KeyArena RFP process opens Wednesday, proposals due April 12

Seattle mayor Ed Murray said back in October that he would be issuing a Request for Proposals for a KeyArena renovation some time in early January. Here we are in early January, and the RFP is coming.

The RFP is set to officially go out Wednesday, the 11th, according to the Seattle Times’ Geoff Baker. The date was announced by Seattle City Council member Debora Juarez, who also announced that the deadline for the proposals would be April 12th. Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), who currently operates KeyArena, was expected to make a bid, as was Tim Leiweke’s Oak View Group.

AEG has yet to unveil any kind of plans, while Leiweke has said that OVG would privately finance a renovation of KeyArena into a standalone concert venue that could be “converted” into a sports arena should the NBA or NHL decide to put a team there. He also said that it would cost much more than the $285 million suggested in the AECOM report, but that his preference would be to keep the current structure in tact.

Chris Hansen’s SODO project is still on hold while KeyArena is evaluated, despite him also offering to privately fund the nearly $500 million project. Occidental Avenue would need to be vacated before Hansen could begin construction, and he is expected to re-apply soon after being denied on May 2. Murray has said that the city will explore a KeyArena renovation before returning their attention to SODO.