Drafter
Clerk 01/13/2022
Title
A MOTION requesting the parks division of the department of natural resources and parks to work with the cities of Bellevue and Redmond and community partners to evaluate and support the possibility of constructing a major league cricket facility in Marymoor park, and to provide a briefing to the council.
Body
WHEREAS, cricket is the second most popular sport in the world, yet has little media presence in the United States, and
WHEREAS, there are an estimated twenty million cricket fans in the United States, and
WHEREAS, cricket is a popular sport globally with multicultural appeal for residents, workers and children across King County, and
WHEREAS, King County has a large population of foreign-born residents, including approximately one hundred thousand foreign-born residents from regions where cricket is popular, including South Asia, the United Kingdom, and Oceania, based on 2019 data, and
WHEREAS, based on 2019 data, the percentage of foreign-born residents from South Asian countries was roughly fifteen percent for the entire King County, and the percentage is higher for the cities of Bellevue and Redmond, at roughly twenty eight percent and forty three percent, respectively, and
WHEREAS, over the last decade, King County's South Asian population has increased by over one hundred percent, and
WHEREAS, the lack of infrastructure and amenities for cricket in King County represents an equity issue, especially as the county continues to grow and become more diverse and multicultural, and
WHEREAS, thousands of adult, youth and recreational cricketers are currently underserved by existing recreational cricket facilities in King County, and
WHEREAS, King County is home to hundreds of exceptionally talented youth cricketers who would benefit from greater access to facilities and opportunities in our region so they could continue to cultivate their skills, and
WHEREAS, King County is being considered as one of the founding locations for a major league cricket team for the inaugural 2023 season, and the availability of a professional cricket facility is likely to be a determinative factor as to whether King County is selected as a founding location, and
WHEREAS, a professional, multipurpose cricket facility located in King County would attract tourists and cricketers from around the world and promote community building for residents across our region, and
WHEREAS, a professional multipurpose cricket facility can generate significant local economic impact through ancillary community spending, event spending and venue construction, and could also be used a venue for other community events, including concerts, and
WHEREAS, the United States will be cohosting the 2024 Cricket World Cup for the first time and King County would be competitive to host matches if a facility was available, generating significant economic impact, tourism and a worldwide television audience of more than a billion people, and
WHEREAS, regional stakeholders including the city of Bellevue, city of Redmond, Seattle Sports Commission, Visit Bellevue, One Redmond, the Bellevue Chamber and local employers have all engaged in conversations about bringing Major League Cricket to the region, and
WHEREAS, at its November 1, 2021, meeting, the Bellevue City Council passed a verbal motion directing Bellevue city staff to explore the opportunity to redevelop and repurpose a Bellevue Utilities-owned property within Marymoor park for a major league cricket facility, and
WHEREAS, Marymoor park is one of the jewels of the King County parks system and would become even more vibrant and welcoming if it included a world-class cricket facility, and
WHEREAS, adding additional cricket facilities to the King County parks system would align with and further King County's equity and social justice goals, and
WHEREAS, many King County residents have not had the opportunity to play or watch cricket and siting this facility at Marymoor park would introduce many people to this exciting sport, and
WHEREAS, the council welcomes the efforts to seize this once-in-a-generation opportunity to develop a multipurpose cricket facility and thanks the cities of Bellevue and Redmond for exploring this opportunity, which would strengthen our community, provide economic benefits, and support youth and adult cricketers in King County;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:
The council requests that the parks division of the department of natural resources and parks and the department of local services, permitting division:
A. Work with the cities of Bellevue and Redmond and community stakeholders to evaluate the possibility of using the city of Bellevue Utilities property in Marymoor park, parcel number 122505-9195, for a cricket facility, and make every effort to make the project a success; and
B. Provide a briefing to the transportation, economy and environment committee, or its successor, on the status of the project no later than March 2022.