With the NBA potentially returning to the climate pledge arena, city leaders say now is the time to invest in the aging Seattle Center campus.
SEATTLE — Seattle city leaders say the Seattle Center is aging and they want voters to pay to fix it.
Mayor Katie Wilson and Councilmember Rob Saka are working to secure funding to restore and revitalize the iconic campus ahead of a potential bond measure in 2027. Sarkar described the region as “outdated” and “rapidly crumbling”.
Some signs of wear can be seen on the ground. On the grounds of the Pacific Science Center, the decades-old swimming pool sits empty due to aging pipes. City officials said the proposal would also fund projects such as armory renovations and an expansion of the Veterans Memorial Hall. It also urges collaboration with Seattle City Light and Seattle Utilities to transition the campus to sustainable, carbon-neutral operations.
Details and pricing remain unclear, but officials said they hope to get the needed repairs done now, especially as momentum builds for the Seattle SuperSonics’ possible return to Climate Pledge Arena.
Reaction to the proposal has been mixed from locals and tourists.
Joe McGee, who is visiting Seattle Center for the first time from Cape Cod, expressed his appreciation for the existing facilities on campus. “If the math is correct, it’s been around for 63 years,” McGee said. Still, he didn’t fully support the investment. “If the powers that be want to put some money into the area, fine,” he said, “but to me as an outsider, it’s very welcoming and very clean.”
Lydia Deatherage, who lives near Seattle Center, said she supports preserving what makes Seattle Center unique. “If they have to make any improvements just to keep it intact, that would be great,” she said. She added that taking a broader investment strategy ahead of Seattle’s potential return makes sense to her. “I’m all for it,” Deathraj said. “It looks a bit like spending money to make money, and I’m not opposed to that.”
Seattle Center has been a fixture in the city since the 1962 World’s Fair, drawing locals and visitors to landmarks like the Space Needle and Pacific Science Center for more than six decades.
Since 1991, there has been no major public investment in Seattle Center’s infrastructure.
The Transportation, Waterfront and Seattle Center Committee is scheduled to discuss and possibly vote on the proposal at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, and the City Council could hold a full vote as early as June 2.
