JackGordon.org

Seattle's Sports Stadiums Campaigns

     Officially the "Public Relations Director" for Greater Seattle, Inc., Jack had a more pivotal role in the daily operations of this civic organization than his title would suggest. 

     Late in the 50's Greater Seattle was at the forefront of the push for a multi-use stadium for the King County area. The proposed sites varied from Kent (at the time mostly farmland) in the south county to land just north of the Seattle Center (the site of Century 21). The stadium proposal was placed on the ballot and lost twice in the early 60's. In 1960, while still with Greater Seattle Inc.,  Jack served as Vice Chairman of the "Major League Stadium for King County Committee" with Dave Cohn as chairman and restaurateurs Walter F Clark, Victor Rosellini, John Franco, Les Brainard, and Cohn as Committee Members.

     There are a number of interviews with various Seattleites who were active in the push either for a major league baseball franchise or a multi-use stadium at the Seattle Pilots website. One interview is with Bill Sears who worked for and later with Jack over a 30-year period. 

     In 1968, the "King County Domed Stadium" (a/k/a/ the Kingdome, the Dome, and other less polite nicknames) located south of Seattle's Pioneer Square was approved as part of the "Forward Thrust" bond issue campaign. Construction on the Kingdome began in 1972 and it was opened in 1976. The Dome was demolished on March 26, 2000.

     Outgoing correspondence has yet to be organized, but here is a sample of some of the letters received from various stadium authorities and chambers of commerce across the country 

This page started on March 26, 2010 -- the 10th anniversary of the Kingdome demolition.