💸 Big business investing in Seattle

Not All Big Business Is Leaving Seattle

The AI startup behind Claude, Anthropic, is in negotiations for a 12,000-square-foot long-term lease in South Lake Union’s Dexter Yard, according to reporting from the Puget Sound Business Journal. The company already has other offices in South Lake Union and has been in the city since 2024. Sources told the Business Journal that the company has been looking for a more stable presence – the type of lease they are negotiating is typically for 10 years – to attract local tech talent.

• 🙅 Anthropic broke with two other AI heavyweights, OpenAI and xAI, by choosing Seattle over Bellevue. Unlike Seattle, Bellevue has prioritized attracting AI companies; a draft of their economic development plan, approved by City Council, incorporates AI company growth and includes attracting new companies. Bellevue already had a leg up on Seattle in terms of attracting AI companies with its newer offices, large data center builders, and talent pool.
• 🤑 Apple is also in talks to lease more office space in Seattle. The company is in the late stages of negotiating a lease for nearly 200,000 square feet at Arbor Blocks 300 in South Lake Union. Meta previously occupied that space, but put it up for sublease despite renewing leases in Bellevue and Redmond.
• ☕ So yes, while Starbucks has announced significant layoffs in Seattle this week, as well as acquired a lot of office space in Nashville, the future of business is not all bleak. Seattle still has a lot to offer these companies, even if our Mayor is stirring up concern at the New York Times over her comments on progressive taxes and being criticized in a Wall Street Journal op-ed by Starbucks’ former CEO. [City Cast Seattle 🎧]

⚖️ Legislative maps at the Supreme Court? U.S. District Court Judge Robert Lasnik rejected a request to get rid of legislative maps drawn to give more political power to Latino voters in the Yakima Valley. Jose Trevino and state representative Alex Ybarra put forward the request, saying that drawing maps to favor a racial minority wasn’t in compliance with the Supreme Court's decision in Louisiana v. Callais. [Washington State Standard]

🤝 Support grows for Seattle Center bond: Mayor Katie Wilson and Councilmember Rob Saka have publicly declared their support for a capital bond to improve the Seattle Center. The bond would likely show up on a 2027 ballot and, if it receives 60% of votes, would fund an overhaul of Seattle Center’s HVAC and electrical systems as well as potentially renovating the Armory. [Seattle Times]

🪧 Bellevue protest ban explained: After protests at lawmakers’ homes, like one at U.S. House Rep. Adam Smith, Bellevue City Council has passed an ordinance that bans targeted protests outside of private residences. This means four or more people can’t protest in a way that is “directed” at a specific person in a home and makes the act a gross misdemeanor. [Seattle Times]