“The Link” Proposal: The Big Change for the Toyota Center

The Link is a proposed 110,000 square-feet multi-purpose entertainment complex joining the Toyota Center and Three Rivers Convention Center. It will also include a 2,300 seat Broadway theatre, bringing shows like Phantom of the Opera or Les Miserables to Kennewick. There are also plans on renovating the Toyota Center and expanding the Convention Center, making room for music and sport events that would otherwise be overbooked. According to the Tri-Cities Toyota Center website, all of this will bring larger events for our population and generate millions of dollars in Kennewick, supporting our local businesses.

The Link proposal has, in fact, been considered already. For this proposal to be put into place, it requires funding from taxes. This has caused the idea to fail on meeting t

he necessary votes from Kennewick residents by a narrow margin. Contrary to popular belief, however, the tax will be a sales tax of $0.02 for every $10 rather than a property tax. The Link is projected to cost $45 million, meaning the tax will expire in 25 years, when all the bonds for this project have been paid. With all this information, one can only ask themselves, "Should I vote for or against The Link?"