Seattle's Klondike Gold Rush national park targeted for closure
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The national park site in PIoneer Square houses interactive exhibits about the Gold Rush. Photo: Melissa Santos/Axios
A historical museum in Seattle's Pioneer Square neighborhood is among dozens of National Park Service leases the Trump administration wants to terminate, according to two lists that have been shared publicly.
Why it matters: The attempt to end the lease of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in Seattle is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to slash federal spending.
- It comes on the heels of the administration firing thousands of National Parks and Forest Service workers, among other federal employees.
Yes, but: It's not clear that the Seattle museum — which features interactive exhibits on how the gold rush shaped the city and the Pacific Northwest — is in danger of closing.
- Historic Seattle, the group that owns the Cadillac Hotel Building that houses the museum at 319 Second Ave. South, says federal officials signed a five-year lease extension in September.
- That means the government is obligated to pay rent on the property through 2030, Kji Kelly, Historic Seattle's executive director, told Axios.
- "There's no magical termination or escape clause embedded within the lease," Kelly said.
What they're saying: A spokesperson for the General Services Administration, which manages federal property, didn't respond directly to questions about the Seattle park lease.
- "GSA is reviewing all options to optimize our footprint and building utilization," to include "the termination of many soft term leases," the agency said in a written statement.
- For some facilities, the agency is working "to secure suitable alternative space," the statement added.
- The National Park Service, which runs the museum, didn't respond to specific questions about the Seattle facility, but said in an emailed statement that it "is committed to upholding our responsibilities to visitors" and "will continue to provide critical services."
The latest: A spreadsheet of federal leases on the chopping block lists a targeted termination date of Sept. 30 for the Klondike park lease.
- Kelly said that was when the lease was set to expire before the five-year extension was signed.
- "They obviously were not relying on the most up-to-date information," Kelly said of the General Services Administration.
Flashback: Historic Seattle bought and preserved the Cadillac Hotel Building after the structure was damaged in the 2001 Nisqually earthquake, saving the building from demolition.
- The building was one of the first brick structures erected in the city after the Great Seattle Fire of 1889.
What we're watching: Whether the federal government decides to stop paying rent for the building, sparking a legal fight.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to add a response from the National Park Service.