It has about 1,200 acres held in trust, about 1,000 acres owned by the tribe, and the remainder owned by tribal members or non-members. Pullen said if his ordinance passes, the county presumably would issue a stop-work order to block construction of the amphitheater. Then, he predicted, either the tribe would sue the county, challenging its authority, or the Muckleshoots would ignore the order and the county would sue the tribe. Pullen introduced the ordinance as an emergency measure because of environmental damage he said already is occurring at the amphitheater site, along state Route 164 between Auburn and Enumclaw. The tribe has been racing to build the facility since June.
Construction now is more than one-third completed.
David Bricklin, the group's attorney, applauded Pullen's move but said he believes the county already has the authority to halt the project. He said it violates existing county ordinances regulating traffic, grading, storm water and critical areas such as wetlands and steep slopes. Passage of Pullen's ordinance on an emergency basis would cause it to go into effect immediately, bypassing the county executive. That would require approval by nine of the council's 13 members. The chances of that happening were unclear yesterday.