KIRO-7 obtained a scathing letter sent to Seattle convention leaders saying the organizers of a large national convention felt unsafe during a recent visit, because of aggressive behavior and drug use from people they encountered on downtown streets.
The letter asked the leaders of Visit Seattle for extra security for their convention, after they said 14 members of their advance team were accosted by people on the streets, saw open drug use, and witnessed people urinating and defecating near the convention center and the team's hotel.
The letter stated, "Seattle has been among our top picks as a convention destination, and unfortunately, due to our city experiences, we may need to remove Seattle from future consideration."
American Pharmacists Association had booked a convention to bring 6,300 pharmacists and their families from around the country to the Washington State Convention Center in March of 2019. The organization told Visit Seattle their convention could bring $8.5 million into the local economy next year.
"We want convention attendees to feel safe and welcome in Seattle," said David Blandford with Visit Seattle. "We're concerned that if the problems become worse, more prolific, that could affect our business. Conventions could either cancel or threaten not to come back again."
The letter began by saying, "Based on my recent visit, I believe that the problem has gotten out of control."
The letter described what convention planners saw between their hotel and the Convention Center:
- "Men urinating on the street.
- "Man who defecated on himself.
- "Addicts sitting outside of a major establishment smoking from a pipe. One was passed out.
- "Beggars aggressively pursued my team down the street, demanding cash.
- "We lost count of the number of people walking around talking to themselves. (Desh?)
- "The smell of urine and marijuana near the WSCC and along the routes of our hotels to the center."
The letter was forwarded by email to Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan (
DEMOCRAT) by Visit Seattle's President and CEO Tom Norwalk, who also added: "Sadly, our city is out of control and we are way past the tipping point we all talk about and have feared."
Norwalk asked Durkan for leadership. "Seattle's attractiveness, both for visitors and residents, is being tarnished and diminished daily,"Norwalk said.
39.9 million visitors came to Seattle and King County in 2017. Those visitors spent $7.4 billion in the city and county in the same year, and tourism in Seattle generated an estimated $10.7 billion total economic impact.
"We have arguably the most dynamic vibrant colorful alive downtown in America and we're really proud of that, so that is a selling point," said Blandford, who says part of his job is to explain the city's challenges to visitors--and he says visitors frequently ask the same questions.
https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/letter-to-seattle-convention-leaders-your-homeless-problem-is-out-of-control/770150626
With DEMOCRATS in charge...
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Originally Posted by Legion
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