Stuart Sloan is an American business person based in Seattle, Washington. He is the former owner and former chairman of QFC, an American grocery store chain based in Bellevue, Washington. He currently owns a mall in the University District neighborhood of Seattle, University Village.
In 2023, Sloan recruited support from the City of Seattle and Seattle mayor Bruce Harrell to collaborate in a plan to discourage nude bathers at Denny Blaine Park.[1] The park is historically LGBT+, and the LGBT+ community protested this.[1]
Businesses
editIn 1995 Sloan was the defendant in a lawsuit related to his role has chairman of QFC.[2] The accusation was that he got preferential treatment in the structuring of investments.[2]
In 2011 Sloan sold his businesses related to winemaking.[3]
Philanthropy
editIn 2000, Sloan was organizing a program to develop T.T. Minor Elementary School in Seattle.[4] Some teachers protested his program, fearing that it was dismissive of the needs of the black community.[4] A few years later, Sloan began a similar development program at another school, and the initial results showed that this development did not improve student test scores.[5]
In 2013 he was the spokesperson for a bicycling fundraiser for cancer research.[6]
In 2007 Sloan sponsored a party at Gas Works Park.[7]
In 2022 Sloan and his wife pledged $78 million to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center.[8] At the time, this was the largest single donation to the organization.[9]
Denny Blaine Park Controversy
editIn November 2023, Seattle Parks and Recreation presented a plan to redevelop Denny Blane Park, a popular nude beach, into a children's playground.[10] An anonymous donor pledged $550,000 to fund the project. Seattle Parks and Recreation instructed employees to "maintain a policy of confidentiality" regarding the redevelopment project because "If this gets out, it will be very problematic."[11]
After public outcry during a December 2023 community meeting, Seattle Parks and Recreation decided to scrap the playground plan, stating "feedback from the community indicated the park was not the right location for the play area."[12]
In May 2024, KUOW broke the news that Stuart Sloan was the anonymous donor for the redevelopment plan. Sloan lives next to Denny Blaine Park and texted and met with Seattle city leaders, including Mayor Bruce Harrell, to discuss the park and his redevelopment plans.[13] In July 2024, KUOW published many of the private text messages between Sloan, Harrell and other city leaders with photos of nude beach goers. In texts, Sloan stated, "This is disgusting, and as you’ve said, we’re on the right side of this issue...I hope you agree that we need to get ahead of this or it will be more difficult once the good weather returns.” Mayor Harrell agreed, stating, "If you are disgusted, I share your disgust."[14]
In May 2024, the City put forth a policy suggestion, which would create two zones in Deny Blaine Park: "naked Zone A, composed of the grassy area and beach, and a clothed Zone B, consisting of the loop of road... outside the park where several neighbors live."[15]
References
edit- ^ a b Hiruko, Ashley (15 May 2024). "Who was the anonymous donor behind the controversial kid playground at Seattle's Denny Blaine?". www.kuow.org. KUOW-FM.
- ^ a b Zwiebach, Elliot (12 June 1995). "CLASS-ACTION SUIT FILED AGAINST QFC AND ITS THREE TOP OFFICERS". Supermarket News.
- ^ Laube, James. "Napa's Sloan Estate Sold". Wine Spectator.
- ^ a b "Unwanted Savior". Forbes. 21 February 2000.
- ^ Shapiro, Nina (9 October 2006). "What Can Money Buy?". Seattle Weekly.
- ^ Brodeur, Nicole (10 March 2013). "Stuart Sloan rides for life". The Seattle Times.
- ^ "Business mogul Stuart Sloan reportedly behind Gas Works Park bash". The Seattle Times. 12 August 2007.
- ^ Di Mento, Maria (12 September 2022). "Seattle Couple Gives $78 Million to Cancer Center". The Chronicle of Philanthropy.
- ^ Hiruko, Ashley (2024-05-15). "Who was the anonymous donor behind the controversial kid playground at Seattle's Denny Blaine?". m.kuow.org. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ Hocker, Cornelius (November 21, 2023). "Seattle Parks announces plan for kids play area at well-known nude beach". King5.
- ^ MacQuarrie, Teddy (January 26, 2024). "Denny-Blaine Park: A lack of transparency, questions left unanswered". Seattle Gay News.
- ^ Stone, Kate (December 11, 2023). "Plan to build kids area near popular Seattle nude beach scrapped". KIRO News Radio.
- ^ Hiruko, Ashley (May 15, 2024). "Who was the anonymous donor behind the controversial kid playground at Seattle's Denny Blaine?". KUOW.
- ^ Hiruko, Ashley (July 18, 2024). "'I share your disgust.' Texts show Seattle Mayor Harrell, rich neighbor discussing Denny Blaine". KUOW.
- ^ Mccall, Vivian (May 2024). "Community Dislikes Plan to Divide Denny Blaine Park Area into Nude and Clothed Zones". The Stranger.