Climate Pledge Arena
Climate Pledge Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is located north of Downtown Seattle in the 74-acre (30 ha) entertainment complex known as Seattle Center, the site of the 1962 World's Fair,[10] for which it was originally developed. After opening in 1962, it was subsequently bought and converted by the city of Seattle for entertainment purposes. From 2018 to 2021, the arena underwent a $1.15 billion redevelopment;[11][12][13] the renovation preserved the original exterior and roof, which was declared a Seattle Landmark in 2017 and was listed on the Washington Heritage Register as well as the National Register of Historic Places in 2018.[14][15][9] The renovated venue has a capacity of 17,151 for ice hockey and 18,300 for basketball.[1]
For the arena formerly known as Seattle Center Arena, see Mercer Arena.Full name
Climate Pledge Arena at Seattle Center
- Washington State Pavilion (1962)
- Washington State Coliseum (1962–1964)
- Seattle Center Coliseum (1964–1994)
- KeyArena at Seattle Center (1995–2018)
334 1st Avenue North
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
City of Seattle
Basketball: 18,300
Ice hockey: 17,151
Concerts: 17,200[1]
May 12, 1960[2]
April 21, 1962
1964, 1994–95, 2018–21
October 26, 1995 (as KeyArena)
October 19, 2021 (as Climate Pledge Arena)
Paul A. Thiry (1962)
NBBJ (1995)
Populous (2021)
CAA ICON (2021)
Peter H. Hostmark and Associates (1962)[5]
Skilling Ward Magnusson Barkshire (1995)[6]
Thornton Tomasetti (2021)[7]
Howard S. Wright Construction (1962)[8]
PCL Construction (1995)[6]
Mortenson Construction (2021)
- 305 Harrison Street
- Seattle, Washington
approx. 6.8 acres (2.8 ha)[9]
May 10, 2018
March 8, 2018
August 2, 2017
The arena is currently the home to the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League (NHL), the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), the Seattle University Redhawks men's basketball team, and the Rat City Roller Derby league of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association.[16][17] It has also played host to the Pac-12 Conference's women's basketball tournament.
The arena was previously most notable as the long-time former home of the Seattle SuperSonics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The SuperSonics first played at the facility, then known as the Seattle Center Coliseum, from their founding in 1967 to 1978. After a seven-season stint in the higher capacity Kingdome, they returned to the arena in 1985. The facility underwent an extensive renovation after the 1993–94 season, which necessitated the relocation of SuperSonics home games to the Tacoma Dome for the 1994–95 season,[18] and it was renamed KeyArena after KeyCorp bought the naming rights in 1995. The SuperSonics left KeyArena in 2008 amid a controversial relocation to Oklahoma City. The arena was also known for hosting minor professional hockey teams, first as home to the Seattle Totems of the original Western Hockey League and the Central Hockey League from 1964 to 1975, followed by the Seattle Thunderbirds of the current Western Hockey League from 1989 to 2008.
The arena was the first publicly financed one in the area that was fully supported by earned income from the building.[19] Arena finances were bolstered for several years by a payment following the settlement with the SuperSonics in 2008, but the lower level of activity and revenue during the time between the departure of the team and the arrival of the NHL left little reserve beyond basic building maintenance.[20] The naming rights deal with KeyCorp concluded at the end of 2010, but the building maintained the KeyArena name until its 2018 closure for the redevelopment. Amazon bought the naming rights to the arena in June 2020, dedicating the arena name to bringing attention to climate change.[21]
Concerts[edit]
The Beatles performed at the arena twice, first on August 21, 1964.[114]
Elvis Presley performed at the arena on November 12, 1970, and April 26, 1976.
Metallica filmed the first of three live videos for their 1993 live concert box set Live Shit: Binge & Purge at the arena. The band recorded their performances from August 29 and August 30, 1989, during their Damaged Justice tour, widely considered one of the band's greatest live performances by fans.[115]
On April 24, and April 25th 2005 U2 performed at KeyArena as part of their Vertigo Tour. Kings of Leon was the opening act.[116]
Destiny's Child performed at the arena on September 9, 2005, during their Destiny Fulfilled... and Lovin' It farewell tour. The show was the group's second-to-last performance before they officially split up.[117]
In 2012, Madonna performed two sold-out concerts at the venue as a part of The MDNA Tour. The shows drew 23,651 attendees and grossed $3.7 million.[118]
Bruce Springsteen has performed at the arena five times. He and the E Street Band performed a nearly four-hour long concert during The River Tour 2016 on March 24, 2016. It included a guest appearance by Eddie Vedder.[119][120] Springsteen returned to the newly renovated arena for a single performance on February 27, 2023, as part of his 2023 Tour.[121]
In December 2013, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis became the first Seattle-based act ever to play three consecutive shows at KeyArena when the duo concluded their 2013 World Tour in support of their album The Heist.[122]
Foo Fighters and Death Cab for Cutie performed at the first event in Climate Pledge Arena after its renovation on October 19, 2021.[109]
Features and amenities[edit]
The post-renovation Climate Pledge Arena is 740,000 square feet (69,000 m2) and has 17,100 seats in its ice hockey configuration, with higher capacities for other events. Most of the lower-level seats are subterranean, while the concourse and main south entrance at the Alaska Airlines Atrium are near ground level. The arena has several food vendors that use Amazon One for contactless payments.[134]
The arena has a pair of six-sided ceiling scoreboards in lieu of the traditional single, center-hung scoreboard used in other indoor arenas. They were designed to not interfere with sightlines and are also positioned higher than other NHL scoreboards.[135]
Concurrent with the announcement that the arena would be named Climate Pledge Arena, it was stated that the venue would aim to receive a net-zero certification by pledging to have all events be "zero-waste" (through use of compostable containers and reduction of single-use plastic), use captured rainwater for its ice surface, and source at least 75% of food served at the arena from local producers.[104][136] All fans holding a ticket to a public event at the arena can claim a free public transit pass for use starting two hours before the doors open and until two hours after the end of the event. In the first year that the passes were available to Kraken and Storm ticketholders, 25% of fans used public transit.[137]
Transportation[edit]
Climate Pledge Arena is located in the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood, which is served by King County Metro bus service from surrounding areas, including Queen Anne Hill and Downtown Seattle. The RapidRide D Line and other routes provide frequent service between the arena's west side and Downtown Seattle. Route 8 connects the neighborhood to Capitol Hill and the Central District.[138][139]
The Seattle Center Monorail also serves the arena, connecting it to Westlake Center and the Westlake light rail station in downtown, and runs higher frequency service during events.
Climate Pledge Arena is served by three public parking garages, with a total capacity of 2,944 vehicles, located in and around the Seattle Center. Additional neighborhood parking lots and on-street parking spaces bring the total number of spaces up to 7,400 stalls.[140] The arena is located near the Mercer Street exit on Interstate 5, as well as State Route 99.[141]
Link light rail service to the Seattle Center and Climate Pledge Arena is planned to begin in 2035, as part of the Ballard–Downtown extension.[142]