Seattle Center overhaul effort aligns with NBA hopes
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Seattle Center is desperately in need of a facelift, city officials say — and the City Council has taken an early step toward a bond measure to help pay for it.
Why it matters: The effort comes as the city hopes to lure an NBA team to Climate Pledge Arena on the Seattle Center campus — and some city leaders see the renovation as part of that pitch.
- Investing in the grounds and attractions surrounding the arena "is another critical step towards bringing back our Sonics," City Councilmember Rob Saka said at a council committee meeting last week.
The latest: A resolution before the City Council would direct the mayor to assess Seattle Center's capital needs while signaling the council's intent to send a renovation bond measure to voters by the end of 2027.
- The resolution cleared a committee last week and is expected to face a full council vote Tuesday.
- The size of the possible bond measure and total price tag for the targeted projects has yet to be determined.
What they're saying: Many structures on the Seattle Center campus were built for the 1962 Seattle World's Fair and weren't designed to last long, Randy Engstrom, acting Seattle Center director, said during last week's council committee meeting.
- That has left the urban park — which is home to museums, theaters and the Space Needle, among other attractions — with heating, ventilation and electrical systems that aren't up to modern standards, he said.
- "We do a lot of amazing things on the back of infrastructure that is in most cases well beyond its useful life," Engstrom said.
- Seattle Center representatives estimated in 2024 that the campus needed more than $500 million in repairs and upgrades, according to the Seattle Times.
Yes, but: The plan for Seattle Center's revival goes beyond fixing the basics.
- Officials envision a new recreational trail connecting the campus to the new Waterfront Park and the Olympic Sculpture Park.
- They also want to upgrade the Armory — which hosts numerous events, as well as the Seattle Children's Museum and a food court — to become "a light-filled center for cultural life," according to last week's presentation. The current building dates to 1939.
- Renovation plans also extend to the International Fountain and surrounding lawns, as well as making the campus carbon-neutral.
What's next: If approved by the council Tuesday, the resolution would ask Mayor Katie Wilson to include money in her 2027–28 budget to help move key upgrades forward.
- Those projects would include design work for the Armory, as well as plans for an expanded veterans memorial.