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This morning AEG and Hudson Pacific Properties Partners rolled out their plan for what their version of a "renovated" KeyArena would look like.
Here are some takeaways from the press release:
Public benefits to the City of Seattle:
No risk to taxpayers
No new tax assessments
Estimated $144 million in surplus arena revenues to city government over course of the proposed lease
Projected $3 billion in tax revenues over course of the project
City retains ownership of state-of-the-art facility
No new taxes is great and they project a city revenue surplus. Hard to argue against that no matter what side of the aisle you are on.
A few more "Key" elements:
The Seattle Coliseum will be built to attract and accommodate future NBA and NHL teams, though the proposal does not rely on team acquisitions before moving forward with the redevelopment. This approach has proven successful in other iconic markets.
The Seattle Coliseum will be built as a state-of-the-art entertainment venue for sports, concerts, special events and convention programming.
Seattle Partners is committed to the Urban Design Framework and Uptown’s vision for an Arts & Culture District around the development site.
Seattle Partners will invest $5 million to accelerate existing transportation strategies around the arena and to create a shared mobility hub adjacent to the arena.
Seattle Partners will invest in the Lake2Bay Corridor to help embrace a pedestrian and bicycle-friendly environment to encourage non-automobile access to the arena.
Seattle Partners has long-standing, close partnerships with unions and labor groups. Seattle Partners is committed to supporting a diverse supply chain that will look to include women-owned, minority-owned, and – as the only company in the arena development industry to do so – LGBTQ-owned businesses in the procurement process.
They are definitely saying the right things here. There is nothing that I hate so far.
What about seating though?
Seating capacities for the new Seattle Coliseum:
Events:
14,832 (180-degree stage configuration)
15,750 (240-degree stage configuration)
16,770 (280-degree stage configuration)
19,202 (360-degree stage configuration)
Hockey: 17,120
Basketball: 18,113
18,113 is not bad for the seating. It would put Seattle Colosseum as 26th in the NBA in seating capacity and 37th in North America for hockey.
You can read the full press release here.
And now for those oh so sweet renderings.
Yes, that’s a Mets championship banner that you see in the hockey picture. Wonder what the new team name is going to be...
It’s a better effort than I thought would come out of the KeyArena renovation. Hit up the poll to give your thoughts on this.
Poll
What are your thoughts
This poll is closed
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18%
Love it
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19%
Like it
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24%
Don’t hate it
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16%
Ambivalent/Meh
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12%
Don’t like it
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8%
Hate it