The following editorial originally appeared in The Seattle Times:
Well done, Seattle.
The 2023 Major League Baseball All-Star Game went off without a hitch, a testament to the city’s ability to pull off a really big show. That bodes well for the next several years when Seattle will again attract thousands of sports fans and spectators.
A partnership that included Major League Baseball, the Seattle Mariners, Visit Seattle (a tourism nonprofit), the Seattle Sports Commission (which brings sports events to town), and state and local government created weeklong festivities that felt safe and fun. Homeland Security, FBI and the U.S. Secret Service also had a presence.
The All-Star Game week was expected to draw 100,000 visitors and generate $50 million.
“This was, after a rough couple years, our first major chance to show the people of the state, of the country, of the world what the real Seattle is all about,” said Seattle Deputy Mayor Greg Wong.
From the hundreds of volunteers who picked up trash and painted over graffiti last month to the tremendous police presence and free transit during the event, Seattle showed it could plan effectively and sweat the details to get it right.
In Occidental Square, new establishments opened their doors where there were recent vacancies. The positive energy was palpable.
“We’re optimistic this created some energy to keep things moving,” said Erin Goodman, executive director of the Sodo business improvement area.
Public safety concerns in the industrial neighborhood, which includes T-Mobile Park, spurred businesses to take extreme actions to protect their employees and property. The city made an extra effort to help Sodo. It must continue.
To be sure, there were troubles. On July 8, three people lost their lives to shootings — two in Sodo. With police presence so heavy around the ballpark, it would have left the rest of the city vulnerable if crime continued to spike. Thankfully, it didn’t.
The conclusion of the All-Star Game leads to anticipation about the next big events: the NHL Winter Classic hockey game between the Seattle Kraken and Vegas Golden Knights on Jan. 1 at T-Mobile Park, and the 2026 FIFA World Cup contests at Lumen Field.
Lessons learned? It’s about making sure prosperity is spread across the region, said Wong.
“We can always think about how we can do that better,” he said. “Because, ultimately we want to showcase Seattle — the people who live here, work here, play here. We want them to ultimately be better off at the end of the day. That’s an area where I feel like we can always improve.”
With that in mind, here’s to the next big event that rallies the community. And thanks to all who made the last few weeks a success.
