Tacoma Weekly 07.14.19

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TACOMAWEEKLY NEWS FREE • SUNDAY, JULY 14, 2019

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PRIDE FLAG FLIES OVER TACOMA DOME

BY JOHN LARSON jlarson@tacomaweekly.com

The City of Tacoma kicked off pride festivities in grand style on July 9 when the rainbow flag, an internationally recognized symbol of LGBT pride, was raised on top of the Tacoma Dome. While the flag has been flown over city hall in July for the past several years, this marks the first time it has been flown over the Dome. “Symbols have always been profoundly important to our country and the pride flag is the LGBTQA community’s symbol of inclusion and celebration,” said Councilmember Ryan Mello. “In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion, the City of Tacoma is proud to publicly demonstrate its unwavering support and deep respect for the LGBTQA community.” Mello scaled the Tacoma Dome to raise the flag, alongside Puyallup Tribal Councilmember Annette Bryan, State Representative Laurie

RYAN MELLO

(From left) City Council member Ryan Mello, Mayor Victoria Woodards, Puyallup Tribal Council member Annette Bryan and state Rep. Laurie Jinkins pushed aside any fear of heights to climb to the very summit of the Tacoma Dome.

Jinkins and Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards. Manny Santiago, executive director of the Rainbow Center, delivered remarks. Mello expressed much gratitude

for the Puyallup Tribe and their dedication to making sure that Tacoma’s Pride celebrations are the best that they can be. “The Puyallup Tribe of Indians has

once again demonstrated why they are called the ‘generous and welcoming people,’” he told the Tacoma Weekly. “Their generous title sponsorship of the 10-day Tacoma Pride Festival is incredible and provides the necessary financial resources to offer quality programming during July that educate, celebrate and advocate for the human spirit and lift up the voices and lives of our LGBT community. “I am grateful not only for the Puyallup Tribe’s financial generosity, but also for their many substantive actions to ensure inclusion for all of their members and others in the South Sound.” That evening, the mayor issued a proclamation declaring July as LGBTQ Pride Month. Santiago and other organizers of pride festivities gathered at the podium to hear Woodards’ comments. Puyallup Tribal Council Chairman David Bean gave a short speech. This year the tribe is the title sponsor of the Ta c o m a u See PRIDE / page 5

CONSULTANTS PRESENT FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR SOCCER STADIUM BY JOHN LARSON jlarson@tacomaweekly.com Soccer could have a home in a modern stadium within a few years. Last year, the Seattle Sounders reached a deal with the Tacoma Rainiers, the AAA affiliate of the Seattle Mariners, to have the Sounders’ minor league affiliate play their home games in Cheney Stadium. Earlier this year, the Seattle Reign professional women’s soccer team held a press conference to announce they would begin playing their home games at Cheney this season. At that same event, a new name was announced for the men’s minor league team, Tacoma Defiance, selected from monikers submitted by fans. The women’s team is now called Reign FC. The Tacoma Rainiers have formed

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a business partnership with the soccer teams, called Soccer Club of Tacoma. They hired Populous, a consulting firm based in Kansas City, to do a feasibility study on a possible stadium at the Heidelberg site along South 19th Street next to the Metro Parks headquarters. Populous has worked on numerous major stadium projects around the world. On July 9, employees of the firm presented their findings to a joint study session of Tacoma City Council and Metro Parks Commission. The firm examined three topics: a soccer stadium for the Defiance and Reign, a complex of fields for youth soccer and baseball/fastpitch, and a mixed-use development between the soccer stadium and Cheney Stadium. Populous found strong support for the Defiance, with the long-term via-

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