Center right now.

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But I know that's just
part of the story.

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Tell us about how the center
is recovering from the pandemic.

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The opera, ballet,
coming back online.

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You got Winterfest
happening now.

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And also, talk about

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maybe some of the large-scale
concerns you have, too.

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-Everything that happens
at Seattle Center is --

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is basically in-person.

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And so, if you can
bring people together,

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if you can bring things,
and make them happen,

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that -- that's who we are,
what we do.

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The pandemic told us
we couldn't do any of that.

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So, we -- we shut down
a lot of things.

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And in 2022, we we started to
see things start to rebound.

248
00:09:55,234 --> 00:09:58,267
We had a Pokemon Go,

249
00:09:58,267 --> 00:10:04,234
and that -- that had the most
attendance at Seattle Center

250
00:10:04,234 --> 00:10:05,367
in the past 10 years.

251
00:10:05,367 --> 00:10:06,801
-Wow.

252
00:10:06,801 --> 00:10:11,133
-We've had a lot of things
happen that have allowed us

253
00:10:11,133 --> 00:10:13,200
to start to
bring people together.

254
00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:16,901
And so, Climate Pledge Arena,
hockey,

255
00:10:16,901 --> 00:10:20,267
all of the acts
that have come through there,

256
00:10:20,267 --> 00:10:22,267
you know,
those are going pretty well.

257
00:10:22,267 --> 00:10:23,634
I mean,
you can sell out,

258
00:10:23,634 --> 00:10:26,901
you can do a lot of things in --
in that realm --

259
00:10:26,901 --> 00:10:31,133
popular events,
music, et cetera.

260
00:10:31,133 --> 00:10:32,701
And sports are happening.

261
00:10:32,701 --> 00:10:36,968
Where you have a little bit
of [ stammering ]

262
00:10:36,968 --> 00:10:44,000
of a lag is with our cultural
and [ stammering ]

263
00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:45,234
theater events.

264
00:10:45,234 --> 00:10:49,234
And so, the rep,
the ballet, the opera,

265
00:10:49,234 --> 00:10:51,133
all of those things
are getting better.

266
00:10:51,133 --> 00:10:53,100
Things are moving
in the right direction.

267
00:10:53,100 --> 00:10:56,200
But they're slower than
the popular culture.

268
00:10:56,200 --> 00:10:57,400
-Got it. Got it.

269
00:10:57,400 --> 00:10:58,467
So, not selling those out
just yet,

270
00:10:58,467 --> 00:11:00,100
but we'll --
we'll see where it goes.

271
00:11:00,100 --> 00:11:02,000
Jon, let me probe
a little further about this idea

272
00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:05,100
of workers not coming back
to work in person downtown.

273
00:11:05,100 --> 00:11:07,133
It's a lasting effect
of the pandemic in many cities.

274
00:11:07,133 --> 00:11:08,534
I know we're seeing it
around the U.S.

275
00:11:08,534 --> 00:11:10,234
And I know the DSA
is tracking it.

276
00:11:10,234 --> 00:11:12,100
This idea of
40% of workers --

277
00:11:12,100 --> 00:11:13,501
less than that,
possibly --

278
00:11:13,501 --> 00:11:16,267
back in person downtown
compared to pre-pandemic.

279
00:11:16,267 --> 00:11:20,400
What impact is this having
on downtown and our economy?

280
00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:22,367
-Well, there's certainly
the number of businesses

281
00:11:22,367 --> 00:11:24,534
that rely on
employees downtown --

282
00:11:24,534 --> 00:11:27,634
shoeshine, flower shops,
the barbershops, salons,

283
00:11:27,634 --> 00:11:29,968
the lunch spots,
the deli.

284
00:11:29,968 --> 00:11:31,968
And they're not seeing
the same level of traffic.

285
00:11:31,968 --> 00:11:33,300
And there's a lot of
other businesses

286
00:11:33,300 --> 00:11:36,000
that are more oriented toward
residents, and visitors,

287
00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:37,567
and tourists that have had,
you know,

288
00:11:37,567 --> 00:11:40,334
really great summer
and fall.

289
00:11:40,334 --> 00:11:41,601
So, there is
an impact there.

290
00:11:41,601 --> 00:11:44,367
And I think the jury's still out
on where we end up,

291
00:11:44,367 --> 00:11:46,501
with the numbers
on return to office.

292
00:11:46,501 --> 00:11:48,868
But we believe the office is
still gonna be very centric

293
00:11:48,868 --> 00:11:50,367
to work, and downtowns
themselves

294
00:11:50,367 --> 00:11:52,701
are gonna be central
to our ability

295
00:11:52,701 --> 00:11:54,501
to connect and collaborate
in person.

296
00:11:54,501 --> 00:11:56,767
And, you know,
not many companies have said

297
00:11:56,767 --> 00:11:58,200
they're gonna be
fully remote.

298
00:11:58,200 --> 00:12:01,367
And even those that have still
believe in in-person connection,

299
00:12:01,367 --> 00:12:04,567
of connecting with your team
in a restaurant, or in an arts

300
00:12:04,567 --> 00:12:07,968
and cultural venue,
or team building in person.

301
00:12:07,968 --> 00:12:11,400
And downtowns can serve as those
venues, and have been.

302
00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:13,767
And so, I think the office
and the downtown

303
00:12:13,767 --> 00:12:16,534
are gonna be very relevant,
still, to connection

304
00:12:16,534 --> 00:12:18,667
and collaboration,
in-person, for companies.

305
00:12:18,667 --> 00:12:20,167
-Can you talk about
what you've been doing

306
00:12:20,167 --> 00:12:22,100
to try to encourage more people
to come downtown?

307
00:12:22,100 --> 00:12:23,300
I know,
at the end of the day,

308
00:12:23,300 --> 00:12:24,801
it's the business
that has to make that call.

309
00:12:24,801 --> 00:12:26,667
But the DSA has been trying,
here, I know,

310
00:12:26,667 --> 00:12:28,534
to try to encourage that
with -- with happenings.

311
00:12:28,534 --> 00:12:29,934
Some thoughts on that.

312
00:12:29,934 --> 00:12:31,467
-Well, what we've heard from
companies and from employees

313
00:12:31,467 --> 00:12:33,367
is the number-one issue,
as it's always been,

314
00:12:33,367 --> 00:12:34,767
is that,
first and foremost,

315
00:12:34,767 --> 00:12:36,300
the downtown's got to be safe,
and clean,

316
00:12:36,300 --> 00:12:37,367
and welcoming for all.

317
00:12:37,367 --> 00:12:38,868
So, that's where
our focus has been,

318
00:12:38,868 --> 00:12:42,300
both in our direct services of
cleaning, and private security,

319
00:12:42,300 --> 00:12:46,067
and taking the plywood down,
and investing in beautification,

320
00:12:46,067 --> 00:12:47,234
and things like that --

321
00:12:47,234 --> 00:12:48,567
and events, and making great
things happen

322
00:12:48,567 --> 00:12:49,667
in our public spaces.

323
00:12:49,667 --> 00:12:50,901
During the holidays,
during the summer,

324
00:12:50,901 --> 00:12:52,734
that was a big focus
of ours.

325
00:12:52,734 --> 00:12:54,567
And then, working with
our public-sector partners

326
00:12:54,567 --> 00:12:56,534
to address the issue
of safety, security,

327
00:12:56,534 --> 00:12:59,067
to help our neighbors inside,
and off the streets.

328
00:12:59,067 --> 00:13:01,634
And the good news is, is we are
in a much better position

329
00:13:01,634 --> 00:13:03,634
on all of those fronts
than we were a year ago

330
00:13:03,634 --> 00:13:04,667
than we were
six months ago.

331
00:13:04,667 --> 00:13:06,133
-Thanks.

332
00:13:06,133 --> 00:13:07,234
And I'm gonna dive into some of
those public safety issues

333
00:13:07,234 --> 00:13:08,334
in just a little bit.

334
00:13:08,334 --> 00:13:09,801
But Tracey,
I wanted to talk to you.

335
00:13:09,801 --> 00:13:11,367
I'm thinking of situations
where a lack of workers downtown

336
00:13:11,367 --> 00:13:13,767
might have shut down a favorite
restaurant or business

337
00:13:13,767 --> 00:13:15,834
that -- that is very popular
for Visit Seattle,

338
00:13:15,834 --> 00:13:17,100
and would affect
your work.

339
00:13:17,100 --> 00:13:18,901
Is it a situation
where Visit Seattle

340
00:13:18,901 --> 00:13:21,300
has to turn some of its energy
towards attracting

341
00:13:21,300 --> 00:13:23,567
local Seattleites,
King County residents,

342
00:13:23,567 --> 00:13:24,968
whoever else,
to come back downtown.

343
00:13:24,968 --> 00:13:27,467
-Yeah, we did do that
during peak pandemic.

344
00:13:27,467 --> 00:13:29,601
We actually worked on
a couple of different campaigns

345
00:13:29,601 --> 00:13:32,868
to really try to bolster
our neighborhood jams,

346
00:13:32,868 --> 00:13:34,968
and our --
our sacred places,

347
00:13:34,968 --> 00:13:37,367
really, you know,
that we wanted people to realize

348
00:13:37,367 --> 00:13:39,434
that we needed to turn out,
and support those.

349
00:13:39,434 --> 00:13:41,801
Typically, that is not
Visit Seattle's mandate.

350
00:13:41,801 --> 00:13:44,467
You know, we are a destination
marketing organization,

351
00:13:44,467 --> 00:13:47,367
and where our success is judged
on bringing people in

352
00:13:47,367 --> 00:13:49,767
from outside the region
to stay.

353
00:13:49,767 --> 00:13:52,267
So, luckily,
we're able to shift back

354
00:13:52,267 --> 00:13:53,868
to that more
external focus.

355
00:13:53,868 --> 00:13:55,901
But at the same time,
a vibrant --

356
00:13:55,901 --> 00:13:58,667
everything that Jon talks about
is exactly the same for us.

357
00:13:58,667 --> 00:14:00,868
I mean, think about
your own travel patterns.

358
00:14:00,868 --> 00:14:02,567
You want to go somewhere
that feels vibrant,

359
00:14:02,567 --> 00:14:05,868
that feels like the locals
are engaged and loving it,

360
00:14:05,868 --> 00:14:08,467
and that feel safe,
and welcoming, and clean.

361
00:14:08,467 --> 00:14:10,400
So, all of those things
are important.

362
00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:12,167
But we have created
a couple of campaigns.

363
00:14:12,167 --> 00:14:14,667
We did the
I know a Place campaign,

364
00:14:14,667 --> 00:14:16,567
where we're really asking
our locals

365
00:14:16,567 --> 00:14:19,133
to tell other people
about their favorite places.

366
00:14:19,133 --> 00:14:21,934
I mean, whenever anybody
asks me, I'm like,

367
00:14:21,934 --> 00:14:23,267
"Even if you're local,

368
00:14:23,267 --> 00:14:24,634
you should be looking at
the Visit Seattle website,

369
00:14:24,634 --> 00:14:27,167
because we are full
of great information

370
00:14:27,167 --> 00:14:28,667
about what to see
and do."

371
00:14:28,667 --> 00:14:30,634
But yeah, you know,
those lunch places,

372
00:14:30,634 --> 00:14:33,234
and getting that kind of
critical mass of feeling

373
00:14:33,234 --> 00:14:36,634
that energy that comes
from a lively downtown,

374
00:14:36,634 --> 00:14:38,367
it's really critical
to tourism, too.

375
00:14:38,367 --> 00:14:39,667
-Yeah.

376
00:14:39,667 --> 00:14:42,000
Everybody check out Tracey's
No Umbrella podcast --

377
00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:43,834
or, excuse me,
the blog you write.

378
00:14:43,834 --> 00:14:47,033
Robert, I want to talk to you,
and just reflect on the fact

379
00:14:47,033 --> 00:14:49,467
that you've had a very long
and distinguished career

380
00:14:49,467 --> 00:14:50,534
with the city of Seattle.

381
00:14:50,534 --> 00:14:51,567
And thank you for
your service.

382
00:14:51,567 --> 00:14:53,767
Started work in 1996
at the center,

383
00:14:53,767 --> 00:14:56,434
became director just as
the Sonics were leaving town,

384
00:14:56,434 --> 00:14:57,634
which was tough.

385
00:14:57,634 --> 00:14:59,601
Worked through
the 2008 recession there.

386
00:14:59,601 --> 00:15:01,734
Help us put things
in perspective, if you can.

387
00:15:01,734 --> 00:15:03,634
This impact of
fewer workers,

388
00:15:03,634 --> 00:15:06,300
fewer people coming downtown
to Seattle Center, et cetera.

389
00:15:06,300 --> 00:15:07,534
What's going on now

390
00:15:07,534 --> 00:15:09,167
compared to what's
happened in the past?

391
00:15:09,167 --> 00:15:12,534
-We've been through this types
of things before.

392
00:15:12,534 --> 00:15:17,634
We've been through times where
things were a little tough.

393
00:15:17,634 --> 00:15:23,901
And this has been something
that has been a little unusual

394
00:15:23,901 --> 00:15:25,667
because it's been
health-related.

395
00:15:25,667 --> 00:15:30,501
And, you know, typically,
when -- when we have had

396
00:15:30,501 --> 00:15:33,300
other issues, and so forth,
we can rally people together,

397
00:15:33,300 --> 00:15:34,701
and bring them together,
and say,

398
00:15:34,701 --> 00:15:36,801
"We're gonna do
X, Y, or Z."

399
00:15:36,801 --> 00:15:39,000
We can't -- we couldn't do that
during the pandemic

400
00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:40,167
'cause bringing
people together

401
00:15:40,167 --> 00:15:42,667
was the absolute worst thing
you could do.

402
00:15:42,667 --> 00:15:47,434
So, where we are now
is that we're slowly --

403
00:15:47,434 --> 00:15:50,567
and I don't want to
emphasize that too much,

404
00:15:50,567 --> 00:15:53,267
but we are slowly
moving the needle

405
00:15:53,267 --> 00:15:54,834
to bringing people back,

406
00:15:54,834 --> 00:15:56,901
and making sure that
people are comfortable.

407
00:15:56,901 --> 00:15:59,968
Climate Pledge Arena
has been a huge help in that.

408
00:15:59,968 --> 00:16:02,567
And the sports,
the entertainment,

409
00:16:02,567 --> 00:16:04,200
all of that,
is happening.

410
00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:06,868
People are coming back,
and doing things.

411
00:16:06,868 --> 00:16:09,234
Our Festal events
are coming --

412
00:16:09,234 --> 00:16:12,367
you know, after a couple of
years where they were online.

413
00:16:12,367 --> 00:16:13,701
-Big cultural events.

414
00:16:13,701 --> 00:16:14,901
-They came back.

415
00:16:14,901 --> 00:16:16,734
And now, people are coming back
to see that.

416
00:16:16,734 --> 00:16:18,734
We're doing Winterfest, now,

417
00:16:18,734 --> 00:16:20,767
and we'll be celebrating
New Year's Eve

418
00:16:20,767 --> 00:16:22,267
at the Space Needle again.

419
00:16:22,267 --> 00:16:25,767
So we're -- we're doing things
that people can recognize,

420
00:16:25,767 --> 00:16:29,133
that people can understand,
and that people want to do.

421
00:16:29,133 --> 00:16:30,534
And that's been
the thing.

422
00:16:30,534 --> 00:16:32,234
'Cause people want
to get together.

423
00:16:32,234 --> 00:16:33,467
-I want to stick with you,
Robert,

424
00:16:33,467 --> 00:16:35,501
and talk about homelessness
and public safety.

425
00:16:35,501 --> 00:16:37,167
The Seattle Center plays
a very important role

426
00:16:37,167 --> 00:16:40,367
with these issues, serves as an
emergency cold weather shelter

427
00:16:40,367 --> 00:16:42,267
for the city
during the winter months here.

428
00:16:42,267 --> 00:16:43,767
And I know you really
consider the center

429
00:16:43,767 --> 00:16:45,300
to be the heart and soul
of Seattle.

430
00:16:45,300 --> 00:16:48,133
I've seen that many times
written in connection with you.

431
00:16:48,133 --> 00:16:49,534
So, if you're trying to
have a heart,

432
00:16:49,534 --> 00:16:52,400
be a welcoming place for people
that need shelter there,

433
00:16:52,400 --> 00:16:54,501
and you're trying to keep
the soul of the city alive, too,

434
00:16:54,501 --> 00:16:56,834
by welcoming people
to different cultural events.

435
00:16:56,834 --> 00:16:58,367
Excuse me for pushing
the metaphor, here,

436
00:16:58,367 --> 00:17:00,968
but how do you see
that heart and soul?

437
00:17:00,968 --> 00:17:02,634
Are they in conflict
when it comes to dealing with

438
00:17:02,634 --> 00:17:04,067
the homelessness
crisis there?

439
00:17:04,067 --> 00:17:06,000
-They're never
in conflict.

440
00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:07,133
We are a public place,

441
00:17:07,133 --> 00:17:09,200
and so, what we try to do
is make sure

442
00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:12,934
that everyone that comes to
Seattle Center feels welcome,

443
00:17:12,934 --> 00:17:16,334
feels honored,
feels like they belong there.

444
00:17:16,334 --> 00:17:21,000
And so, having spaces and places
where people can gather,

445
00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:22,234
having spaces and pla--

446
00:17:22,234 --> 00:17:24,467
places where people can be
by themselves,

447
00:17:24,467 --> 00:17:28,834
having spaces and places
where people can share in --

448
00:17:28,834 --> 00:17:30,567
in different kinds
of events

449
00:17:30,567 --> 00:17:35,701
that they appreciate, are all
part of who and what we are.

450
00:17:35,701 --> 00:17:40,334
And -- And I must say that,
during the pandemic,

451
00:17:40,334 --> 00:17:44,734
I mean, when everything was
shut down, we were a shelter.

452
00:17:44,734 --> 00:17:46,133
We had two shelters.

453
00:17:46,133 --> 00:17:47,734
We were
a hygiene center.

454
00:17:47,734 --> 00:17:53,033
So, we still ran the park,
the place,

455
00:17:53,033 --> 00:17:58,434
and we provided some support
to those who were in need.

456
00:17:58,434 --> 00:18:01,501
And that allowed us to keep
going, keep doing things.

457
00:18:01,501 --> 00:18:04,400
It was very good
for our -- our -- our staff.

458
00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:06,901
It was very good for the people
that we were serving.

459
00:18:06,901 --> 00:18:09,934
And it allowed us to continue
to be who we are,

460
00:18:09,934 --> 00:18:13,300
which is the heartbeat
of this community.

461
00:18:13,300 --> 00:18:14,934
-Yeah.
Thank you for that.

462
00:18:14,934 --> 00:18:16,634
And Tracey, let me talk
about this with you,

463
00:18:16,634 --> 00:18:19,367
because Visit Seattle's
2022 annual report

464
00:18:19,367 --> 00:18:22,100
included this conscious effort
towards rebranding,

465
00:18:22,100 --> 00:18:24,968
trying to find ways to battle
these misperceptions

466
00:18:24,968 --> 00:18:26,167
about the city of Seattle.

467
00:18:26,167 --> 00:18:27,634
Talk to me about that.

468
00:18:27,634 --> 00:18:29,901
What do you see as the public's
perception of homelessness,

469
00:18:29,901 --> 00:18:31,367
public safety,
in Seattle,

470
00:18:31,367 --> 00:18:33,467
and what can you do to try to
change the narrative there?

471
00:18:33,467 --> 00:18:34,701
-Yeah.

472
00:18:34,701 --> 00:18:35,968
Certainly some of
the messaging that came out

473
00:18:35,968 --> 00:18:39,567
during the pandemic
took a harsher look at our city,

474
00:18:39,567 --> 00:18:42,300
along with some other cities,
particularly on the West Coast.

475
00:18:42,300 --> 00:18:43,601
And it's important to us

476
00:18:43,601 --> 00:18:45,968
that people understand
the real story.

477
00:18:45,968 --> 00:18:49,701
And that is, of course, like
many large cities in America,

478
00:18:49,701 --> 00:18:53,000
our city is grappling with
these issues of homelessness,

479
00:18:53,000 --> 00:18:54,834
and -- and trying to
solve those.

480
00:18:54,834 --> 00:18:57,334
I think we also have a city
that has an enormous heart,

481
00:18:57,334 --> 00:18:59,801
and compassion,
and wants to do this

482
00:18:59,801 --> 00:19:03,567
in a way that really helps
address the root causes,

483
00:19:03,567 --> 00:19:07,634
and solves the problem, and
doesn't just hide the problem.

484
00:19:07,634 --> 00:19:10,100
So, I think that, you know,
part of it has been --

485
00:19:10,100 --> 00:19:12,767
we've been -- we started
a Seattle Good News campaign.

486
00:19:12,767 --> 00:19:13,934
-Right.

487
00:19:13,934 --> 00:19:15,234
-And that was partly to,
again,

488
00:19:15,234 --> 00:19:17,968
just let people know all
the things we're proud about

489
00:19:17,968 --> 00:19:20,334
about Seattle, and this region,
that we are a city

490
00:19:20,334 --> 00:19:23,567
of creativity, of innovation,
of resilience.

491
00:19:23,567 --> 00:19:25,300
as Robert mentioned.

492
00:19:25,300 --> 00:19:26,901
One of my favorite --

493
00:19:26,901 --> 00:19:29,367
I got really tired of the word
"pivot" during the campaign,

494
00:19:29,367 --> 00:19:31,534
during the pandemic.

495
00:19:31,534 --> 00:19:33,734
But one of my favorite
pivot stories

496
00:19:33,734 --> 00:19:37,367
was how Kanellis
reinvented itself as a --

497
00:19:37,367 --> 00:19:40,601
one of our city's bastions
of fine dining.

498
00:19:40,601 --> 00:19:43,567
And they recognized that that
wasn't what the city needed,

499
00:19:43,567 --> 00:19:45,434
and couldn't support
during the pandemic.

500
00:19:45,434 --> 00:19:49,033
And so, they found a way
to become the Pop-Up Crab Shack

501
00:19:49,033 --> 00:19:50,434
or the Burger Hut.

502
00:19:50,434 --> 00:19:52,267
They kept
their people employed.

503
00:19:52,267 --> 00:19:54,834
And then, they did
the Kanellis University,

504
00:19:54,834 --> 00:19:56,267
and they brought in experts
from --

505
00:19:56,267 --> 00:19:58,501
I mean, like, this is --
this is not a city in decline.

506
00:19:58,501 --> 00:20:01,334
This is a city
that is brilliant.

507
00:20:01,334 --> 00:20:02,801
And -- And one of the guests

508
00:20:02,801 --> 00:20:05,567
they had was Leonard Garfield
from Mohi.

509
00:20:05,567 --> 00:20:08,200
And he talked about
the historical perspective,

510
00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:10,634
how many times Seattle
has weathered challenges.

511
00:20:10,634 --> 00:20:14,100
So -- So we want to share
the news that Seattle is back.

512
00:20:14,100 --> 00:20:15,901
I mean, when I made
this list, here,

513
00:20:15,901 --> 00:20:17,467
because I -- I thought,
"You're gonna ask me

514
00:20:17,467 --> 00:20:18,801
about arts and culture
in the city."

515
00:20:18,801 --> 00:20:20,834
Well, I could take
the entire show,

516
00:20:20,834 --> 00:20:24,000
and tell you about
all of the craft fairs,

517
00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:25,734
and beautiful
museum exhibitions,

518
00:20:25,734 --> 00:20:27,234
and performing arts
performances,

519
00:20:27,234 --> 00:20:29,234
and special events,
like the Christmas show.

520
00:20:29,234 --> 00:20:30,834
So, those are the stories
we want to tell.

521
00:20:30,834 --> 00:20:32,701
And we want to
be honest about --

522
00:20:32,701 --> 00:20:34,434
that we're a major
American city,

523
00:20:34,434 --> 00:20:36,501
and we are grappling with
these issues.

524
00:20:36,501 --> 00:20:38,968
But, you know,
we're a great place to visit.

525
00:20:38,968 --> 00:20:42,200
-We'll work on booking the
"Craft Fairs with Tracey Show."

526
00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:44,133
But thank you
for jumping into it.

527
00:20:44,133 --> 00:20:45,767
Jon, I want to talk to you
about the homelessness,

528
00:20:45,767 --> 00:20:47,067
public safety issues

529
00:20:47,067 --> 00:20:48,467
that I know you're dealing
with every day here.

530
00:20:48,467 --> 00:20:51,334
We saw Operation New Day launch
back in the spring,

531
00:20:51,334 --> 00:20:53,200
providing more of a police
presence downtown --

532
00:20:53,200 --> 00:20:55,400
one of several efforts
to improve public safety,

533
00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:57,467
deal with chron--
chronic homelessness.

534
00:20:57,467 --> 00:20:59,834
Has that been working?
Is my first question here.

535
00:20:59,834 --> 00:21:01,701
And also, what sort of progress
are you seeing

536
00:21:01,701 --> 00:21:03,133
from Seattle city leaders,

537
00:21:03,133 --> 00:21:04,400
the Regional
Homelessness Authority,

538
00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:06,167
when it comes to
these twin concerns

539
00:21:06,167 --> 00:21:08,000
of public safety
and homelessness.

540
00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:10,601
-Yes, it's working, and we need
to continue and expand it.

541
00:21:10,601 --> 00:21:12,801
We've seen a reduction
in violent crime

542
00:21:12,801 --> 00:21:14,434
in our downtown
since the spring,

543
00:21:14,434 --> 00:21:17,968
and since we had additional
officers deployed to areas

544
00:21:17,968 --> 00:21:21,100
that were experiencing
high concentrations of crime.

545
00:21:21,100 --> 00:21:22,400
And so,
that's good news.

546
00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:24,033
We're finally moving
in the right direction,

547
00:21:24,033 --> 00:21:25,734
and seeing those
numbers decline.

548
00:21:25,734 --> 00:21:28,400
We also have fewer people on the
streets than we did a year ago.

549
00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:31,701
A year ago, we probably had 135
or so individuals

550
00:21:31,701 --> 00:21:34,267
living in tent encampments
in the greater downtown,

551
00:21:34,267 --> 00:21:35,734
by a count of
our ambassadors

552
00:21:35,734 --> 00:21:37,634
that are on the streets
every day.

553
00:21:37,634 --> 00:21:39,667
Today, we have around 12.

554
00:21:39,667 --> 00:21:41,434
We still have folks
living unsheltered,

555
00:21:41,434 --> 00:21:44,167
you know,
living under a blanket,

556
00:21:44,167 --> 00:21:45,701
maybe spending the night
in an alley,

557
00:21:45,701 --> 00:21:48,167
or a doorway,
or a sidewalk.

558
00:21:48,167 --> 00:21:52,167
But we also, now, have a new
effort of 40 outreach workers

559
00:21:52,167 --> 00:21:53,701
that are on the street
every day,

560
00:21:53,701 --> 00:21:55,834
a command center at the city's
emergency operations center

561
00:21:55,834 --> 00:21:58,767
that's working daily to find
housing for those individuals.

562
00:21:58,767 --> 00:22:02,167
And I think the most highly
coordinated and focused strategy

563
00:22:02,167 --> 00:22:03,868
that we've ever seen
to address

564
00:22:03,868 --> 00:22:06,400
the crisis of homelessness
in downtown.

565
00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:09,767
And we need to do more there,
and that work has just started,

566
00:22:09,767 --> 00:22:12,868
but they've moved nearly
40 people in the last

567
00:22:12,868 --> 00:22:15,334
month and a half, two months,
off the street into housing.

568
00:22:15,334 --> 00:22:16,767
And that's what we need
to be doing to create

569
00:22:16,767 --> 00:22:18,334
a safe, healthy environment
for everybody,

570
00:22:18,334 --> 00:22:19,734
and to help those
most in need.

571
00:22:19,734 --> 00:22:20,934
-Brief follow-up here.

572
00:22:20,934 --> 00:22:23,000
This idea from the RHA
that they can hit

573
00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:24,334
functional homelessness
downtown

574
00:22:24,334 --> 00:22:26,133
with help from
Partnership for Zero --

575
00:22:26,133 --> 00:22:27,267
do you believe it?

576
00:22:27,267 --> 00:22:28,367
-Absolutely.

577
00:22:28,367 --> 00:22:29,467
We shouldn't normalize
homelessness.

578
00:22:29,467 --> 00:22:31,267
That's not a been
a normal condition in --

579
00:22:31,267 --> 00:22:34,467
in American cities
for most of our history.

580
00:22:34,467 --> 00:22:37,534
It's been a very pronounced one
over the last decade.

581
00:22:37,534 --> 00:22:40,234
And the pandemic
exacerbated the challenges

582
00:22:40,234 --> 00:22:41,868
that Seattle, and Portland,
and L.A.,

583
00:22:41,868 --> 00:22:43,567
and other cities
across our country are facing.

584
00:22:43,567 --> 00:22:46,067
But we shouldn't normalize
these conditions.

585
00:22:46,067 --> 00:22:47,400
We know what works.

586
00:22:47,400 --> 00:22:48,567
We need to offer
more of it.

587
00:22:48,567 --> 00:22:49,734
-Yeah.

588
00:22:49,734 --> 00:22:51,133
I want to switch gears
just a little bit.

589
00:22:51,133 --> 00:22:53,067
And Robert, if you could briefly
talk about a new partnership

590
00:22:53,067 --> 00:22:55,234
between you, City of Seattle
Public Schools, too,

591
00:22:55,234 --> 00:22:56,934
when it comes to renovating
Memorial Stadium.

592
00:22:56,934 --> 00:22:58,367
This sounds
really exciting.

593
00:22:58,367 --> 00:23:00,634
The council just made
an investment in this project

594
00:23:00,634 --> 00:23:02,634
with its budget
approved last week.

595
00:23:02,634 --> 00:23:03,834
What are we gonna see
at Seattle Center?

596
00:23:03,834 --> 00:23:06,467
I've heard a lot of buzz
about World Cup 2026,

597
00:23:06,467 --> 00:23:08,367
and "USA"
ringing in the stands.

598
00:23:08,367 --> 00:23:09,434
What's going on?

599
00:23:09,434 --> 00:23:11,868
-Well, there's been a lot
going on.

600
00:23:11,868 --> 00:23:13,634
This has been
a great partnership

601
00:23:13,634 --> 00:23:16,467
between Seattle Public Schools
and the city of Seattle.

602
00:23:16,467 --> 00:23:19,133
And, you know,
there's been a...

603
00:23:19,133 --> 00:23:22,267
years and years and years of
looking at Memorial Stadium,

604
00:23:22,267 --> 00:23:24,767
and trying to
get something done.

605
00:23:24,767 --> 00:23:27,501
The school district
took the first major step

606
00:23:27,501 --> 00:23:30,100
by making sure that
Memorial Stadium

607
00:23:30,100 --> 00:23:33,367
was in its levy package
back in February --

608
00:23:33,367 --> 00:23:35,033
$66.5 million dollars.

609
00:23:35,033 --> 00:23:37,033
The city just passed
a budget

610
00:23:37,033 --> 00:23:41,434
that puts $21 million
in right now,

611
00:23:41,434 --> 00:23:44,834
and we'll seek another
$19 million

612
00:23:44,834 --> 00:23:47,067
in the next budget cycle,

613
00:23:47,067 --> 00:23:50,234
to put $40 million
into this project.

614
00:23:50,234 --> 00:23:52,767
And so,
something will happen.

615
00:23:52,767 --> 00:23:54,067
And this makes me --

616
00:23:54,067 --> 00:23:57,100
you know, people say,
"Well, why are you leaving?"

617
00:23:57,100 --> 00:24:00,901
I said, "Well, you know,
when I first got an opportunity

618
00:24:00,901 --> 00:24:03,868
to be acting director
of Seattle Center,

619
00:24:03,868 --> 00:24:07,534
I sent the mayor,
Mayor Nickels, a 20-point plan.

620
00:24:07,534 --> 00:24:10,033
And I said,
'In the next 100 days,

621
00:24:10,033 --> 00:24:11,767
we're gonna do
these 20 points.'"

622
00:24:11,767 --> 00:24:13,334
We did 19 of them.
-Okay.

623
00:24:13,334 --> 00:24:15,400
-The one thing
that was on that list

624
00:24:15,400 --> 00:24:18,367
that never got done
was Memorial Stadium.

625
00:24:18,367 --> 00:24:19,634
-Here we go.

626
00:24:19,634 --> 00:24:21,968
-So I'm coming to the --
to the end of that.

627
00:24:21,968 --> 00:24:24,901
And so, and -- and this will --
this will be something

628
00:24:24,901 --> 00:24:28,234
that will be great for
the students of Seattle.

629
00:24:28,234 --> 00:24:30,400
It will be great for
the community at large.

630
00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:34,567
And it will allow us
to bring people together

631
00:24:34,567 --> 00:24:37,834
in even more and distinct ways,
as we do that.

632
00:24:37,834 --> 00:24:41,100
-Jon, I wanted to touch on one
macro issue, here, if I could.

633
00:24:41,100 --> 00:24:42,434
The council
approved investments

634
00:24:42,434 --> 00:24:44,534
for downtown business recovery
in its budget.

635
00:24:44,534 --> 00:24:46,234
There's an investment
in workforce development

636
00:24:46,234 --> 00:24:49,067
to restart Bumbershoot
in 2023, too, which is exciting.

637
00:24:49,067 --> 00:24:50,501
It sounds positive
short-term,

638
00:24:50,501 --> 00:24:52,000
but I want to talk about funding
in the future,

639
00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:54,334
because it looked like
the council's long-term

640
00:24:54,334 --> 00:24:55,868
financial picture
didn't look that great.

641
00:24:55,868 --> 00:24:59,234
There was a big shortage of
real estate excise tax.

642
00:24:59,234 --> 00:25:02,100
I guess, are you concerned about
where dollars are gonna

643
00:25:02,100 --> 00:25:04,834
continue to come from,
from the city to the DSA,

644
00:25:04,834 --> 00:25:07,567
in the future, concerned
about a recession in 2023?

645
00:25:07,567 --> 00:25:09,267
What are you hearing,
and what do you know?

646
00:25:09,267 --> 00:25:10,501
I think the best way
to strengthen

647
00:25:10,501 --> 00:25:11,501
our city coffe--

648
00:25:11,501 --> 00:25:13,200
coffers is to continue
to support

649
00:25:13,200 --> 00:25:14,501
the recovery of downtown,

650
00:25:14,501 --> 00:25:16,267
because our downtown
has been an economic engine

651
00:25:16,267 --> 00:25:18,567
for our city
for many decades.

652
00:25:18,567 --> 00:25:20,334
And today,
we've got more tax revenue

653
00:25:20,334 --> 00:25:21,834
in our city
than ever before.

654
00:25:21,834 --> 00:25:23,834
The general fund is larger
than it was last year,

655
00:25:23,834 --> 00:25:25,634
larger than it was
five years ago.

656
00:25:25,634 --> 00:25:27,601
Growth, over the last decade,
of the general fund

657
00:25:27,601 --> 00:25:30,868
has been 100%, far outpacing
growth of population.

658
00:25:30,868 --> 00:25:34,167
So, we have a city
with a lot of resources,

659
00:25:34,167 --> 00:25:36,734
and I think how we apply those
resources, how we spend them,

660
00:25:36,734 --> 00:25:38,300
is the question
we should be asking

661
00:25:38,300 --> 00:25:39,934
How do we get to
the best results

662
00:25:39,934 --> 00:25:41,467
in helping more people
in need,

663
00:25:41,467 --> 00:25:45,000
and ensuring that our city is
is safe and welcoming for all?

664
00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:47,868
So, I don't think resources
are an issue,

665
00:25:47,868 --> 00:25:49,501
and I think the best way
to grow them is --

666
00:25:49,501 --> 00:25:51,033
is by recovery
in our downtown,

667
00:25:51,033 --> 00:25:52,367
our neighborhood
business districts,

668
00:25:52,367 --> 00:25:53,467
welcoming people back,

669
00:25:53,467 --> 00:25:55,000
attracting people
from across the country

670
00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:56,200
and across the world
for meetings,

671
00:25:56,200 --> 00:25:58,267
events, leisure travel,
that are gonna

672
00:25:58,267 --> 00:26:00,067
spend their money here,
and then they go back home.

673
00:26:00,067 --> 00:26:01,701
That's a good thing for us.
That's a good deal.

674
00:26:01,701 --> 00:26:02,801
-Thank you.

675
00:26:02,801 --> 00:26:04,067
I need to start
wrapping up, here.

676
00:26:04,067 --> 00:26:05,334
This has been a great talk,
and I appreciate it.

677
00:26:05,334 --> 00:26:06,801
I want to talk about
expectations for next year.

678
00:26:06,801 --> 00:26:08,901
Tracey, where's downtown
Seattle headed?

679
00:26:08,901 --> 00:26:11,167
Where is the region headed,
economically, et cetera?

680
00:26:11,167 --> 00:26:12,534
What's it gonna take
to get there?

681
00:26:12,534 --> 00:26:15,067
-Well, again,
the tourism industry

682
00:26:15,067 --> 00:26:16,868
is a huge
economic driver

683
00:26:16,868 --> 00:26:18,767
for our region,
and for our state.

684
00:26:18,767 --> 00:26:22,200
Tourism is Washington state's
fourth largest industry.

685
00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:24,367
And of course, we're gonna have
a huge boost

686
00:26:24,367 --> 00:26:26,300
with the opening
of the additional

687
00:26:26,300 --> 00:26:27,767
convention center facility,

688
00:26:27,767 --> 00:26:30,267
which will be officially
opening in January,

689
00:26:30,267 --> 00:26:31,701
welcoming in
its first group.

690
00:26:31,701 --> 00:26:34,801
So, that is gonna be great news
for downtown.

691
00:26:34,801 --> 00:26:37,801
We're gonna be able to host
larger groups, more groups.

692
00:26:37,801 --> 00:26:41,534
You know, pre-pandemic,
we were turning excellent groups

693
00:26:41,534 --> 00:26:42,968
away from meeting
in Seattle

694
00:26:42,968 --> 00:26:45,067
because we did not have
the capacity.

695
00:26:45,067 --> 00:26:46,934
We will have
that capacity.

696
00:26:46,934 --> 00:26:51,167
So, I think that and the return
of all these other sectors

697
00:26:51,167 --> 00:26:53,067
that matter --
arts and culture,

698
00:26:53,067 --> 00:26:56,334
retail, restaurants,
all these special events,,

699
00:26:56,334 --> 00:26:58,734
this is what's gonna bring
people back to our community.

700
00:26:58,734 --> 00:27:02,067
-Jon, 30-second version of what
you're expecting in 2023.

701
00:27:02,067 --> 00:27:03,968
-I think Seattle's brightest
days are ahead of us.

702
00:27:03,968 --> 00:27:05,534
In addition to what Tracey
noted, you know,

703
00:27:05,534 --> 00:27:08,334
we're gonna have All-Star Week
here in July of '23.

704
00:27:08,334 --> 00:27:10,901
I think that's gonna just
be phenomenal for our city.

705
00:27:10,901 --> 00:27:13,300
We're starting to cut the ribbon
on different parts and pieces

706
00:27:13,300 --> 00:27:14,534
of the waterfront project

707
00:27:14,534 --> 00:27:16,667
that will be fully complete
in 2025 --

708
00:27:16,667 --> 00:27:17,968
the light rail extension,

709
00:27:17,968 --> 00:27:20,367
some new retail
that we know is coming.

710
00:27:20,367 --> 00:27:21,634
So, we've got good momentum.

711
00:27:21,634 --> 00:27:22,801
-Okay.

712
00:27:22,801 --> 00:27:24,100
Robert, last question to you,
'cause you're --

713
00:27:24,100 --> 00:27:25,334
you're out of here
in a couple months.

714
00:27:25,334 --> 00:27:26,968
Just your thoughts
about 2023.

715
00:27:26,968 --> 00:27:28,701
I know there's that one day
in February,

716
00:27:28,701 --> 00:27:30,100
that's your last day,
that's part of that.

717
00:27:30,100 --> 00:27:31,801
But some thoughts ahead
for Seattle Center,

718
00:27:31,801 --> 00:27:32,868
and the city as a whole.

719
00:27:32,868 --> 00:27:35,267
-Well, I'm looking forward
to '23

720
00:27:35,267 --> 00:27:38,267
'cause as we've slowly
been moving forward,

721
00:27:38,267 --> 00:27:40,567
things have been getting better,
and better, and better.

722
00:27:40,567 --> 00:27:42,367
We're gonna bring back
Bumbershoot next year.

723
00:27:42,367 --> 00:27:46,467
We're going to have another year
of Climate Pledge arena.

724
00:27:46,467 --> 00:27:49,801
We're gonna have the opera,
the ballet, Seattle rap,

725
00:27:49,801 --> 00:27:53,334
and everybody
growing and engaging.

726
00:27:53,334 --> 00:27:55,434
We're going to have Festal
stepping out.

727
00:27:55,434 --> 00:27:57,033
We're going to do
all of the things

728
00:27:57,033 --> 00:27:59,400
that we have done
previously,

729
00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:01,033
and we're going to do
a few new things.

730
00:28:01,033 --> 00:28:06,534
And I'm just very excited about
the direction of our city,

731
00:28:06,534 --> 00:28:08,200
the direction of
Seattle Center,

732
00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:11,567
and making sure that
we are preparing ourselves

733
00:28:11,567 --> 00:28:12,734
for what's to come.

734
00:28:12,734 --> 00:28:14,334
-All right.
Robert finishing strong.

735
00:28:14,334 --> 00:28:16,100
Thank you, again,
for all your work for the city.

736
00:28:16,100 --> 00:28:17,467
Thank you all
for your input here.

737
00:28:17,467 --> 00:28:18,934
And we will be
right back.

738
00:28:18,934 --> 00:28:22,634
♪♪

739
00:28:22,634 --> 00:28:24,667
-What are people saying
on social media

740
00:28:24,667 --> 00:28:26,734
about Seattle's
economic outlook?

741
00:28:26,734 --> 00:28:28,100
One person writes

742
00:28:28,100 --> 00:28:30,367
"The post-pandemic
economic recovery

743
00:28:30,367 --> 00:28:33,901
depends on workers feeling safe
to come back to the office."

744
00:28:33,901 --> 00:28:35,200
Another person says,

745
00:28:35,200 --> 00:28:38,701
"The Seattle economy
is the regional economy."

746
00:28:38,701 --> 00:28:40,701
We'd like to know
what you think.

747
00:28:40,701 --> 00:28:44,234
Send us an e-mail at
contact@seattlechannel.org,

748
00:28:44,234 --> 00:28:48,234
or find us on Facebook,
Twitter, and Instagram.

749
00:28:48,234 --> 00:28:52,067
Coming up next week, we're
closing out 2022 with a bang.

750
00:28:52,067 --> 00:28:53,400
We hear from
business leaders,

751
00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:55,534
elected officials,
and local journalists

752
00:28:55,534 --> 00:28:57,701
about the biggest
news stories this year,

753
00:28:57,701 --> 00:29:00,434
and what they're
expecting in 2023.

754
00:29:00,434 --> 00:29:02,501
Don't miss our
Year in Review show,

755
00:29:02,501 --> 00:29:04,367
next time on
"City Inside Out."

756
00:29:04,367 --> 00:29:05,634
I hope you can
join us.

757
00:29:05,634 --> 00:29:12,801
♪♪

758
00:29:12,801 --> 00:29:19,968
♪♪

759
00:29:19,968 --> 00:29:27,133
♪♪