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Was told that the Washington State Convention Center is Private Property

Freedom1Man

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2012
Messages
4,462
Location
Greater Eastside Washington
I was trespassed out of the WSCC for my lawful carry of a pistol.

I was told by two strange men who claimed to be security that my carrying there was illegal because there was a code of conduct posted and that there are posted "no weapons" signs ALL OVER the building and that I should have seen it when I entered.

I had to look and found 1 sign on the ground floor that showed that I was excempt from the weapons prohibition under RCW 9.41.300. I informed of that and they proceeded to tell me that if I put my gun away I was welcome but not with my gun on me.



I am not going to give all the details just giving a heads up for all of those who may wish to visit the WSCC, in Seattle sometime.

I did call their head of security and operations and they claimed they knew nothing of the law and that they were not willing to even look it up.
 
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Bill Starks

State Researcher
Joined
Dec 27, 2007
Messages
4,304
Location
Nortonville, KY, USA
Washington State Convention Center (WSCC) completed its second full year of operations as a public facilities district (PFD) in December 2012. The PFD is responsible for the management, operations, capital improvements and financial success of the organization. This change in governance greatly increases the ability of WSCC to better manage its activities and be the economic catalyst it was designed to be at its inception more than twenty-five years ago.
As the economy made a steady recovery in 2012, the convention and trade show industry also continued to gain strength. Increased event activity, larger attendance at events, higher overall convention spending and excellent expense management by staff helped WSCC to again generate positive economic benefits. A summary of these results can be found at the "Overview of Annual Report, Fiscal Year End December 31, 2012" link below.
WSCC is currently in the second year of a three-year, $21 million capital plan to keep the facility in first-class condition. New carpeting, paint and wall treatments were added in 2011. 2012 improvements included planning and permitting for remodeled restrooms, new digital signage, improved wayfinding throughout the building, and exterior enhancements will include streetscape redesign and an improved pedestrian experience along Pike Street and 8th Avenue. These upgrades are important to ensure our facility continues to exceed the expectations and experiences of our customers, both inside and outside WSCC, and are expected to be completed in 2013 and early 2014.
Our industry increasingly values green businesses, and WSCC continues to be a leader in conservation and sustainable meetings. Our efforts include making compostable food service items standard, providing recycling and composting stations throughout the facility and installing efficient lighting and plumbing fixtures. 2012 was no exception, with an annual waste diversion rate of 70.28%.
As we look ahead, we believe that the improving economy, our incomparable service, significant upgrades to the facility, smart fiscal management, and the beauty of Seattle as a destination positions WSCC well in 2013 and beyond.
Sincerely,
BlosserSig.jpg

Jeffrey A. Blosser
President and Chief Executive Officer
 

Bill Starks

State Researcher
Joined
Dec 27, 2007
Messages
4,304
Location
Nortonville, KY, USA
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=36.100.010

Public facilities districts — Creation — Approval of taxes by election — Corporate powers — Property transfer — Agreements.
(1) One or more public facilities districts may be created in any county and must be coextensive with the boundaries of the county.

(2) A public facilities district is created upon adoption of a resolution providing for the creation of such a district by the county legislative authority in which the proposed district is located.

(3) A public facilities district is a municipal corporation, an independent taxing "authority" within the meaning of Article VII, section 1 of the state Constitution, and a "taxing district" within the meaning of Article VII, section 2 of the state Constitution.

(4) Except as provided in RCW 36.100.040 (4) and (5), no taxes authorized under this chapter may be assessed or levied unless a majority of the voters of the public facilities district has approved such tax at a general or special election. A single ballot proposition may both validate the imposition of the sales and use tax under RCW 82.14.048 and the excise tax under RCW 36.100.040(1).

(5)(a) A public facilities district constitutes a body corporate and possesses all the usual powers of a corporation for public purposes as well as all other powers that may now or hereafter be specifically conferred by statute, including, but not limited to, the authority to hire employees, staff, and services, to enter into contracts, including contracts with public and private parties, to acquire, own, sell, transfer, lease, and otherwise acquire or dispose of property, to grant concessions under terms approved by the public facilities district, and to sue and be sued.

(b) A public facilities district created by a county with a population of one million five hundred thousand or more to acquire, own, and operate a convention and trade center transferred from a public nonprofit corporation may continue to contract with the Seattle-King county convention and visitors' bureau or its successor in interest for marketing the convention and trade center facility and services.

(6) A public facilities district may enter into contracts with a county for the purpose of exercising any powers of a community renewal agency under chapter 35.81 RCW.

(7) The legislative authority of a city or county, the board of directors of a public nonprofit corporation, or the state of Washington may transfer property to a public facilities district created under this chapter, with or without consideration. No property that is encumbered with debt or that is in need of major capital renovation may be transferred to the district without the agreement of the district and revenues adequate to retire the existing indebtedness.

(8) A public facilities district may enter into agreements with the state, any municipal corporation, or any other governmental entity for the design, financing, acquisition, development, construction, reconstruction, lease, remodeling, alteration, maintenance, equipping, reequipping, repair, operation, or management of one or more facilities of the parties thereto. Agreements may provide that any party to the contract designs, finances, acquires, develops, constructs, reconstructs, remodels, alters, maintains, equips, reequips, repairs, and operates one or more facilities for the other party or parties to the contract. A public facilities district may enter into an agreement with the state, any municipal corporation, or other public or private entity that will assist a public facilities district in the financing of all or any part of a district facility on such terms as may be determined by agreement between the respective parties, including without limitation by a loan, guaranty, or other financing agreement.
 
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MrGray

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2009
Messages
54
Location
, ,
I was trespassed out of the WSCC for my lawful carry of a pistol.

I fully understand and support the idea and principles behind open carry.

That said, I would encourage anyone who ventures near the WSCC to never, ever do it unarmed. Conceal if necessary, but don't go unarmed. If, for some reason, you can't carry a concealed firearm, carry OC spray or something.

For several years, I had business that took me to the WSCC and the surrounding area several times a week. As a result, I kept a close watch on the SPD website for violent crimes in that area. The WSCC is nestled right in among a number of hotspots of all sorts of weird violent stuff, all within one block of the CC. In particular, the corner of 7th and Pike seems to have some bizarre gravitational attraction for the mentally unstable and/or homeless getting paranoid and attacking people more or less at random. Knives, bottles, clubs, you name it. Watching the reports of stuff that happened on that corner was, for me, a serious lesson in how a spot that looked 'safe' to me could actually have a pretty high frequency of bad stuff happening there.

Be alert. Stay safe. And, whichever one of you tackles the job of educating the WSCC that open carry is legal and allowed at the WSCC - thanks in advance. I appreciate it.
 

Freedom1Man

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2012
Messages
4,462
Location
Greater Eastside Washington
Be alert. Stay safe. And, whichever one of you tackles the job of educating the WSCC that open carry is legal and allowed at the WSCC - thanks in advance. I appreciate it.

You're welcome. They will learn that law by the time I am done.

According to my girlfriend one security guard finally looked at the engraved plaque on the post and mentioned to the other guards that he (I) might be correct after all..... They had never read the plaque hanging on the wall before.
 

Mike

Site Co-Founder
Joined
May 13, 2006
Messages
8,706
Location
Fairfax County, Virginia, USA
Sure looks like the entity is part of a locality, therefore covered by preemption; recommend more people open carry there - make sure you are there when the facility is open to the public etc. when you do so.
 

amlevin

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2007
Messages
5,937
Location
North of Seattle, Washington, USA
Sure looks like the entity is part of a locality, therefore covered by preemption; recommend more people open carry there - make sure you are there when the facility is open to the public etc. when you do so.

When is it not open to the public when it is open at all?

If the facility is leased for an event, let's say to Microsoft or Amazon, then while the facility is "Open", it's not open to the public. Only Microsoft or Amazon people and their invitees. If you aren't a guest then you can be asked to leave. Refuse and you can be trespassed.


Now if it's an event open to the public, like a Home Show or the like (a hint would be if admission is being sold) then "carry on".


BTW, next time someone's approached by random people claiming to be "Security", take a cell phone pic. Helps to ID them later.
 

deanf

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2007
Messages
1,789
Location
N47º 12’ x W122º 10’
.
Good morning Mr. Dean Fuller,

Thank you for your inquiry about the operations of the Washington State Convention Center.

I am not quite certain I understand your question, but I will assume you were speaking of total operation. The Center does manage its own operations. We are not, for example, operated by contract with an outside venue management company, as some other Centers are across the nation. WSCC does have contracts with various companies for example, Visit Seattle provides our national marketing support and ARAMARK is our contracted food service provider. If you go to our web site wscc.com and click on “Our Services” tab you will find the services listed that are of primary interest to meeting planners.

Perhaps you are more specifically interested as a specific service provider, if you can provide more information I will do my best to answer your question.

Thank you, Linda.

Linda Willanger
Vice President Administration, AGM
Washington State Convention Center
800 Convention Place, Seattle, WA 98101 USA
linda.willanger@wscc.com
Office: 206-694-5107 | Cell: 206-510-8259 | Fax: 206-694-5191
 
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Freedom1Man

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2012
Messages
4,462
Location
Greater Eastside Washington
If the facility is leased for an event, let's say to Microsoft or Amazon, then while the facility is "Open", it's not open to the public. Only Microsoft or Amazon people and their invitees. If you aren't a guest then you can be asked to leave. Refuse and you can be trespassed.


Now if it's an event open to the public, like a Home Show or the like (a hint would be if admission is being sold) then "carry on".


BTW, next time someone's approached by random people claiming to be "Security", take a cell phone pic. Helps to ID them later.

Only part of the building was being used for an event that the event ticket sellers sold me a ticket on the spot for.

The ticket seller did not state that my gun and hence I myself was not welcome. It was building "security" that said that the whole building was off limits period while armed.
 

Difdi

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2010
Messages
987
Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Refuse and you can be trespassed.

I'm curious. If you are trespassed from a special event like you mentioned, how long does the trespass notice last for? I'd assume it ends when the event ends, since the event organizers no longer have a lease...but since when does a law have to make sense?
 

omegagonzo

New member
Joined
Nov 15, 2013
Messages
6
Location
Seattle
Sorry for the dumb question, but are you saying you can legally OC there if you have a CPL but not if you don't have one?
 

Difdi

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2010
Messages
987
Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Sorry for the dumb question, but are you saying you can legally OC there if you have a CPL but not if you don't have one?

Yes, there are places where you can only carry (open or concealed, doesn't matter) if you have a concealed pistol license. There are also places where you can only open carry unloaded if you don't have a CPL.
 
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