SEEN OFF WEST SEATTLE: Gigayacht Bravo Eugenia

Sam August 8, 2020 (9:41 pm)

People wonder why there is unrest

Rob August 8, 2020 (10:25 pm)

Why?
Gwen August 8, 2020 (10:52 pm)

I mean, the unrest was around before the gigayacht, but yeah, a mogul parading his yacht on the perimeter of a city dealing with a deep unemployment crisis primarily affecting those already struggling to afford this city? I think this is what the kids refer to as “entering the Cool Zone.”
- Kat August 9, 2020 (4:50 am)
  
  All cities are dealing with this. Some better than others.
- WTF August 9, 2020 (7:34 am)
  
  Faulting people because they’re rich really is futile and jealous.
- Steve Fisher August 9, 2020 (1:29 pm)
  
  This is yacht, like cruise ships is a gold mine for any city it visits. The build process employs an entire town. To up keep the yacht, every city it visits, it creates jobs everywhere it goes. Better than giving one time hand outs to people in need is giving them a job. There is no better way than a boat like this. We welcome the owner and crew to enjoy some of the best cruising in the world we have to offer here in the PNW.
  - larry flaunt August 11, 2020 (10:20 am)
    
    Goldmine you say? for who? somebody that gets a job for a day? oh we could be so lucky for a king, created with our tax dollars, bailed out by our government officials to grace our beautiful city with giant environmental catastrophe. F that.This is garbage, we need to be building roads, bridges, housing FOR US. Not floating castles for HIM. Millions are being evicted and we should celebrate this? good gravy.
Kat August 9, 2020 (3:48 am)

I’m not a huge Jerry fan. But the man made his and has the right to sail. He came to Seattle. A beautiful landscape (no longer a beautiful city’). Leave him alone and let him enjoy the Pugent Sound. Haters take a rest!I only ask him please don’t attempt to buy the Seahawks!
- bolo August 9, 2020 (7:08 pm)
  
  Why would you take away his right to buy the Seahawks? If he wants to and can afford it why shouldn’t he?
Hey Lady August 9, 2020 (2:46 pm)

I agree tremendous wealth is part of the unrest. It’s about disparity, not one person’s good fortune.
- Elizabeth August 10, 2020 (7:13 am)
  
  I agree with you – the massively disparate social and economic circumstances surrounding people like this and the majority of the people in the world has been and will continue to unsettle society. Of course a lot of it is paper wealth that can vaporize on a moment’s notice. However, even though there is the underlying business interests that are generating cash cash that accrues to these business moguls, they cash in a portion of their paper wealth in order to acquire tangible assets and to support lavish lifestyles. Your life is not going to be appreciably worse if you lose $100 Billion of your $101 Billion net worth; relatively speaking.

Mmarie August 8, 2020 (10:48 pm)

Well said

Wsres August 8, 2020 (10:52 pm)

That is a ridiculous boat for one family.

gxnx August 8, 2020 (11:48 pm)

You have a problem with that?I sense that all of you are jealous and cannot handle others’ people success!
- DirtyJerry August 9, 2020 (2:39 am)
  
  Thinking that people are crass and disgusting doesn’t mean that you are jealous of them. For example, I am not jealous of Jerry Jones. I find him to be a disgusting, despicable piece of garbage. The fact that he has more money than I have is irrelevant. I also think that many people who have less money than I have are disgusting because they are just bad people. See how that works?
  - Mike Hickey August 9, 2020 (3:34 am)
    
    I agree whole heartedly. You can be despicable whether youre rich or poor. But I do think poor people can be desperate while rich people can be arrogant.
  - Steve Fisher August 9, 2020 (1:33 pm)
    
    What did he do that was so terrible? He is actually a normal guy that through a lot of hard work and luck became very successful. Do you know him personally? Is there something specific you don’t like about him? He does more good and gives more to others than you can ever imagine.I welcome good people like him and his family to our amazing city and to cruising the most amazing water ways in the world we have here in the PNW.
    - larry flaunt August 11, 2020 (11:14 am)
      
      Do you know him personally? I dare you to dig a little deeper, first by looking at the “good” he does as it compares to his wealth, but make sure you do it in ratios in comparison to what the average American income is, then ask yourself if he is really doing “good things” or if he is doing just enough to support an image of a philanthropist. I will even do some math for you. I am worth ~400k with investments and equity. If I donate 500 dollars to the food bank that is .00125 of my new worth, not much right? Jerry is worth 8.5 billion, so for him to match me, he would need to donate 10.6 million for every 500 I donate. Now, I am not saying Jerry is a bad guy, or really did anything “wrong”, he is taking full advantage of the system that has been created. But please don’t be so naive to think that much of that system, is funded by guys like Jerry..Political contributions, ad campaigns are not these guys spending money, they are investments, calculated for return, and it affords them to have a louder more influential voice than the average Joe. So he and I have equal votes, but I have about .00000000000125% of the influence, and clearly that is shining through with your defense of a guy that has so much GD money he can afford a 357′ yacht with 2 helipads, while ordinary americans are wondering if they can make it through next week.
- AMD August 9, 2020 (9:23 am)
  
  As was the case in the last billionaire-yacht thread when someone brought up “success”, the man that owns this yacht inherited much of his wealth, the career he “built” for himself aside from that began with a job as an executive straight out of college at the already-successful company his father ran. His “success” was built from nepotism, the fruits of which were sown in a system where only certain people could get bank loans to start businesses.
- B.W. August 9, 2020 (8:30 pm)
  
  I for one hate the Cowboys and Jerry Jones..But I definitely went out to Magnolia to catch a glimpse of that piece of art and still can respect that Jerry has no problem showing it off.
F August 10, 2020 (6:14 am)

I’ve seen a family of three living in a 10 bedroom house, its that OK? Yeah. If you have the $$$$$
Tom August 15, 2020 (8:43 am)

It’s unfortunate for him that he didn’t hear your informed opinion prior to purchase.

Vanessa August 8, 2020 (11:51 pm)

Gross.

psps August 9, 2020 (12:07 am)

Thank heavens our oligarchs don’t pay taxes and can afford such vulgar ostentatious displays of their parasite status.

Peder Hanrahan August 9, 2020 (12:59 am)

What’s wrong with owning a sweet yacht? The guy was smart enough to find a way to make a bunch of money. Good for him.
- John Smith August 9, 2020 (2:39 am)
  
  Apparently some people think that there is a fixed amount of money, so that if one person has a lot of money, other people must have less money.
  - Friend O'Dinghus August 9, 2020 (8:54 am)
    
    Economics 101 …there is a ‘fixed’ amount of money at any given moment, or currency would have zero value. The amount of money in circulation goes up and down, which is why I put the word fixed in quotes, but if one were to just produce unlimited $100.00 bills with no backing in reality, then the purchase power of each of those century notes would indeed eventually drop to zero pretty quickly (see Argentina in the 70’s and 80’s).
- LJ August 9, 2020 (6:53 am)
  
  He inherited millions from his father. Like most “self-made” billionaires.
- Jesus or JayZ August 9, 2020 (7:40 am)
  
  Perhaps it’s not about how much money one makes that’s the issue, but what one chooses to do with it, and when and how they display that. There may be differing perspectives on best choices. Cruising around on a yacht outside a populated city during a worldwide crisis is one choice.
- Jesus or JayZ August 9, 2020 (8:24 am)
  
  … making an obscene amount of money isn’t necessarily about being smart.
- Beth Waldron August 9, 2020 (8:53 am)
  
  Agreed.
- MG August 9, 2020 (8:59 am)
  
  Exactly!!!!!

Friend O'Dinghus August 9, 2020 (2:33 am)

I wonder if the owner ever considered a boat half this size, and donating the rest of the money saved back to a worthy cause other than himself and his family? Nah, probably not. This boys and girls is why unregulated capitalism will ultimately overtake and transform democratic systems into oligarchies. Ask Teddy Roosevelt (a Republican by the way) if you don’t believe me.

Jon August 9, 2020 (6:33 am)

This is the half-sized boat.
- wscommuter August 9, 2020 (12:08 pm)
  
  Jon … for the win.I almost didn’t open this comment stream … knew it would be filled with ranting against wealth of one form or another. Jeez … it’s just a boat, people. Chill.
PoorMe August 9, 2020 (6:35 am)

Sure, he does that, but then people say, “Well, why didn’t he buy an even smaller boat and donate more money!”. Give it a rest.
- Friend O'Dinghus August 9, 2020 (10:03 am)
  
  Just stating facts here. I personally believe an individual should not have to be shamed into choosing a smaller yacht, or donating increasing amounts of money to the needy, but then again I don’t think any individual should ever have this sort of concentrated wealth to begin with. We must fix the inequities soon, and not merely with slogans, or our crony capitalism will turn into oligarchic authoritarianism, just as it has all over the world during the last 20 years. There’s only a few democracies left standing now to help pull the others back from the brink, so put me down for Mr. Jones trading down and giving more back… a’la Buffett, Gates, Turner.

22blades August 9, 2020 (2:59 am)

The thing was remodeled with a working office to avoid covid-19. He’s probably one of those guys that turns off their transponder when they enter Canadian waters. A “fine” for him is just a “fee”. When he’s feeling a little cooped up, he probably takes a chopper to (one of) his jet is parked at Boeing Field. What’s wrong with that? I guess nothing if you’re willing to pay his taxes while he uses the infrastructure of the country on your dime. Enjoy your drive to downtown.

Smittytheclown August 9, 2020 (3:44 am)

Sweet yacht. No “support yacht” though! Haha.I think he’s been living on it for a while. I remember he conducted his NFL drafts picks from it a few months ago. Talk about social distancing!

Chris Stripinis August 9, 2020 (5:47 am)

US billionaires have gotten $637 billion richer during the pandemic: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.businessinsider.com/billionaires-net-worth-increases-coronavirus-pandemic-2020-7%3Famp

Jonnyquest August 9, 2020 (7:16 am)

How many of you have a house? Or even a car? Many don’t.

Rob August 9, 2020 (1:23 pm)

It’s nice, but it’s no Delta!

Bradley August 9, 2020 (7:18 am)

No one seems to have a problem with Paul Allen’s gigayacht. Or crying out for Bill Gates extreme wealth. But be number 1 and everyone hates you. It’s kinda the American Way.

Scott Collins August 9, 2020 (10:19 am)

I’m ok with Paul Allen’s gigayacht because…..he’s dead.
$$$ August 9, 2020 (10:20 am)

To be fair, Paul Allen was imbued with the (now dead) tradition of Seattle’s wealthy not being ostentatious. Mr. Allen regularly and generously lent his unique ship for scientific explorations. It too, was based and maintained elsewhere and rarely seen in Seattle.
- Michael Ostrogorsky August 9, 2020 (12:59 pm)
  
  Not to mention Paul Allen made his own money. He didn’t didn’t inherit millions from daddy like Bill Gates or Jerry Jones did.
  - wscommuter August 9, 2020 (5:36 pm)
    
    Quick fact check there, Michael. Are you saying Bill Gates didn’t earn his money? Are you saying Bill Gates was given “millions” by his “daddy”? For reals?
    - $$$ August 9, 2020 (7:42 pm)
      
      Some of us that attended high school with Bill Gates and Paul Allen (myself, friend of neither) are well aware of the differences between these two. This was confirmed by what followed with Microsoft’s ascendancy through the ruthlessness of dropout Gates’ and Harvard buddy Steve Balmer and Allen’s exit. Two completely different individuals with completely different upbringing. Bill Gates came from a more privileged and wealthy Seattle family.
    - BW August 9, 2020 (8:23 pm)
      
      And? Whether he “earned” it or inherited it, the money is his and he, or any one frankly, is free to spend their money how they see fit. People are walking pretty close to the edge to suggest they have any right to decide how, where or on what other people should spend their money.

Not Jerry Jones August 9, 2020 (7:26 am)

Love him or hate him (I personally despise him and his son who had major issues), the Jones family gives away a lot of money. I don’t know his giving as a percentage of net worth, but his charities help a lot of people. He bought the Cowboys for 150M in the 1990s and now the team is worth 5.5B. He made a good investment. Still, he’s a Trump supporter, an egomaniac, and an outspoken owner who I disagree with. But I got up close to his boat yesterday and the thing is impressive. On the same day, the Dreamliner III pulled up to the Magnolia Marina. It’s a 40M yacht with a helicopter on back owned by a resident of Hong Kong worth 500M. He paid 1K to park it and bought 3K in gas. Recognized as one of the world’s most generous families, the Jerry Jones Family enlists the talents, skills and resources of all Cowboys players, coaches, cheerleaders and every member of the organization to provide a unique and cutting edge approach to community outreach.

Not Jerry Jones August 9, 2020 (7:29 am)

Correction: Oceanliner III, not the Dreamliner III

Jim August 9, 2020 (7:41 am)

The construction and maintenance of that boat creates many jobs

Joe August 9, 2020 (8:07 am)

Beautiful boat. Good for him!

Joel August 9, 2020 (8:53 am)

the yacht company making this probably employed several hundred just for this yacht. plus if a state with sales tax probably contributed millions in sales tax.the yacht company in Westport, WA recently shut down…over 300 people out of work. Those mega rich buying yachts were supporting the most jobs in town…with the highest wages.

Jesus or JayZ August 9, 2020 (10:20 am)

Perhaps as a society we should focus on creating jobs for work or services that benefit more people with more needs, rather than jobs building yachts for select mega rich men.
- Joel August 9, 2020 (1:03 pm)
  
  and those 300 plus in Westport were supporting local restaurants and businesses and paying their rent/mortgage…taxes etc….but it looks like only jobs that you approve of are allowed?

$$$ August 9, 2020 (9:55 am)

Yes, I imagine the yacht company in the Netherlands employs hundreds. The province of giga yacht builders is exclusive and mostly foreign companies. And these status-power-wealth signifiers are built where there are kindly tax benefits, not here.

WSB August 9, 2020 (12:30 pm)

Just to clarify that – there IS a yacht building company here, right on the Duwamish River, Delta. Its work is sometimes seen on Elliott Bay too – there are several stories in our archives, like this one:
https://westseattleblog.com/2016/04/soon-to-be-seen-off-west-seattle-shores-superyacht-albatross/

Filbert August 9, 2020 (10:10 am)

LOVE reading the “rich hater” comments. I’m willing to bet that YOU came into money you wouldn’t give it all away. But, there is a solution!! Lobby for a “net worth” cap. If you’re total wealth including any homes, boats etc etc you own exceeds a certain amount you HAVE to give it all away. Will watch for you outside Safeway with an initiative petition to sign.

Gwen August 9, 2020 (2:31 pm)

I’m actually for this idea. Or for larger taxes on higher earners.
AMD August 9, 2020 (9:18 pm)

Since I wasn’t born into a rich family, I’m not going to come into wealth like the guy who owns this boat did, and yeah, I’d be fine paying taxes and giving a bunch away if I did win the lottery or whatever makes one “come into” wealth they’re not born into (I don’t play, so that’s not going to happen). Or, if it were an option, I’d buy every bit of property/land I could get my hands on, then build new low-income housing/condos/town homes (whatever zoning will allow) because dear lord do we need more housing in this city. So, to clarify, I’d rather build housing and give that away than just give the money away on the whole, but giving it up is fine. Taking care of the community rewards everyone. But I will not stand outside Safeway and have people sign a petition to make it happen, though, because Safeway doesn’t allow that any more.

Zipda August 9, 2020 (10:56 am)

Great. Now I have to buy a bigger boat to keep up.

John August 9, 2020 (1:37 pm)

Where’s all of the Seattle tolerance we hear so much about?Do we really need to judge people based on their level of income?I don’t care how anyone else spends their money.

Gwen August 9, 2020 (2:24 pm)

“Oh geez leave the poor billionaire alone come on guys geez don’t be mean”
- John August 9, 2020 (3:27 pm)
  
  You made my point.
  - Gwen August 10, 2020 (9:17 am)
    
    Oh please. Quit clutching your pearls. If you want to talk about Seattle tolerance, the West Seattle Blog Comments section is not the place to go looking. How often do people on this site complain about ‘beautiful Seattle’ being ruined by homeless populations? Or how many actively encourage more street sweeps, even though they are far more likely to share commonality with their homeless neighbors than they will with a billionaire? Are you coming out and complaining about Seattle’s lack of empathy in those scenarios?

$$$ August 9, 2020 (2:35 pm)

We here in Seattle do tolerate these ostentatious displays of wealth. We may not agree with such open displays in a community racked by affordable housing crisis, homelessness, BLM, Social Unrest, COVID19, mental illness and joblessness. But we do not see a flotilla of kayaks protesting gigayachts befitting our reputation for the environment.

Breno August 9, 2020 (8:05 pm)

All you haters quit your whining about all the wealth that Jerry Jones has. He’s probably paid more in taxes than everybody makes combined. Like it or not we need ultra rich people to stimulate our economy.

Elle Nell August 9, 2020 (10:01 pm)

No Beuno Bruno… I’m actually voting your response as the most humorous comment in the history of WSB!! 😂🤣not really but sure is funny

KristinaLouise August 9, 2020 (10:10 pm)

In order to be grammatically correct, it should be Brava Eugenia, not Bravo Eugenia (feminine, not masculine).That someone could have this obscene level of money and yet make this kind of simplistic error makes me giggle. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t speak Italian! I find it cringe-y yet comical.

Joe Z August 9, 2020 (10:49 pm)

If you made $1 million per year it would take you 8,700 years to reach Jerry Jones’ net worth.

Matt P August 9, 2020 (11:33 pm)

Mega yachts like this are a huge waste of resources and also hugely pollutant. He’s bringing all toxic chemicals into the sound and making it a worse place. Cruise ships are even worse.

T Rex August 10, 2020 (8:46 am)

For all of you people on this blog who can actually see his boat from your home how about we talk about your wealth for a minute? Oh wait, that is none of our business. And his wealth is none of our business. Mr Jones did come from a wealthy family but if you do some reading you will learn that he got a master’s degree in business and made his own money through several business ventures. Some failed, others didn’t. The majority of his wealth came from oil. That evil fossil fuel we all love to hate. Then he bought the Cowboys. He took a chance on a losing football team and he built them back up and they won three super bowls in the 1990’s. The Cowboys made him a billionaire. Good for you Jerry! And how bout them Cowboys!

Huck August 10, 2020 (4:10 pm)

Well said T REX (except for the “how bout them Cowboys” comment.That part was offensive! :-)

anonyme August 11, 2020 (11:55 am)

The drug cartels employ many more people than Jerry Jones, and pay them better. If this is the benchmark, we should be out cheering for the cartels. Most of the drug lords are indeed self-made after all, and I’m sure they have comparable yachts as well. Ostentation is never a good look.

Dan August 12, 2020 (10:05 am)

These comments are a joke right? Sounds like a bunch of pathetic, petty, jealous whining about a boat owned by a guy who’s football team thought Tony Romo could handle the snap on a guaranteed field goal attempt😂😂😂