Editing Climate Pledge Arena (section)

==History==

===Seattle Center Coliseum===
[[File:Seattle World's Fair Coliseum under construction, 1961.jpg|thumb|left|The structure under construction in 1961]]
The arena opened in 1962 as the '''Washington State Pavilion''' for the [[Century 21 Exposition]], the work of architect [[Paul Thiry (architect)|Paul Thiry]]. After the close of the Exposition, the Pavilion was purchased by the city of Seattle for $2.9 million and underwent an 18-month conversion into the '''Washington State Coliseum''', one of the centerpieces of the new [[Seattle Center]] on the former Exposition grounds. When the newly renovated Coliseum opened, the Seattle University men's basketball team became the arena's first major tenant. In 1964, the facility was renamed the '''Seattle Center Coliseum'''. That same year, the [[Seattle Totems]] moved into the Coliseum.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Baker|first=Geoff|date=2 December 2018|title=More than the Metropolitans: Before NHL arrives, a comprehensive Seattle hockey history|work=[[The Seattle Times]]|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/hockey/more-than-the-metropolitans-ahead-of-nhl-vote-a-comprehensive-seattle-hockey-history/|access-date=11 July 2020}}</ref> The Coliseum became home to its most famous resident, the [[Seattle SuperSonics]], beginning with their inaugural season in 1967 and remaining as host throughout most of the team's lifetime.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.buyselltix.com/nba/stadium/supersonicsStadium.php|title=KeyArena – Seattle Supersonics Stadium|publisher=Buyselltix.com|access-date=July 13, 2008|archive-date=July 4, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080704135032/http://www.buyselltix.com/nba/stadium/supersonicsStadium.php|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:Seattle Center Coliseum at night, circa 1963 (44058938905).jpg|thumb|left|Seattle Center Coliseum at night, circa 1963]]
The Coliseum in this incarnation hosted two [[NBA Finals]], in [[1978 NBA Finals|1978]] and [[1979 NBA Finals|1979]], both between the [[Washington Bullets]] and SuperSonics. The Bullets won in 1978, prevailing in {{nowrap|game 7}} in Seattle. The Sonics retaliated the following year, winning in Game 5 on the Bullets' home court, thus capturing the franchise's only championship<!-- to date-->. Upon the opening of the new [[Kingdome]] in 1976, which first hosted the [[NFL]]'s [[Seattle Seahawks|Seahawks]] and [[North American Soccer League (1968–84)|NASL]]'s [[Seattle Sounders (NASL)|Sounders]] followed by [[MLB]]'s expansion [[Seattle Mariners|Mariners]] in 1977, the Sonics would begin playing a small number of home games at the stadium. For the championship [[1978-79 NBA season|1978-79 season]], the basketball club moved into the Kingdome full-time. They would call it home through the 1984–85 season, after which the team returned to the Coliseum. During those 7 years, the Sonics would occasionally play home playoff games at the Coliseum or [[Hec Edmundson Pavilion]] so as to not interfere with the Mariners' regular season home schedule. They would continue to play occasional games at the Kingdome through the late 1980s and early 1990s.

The arena hosted the [[NBA All-Star Game]] once, in<!--on January 15,--> [[1974 NBA All-Star Game|1974]]; the [[1987 NBA All-Star Game|1987]] game had included [[NBA All-Star Weekend|NBA All-Star Saturday]] festivities on February 7, where former Sonics star [[Fred Brown (basketball)|"Downtown Freddie" Brown]] was the MVP of the [[NBA All-Star Legends Game|legends game]], [[1986–87 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]] star [[Larry Bird]] won the [[Three-Point Contest|three-point contest]], and [[1986–87 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago Bulls]] star [[Michael Jordan]] won the [[Slam Dunk Contest|slam-dunk competition]].<ref name=nothunus>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Aa1QAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fOEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4040%2C1685875 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |title=Nothing unusual in NBA: Bird, Jordan still the best |last=Edes |first=Gordon |date=February 8, 1987 |page=7B}}</ref> The NBA All-Star Game itself for 1987 in Seattle was held at the [[Kingdome]].

The arena hosted the basketball competitions of the [[Goodwill Games]] in [[1990 Goodwill Games|1990]].<ref name=WSdot>{{cite web|url=http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/232.1.pdf|title=Traffic Impacts During the Goodwill Games|publisher=Washington State Department of Transportation}}</ref>

In 1983, [[Barry Ackerley]], head of the Washington, D.C.–based television, radio, and billboard company [[Ackerley Communications Inc.]], purchased the Sonics from long-time owner [[Sam Schulman]]. In the mid-to-late 1980s, the team's on-court success would decline. This was coupled with a sub-par home court experience at the Coliseum, which included the NBA's lone [[Rainout (sports)|rain delayed]] game on January 5, 1986, when rain water leaked from the roof onto the court as the Sonics played the [[Phoenix Suns]].<ref name=srev>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AHUzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=T-8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3637%2C2777131 |work=The Spokesman-Review |title=NBA |date=January 6, 1986 |page=C2}}</ref><ref name=sdc>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4LESAAAAIBAJ&sjid=t_kDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5101%2C804686|work=Spokane Daily Chronicle |agency=Associated Press |title=Fiddled roof springs leak in Coliseum |date=January 6, 1986 |page=C3}}</ref> Timeouts were called so [[ball boy]]s armed with towels could do their best to wipe up the puddles, but even so, two players slipped and fell on the wet surface. Early in the second quarter, referee [[Mike Mathis]] called the game with the Suns up by eleven points.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.historylink.org/essays/output.cfm?file_id=7860|title=Leaky Coliseum roof halts Seattle SuperSonics-Phoenix Suns game, the first National Basketball Association contest called on account of rain, on January 6, 1986|publisher=Historylink|access-date=July 13, 2008}}</ref> The game was resumed from that point the following night, and Phoenix won {{nowrap|by seventeen}}.<ref name=toosuns>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4bESAAAAIBAJ&sjid=t_kDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3234%2C978806 |work=Spokane Daily Chronicle |agency=Associated Press |title=It took the Suns two days to shoot down the Sonics |date=January 7, 1986 |page=B3}}</ref>

Ackerley began exploring new options for an arena. Heavy relocation rumors began to circulate, amongst them a potential move to San Diego<ref>{{cite news|last=Granberry |first=Michael |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-02-03-sp-1821-story.html |title=Sonics' Owner Taking a Look at Sports Arena |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=February 3, 1989 |access-date=January 27, 2019}}</ref> or possible sales to groups in other markets like Milwaukee or Toronto. In 2018, Ackerley's son Chris would say that the family was always committed to keeping the team in Seattle, and that "[...] in each case, we stood on our principles that this is a Seattle community asset."<ref>{{cite web|last=Daniels |first=Chris |url=https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/arena/seattles-arena-saga-top-officials-reflect-on-sonics-history-regrets/281-619132800 |title=Seattle's arena saga: Top officials reflect on Sonics history, regrets |publisher=KING5.com |date=November 30, 2018 |access-date=January 27, 2019}}</ref>

====Potential replacement by arena in SoDo====
In 1990, the Ackerleys talked about building an arena east of Lake Washington near [[Bellevue Square]].<ref name="AckerleySuite">{{cite news|last=Newnham |first=Blaine |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19900531/1074608/what-about-ackerleys-arena-how-suite-it-is |title=What About Ackerley'S Arena? How Suite It Is! |newspaper=The Seattle Times |date=May 31, 1990 |access-date=January 27, 2019}}</ref> They would eventually purchase land in the [[SoDo, Seattle|SoDo]] district near the Kingdome, some of which includes the site that would later become the Mariners' home, [[T-Mobile Park]]. Ackerley approached the city about a public contribution to the new arena, but the city was reluctant over fears the city-owned Coliseum would become obsolete. They offered to help finance a renovation of the Coliseum, but the team owner declined. To sweeten the offer, Ackerley sold city leaders on the idea that the new arena in SoDo could also attract a National Hockey League club. The city, along with Denver, had been conditionally granted an expansion NHL franchise in 1974 to begin play in the 1976–77 season. The NHL [[1974-75 NHL season#League business|briefly flirted]] with relocating the [[Pittsburgh Penguins]] to Seattle (and the [[California Golden Seals]] to Denver) to address a troubled market and fill the expansion commitment, but ultimately kept the team there. Eventually, the Seattle franchise award was rescinded altogether when the potential ownership group was unable to secure the funds for the expansion fee.

In July 1990, the city council approved a deal for a privately owned $100 million facility to be built on the Ackerley land in SoDo, despite objections over traffic and parking by the Seahawks and Mariners in the neighboring Kingdome.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/07/25/City-of-Seattle-approves-contract-for-basketball-arena/8380648878400/ |title=City of Seattle approves contract for basketball arena |publisher=UPI (Archive) |date=July 25, 1990 |access-date=January 27, 2019}}</ref> The city's contribution would be to waive about $31 million in tax revenues (about $1 million per year) to potentially be collected on admissions fees at the new arena. It would also pay $2 million for street improvements around the proposed site, including a pedestrian walkway over South Royal Brougham Way. Ackerley also agreed to sign a 30-year lease for the Sonics and to build an 1,800-stall parking garage. Ackerley appeased the Seahawks' concerns, noting the arena would be empty during any NFL games. The Mariners unsuccessfully continued to object, even enlisting then-Major League Baseball commissioner [[Fay Vincent]] and then-American League president [[Bobby Brown (third baseman)|Bobby Brown]] to speak before the council ahead of their final vote.<ref>{{cite news|last=Nelson |first=Robert T. |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19900725/1084120/baseball-official-here-to-fight-ackerley-arena-deal----concessions-to-sonics-owner-concern-citys-other-pro-sports |title=Baseball Official Here To Fight Ackerley Arena Deal - Concessions To Sonics Owner Concern City's Other Pro Sports |newspaper=The Seattle Times |date=July 25, 1990 |access-date=January 27, 2019}}</ref>

During negotiations, Ackerley had asked for a provision to reduce the seating at the Coliseum by 9,000 seats so the older arena could not compete with the new building, but the city would not agree. Another selling point of the new arena were luxury suites, a means to attract corporate money and sponsorship that was then an emerging new revenue stream for sports team owners. Ackerley's financing and agreement with the city hinged on the ability to sell the 70 proposed luxury suites.<ref name="AckDomeDead">{{cite web|last=Lilly |first=Dick |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19910626/1291209/new-sonics-arena-dead----financing-troubles-sideline-ackerley |title=New Sonics Arena Dead - Financing Troubles Sideline Ackerley |publisher=NW Hockey Report, SeattleHockey.net |date=June 26, 1991 |access-date=January 27, 2019}}</ref>

Ackerley also committed to submitting an expansion application to the NHL by a September 15, 1990, deadline as part of the arena deal. His son Bill would head the expansion effort, while a competing group led by Microsoft executive Chris Larson and former Seattle Totems player then coach [[Bill MacFarland]] was preparing their own application. With the Ackerley application already submitted, the two groups would merge with Larson and MacFarland being primary points of contact with the NHL. Then owner of the Seattle Thunderbirds, Bill Yuill, also joined the group. Larson and MacFarland, along with Barry Ackerley and Bill Lear, Ackerley's financial advisor, were set to make a presentation to the NHL's Board of Governors on December 5, 1990. At the meeting, Ackerley and Lear asked to meet with the board first, promptly withdrew their application, and left. Larson and MacFarland were stunned to learn of the development but were unable to pursue any recourse as their names were never on the submitted application.<ref>{{cite web |last=Obermeyer |first=Jeff |url=http://www.seattlehockey.net/Seattle_Hockey_Homepage/Seattle_and_the_NHL.html |title=Seattle and the NHL: So Close Yet So Far Away. |publisher=NW Hockey Report, SeattleHockey.net |date=Mar–Apr 2006 |access-date=January 27, 2019 |archive-date=March 3, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190303145414/http://www.seattlehockey.net/Seattle_Hockey_Homepage/Seattle_and_the_NHL.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Eskenazi |first1=David |last2=Rudman |first2=Steve |url=http://sportspressnw.com/2155236/2013/wayback-machine-seattles-long-wait-for-nhl |title=WAYBACK MACHINE: SEATTLE'S LONG WAIT FOR NHL |publisher=Sportspress NW |date=July 9, 2013 |access-date=January 27, 2019}}</ref>

Thought to play a factor in Ackerley's decision were the significant demands by the NHL for an expansion team: a $50 million expansion fee that was more than any NHL club was valued at the time; a $5 million down payment that would be forfeited if 10,000 season tickets were not sold in the first year – the Sonics had never sold more than 9,000 season tickets; season tickets needed to produce at least $9 million annually, which would've made the tickets the second most expensive for a team in the area at the time; a 20-year lease with a "substantial" share of arena revenues from concessions, parking, and ad signage; priority status for postseason arena dates; and a secured $5 million line of credit in case the league had to take over ownership of the team at any point. Ackerley would not sacrifice Sonics revenues for a hockey team in which he would be a minority investor.<ref>{{cite web|last=Rudman |first=Steve |url=http://sportspressnw.com/2205914/2015/seattle-and-the-nhl-land-mines-on-the-horizon |title=SEATTLE AND THE NHL — LAND MINES ON HORIZON |publisher=Sportspress NW |date=July 11, 2015 |access-date=January 27, 2019}}</ref>

In June 1991, nearly a year after the city agreed to the arena deal, Ackerley announced that the project would not move forward. Increasing project costs, legal disputes, and inability to secure construction financing were cited as reasons to drop the project. Only around 30 of the 70 luxury suites were sold and the Ackerleys were unable to find a corporate buyer for naming rights. Ackerley Communications profits were down, which also contributed to the financing difficulties. A state Supreme Court case brought by Seattle Center employees challenged the constitutionality of the arena deal, while potential lawsuits from the Mariners and trade show organizers and possible legal challenges to environmental review of the project loomed.<ref name="AckDomeDead" />

===Rebirth as KeyArena===
[[File:KeyArena (2890740573).jpg|thumb|200px|KeyArena in 2008]]
Newly elected Seattle mayor [[Norm Rice]] was concerned over a loss of concerts and events to cities with larger, more modern facilities, and the strong possibility the city could lose the Sonics. The mayor believed that sports unite a community and that Seattle Center would continue to serve as a valuable hub for tourism. At his insistence, a Center commission developed a plan to renovate the Coliseum by excavating the floor to lower it and build a new bowl with more seating. The Ackerleys turned down the renovation concept in favor of building their own arena in SoDo. Though the city preferred the renovation, they would reluctantly agree to the new arena plan. After the SoDo proposal fell through, the Ackerleys attempted to find other investors to no avail. Barry Ackerley would return to the city to ask if they would still consider renovating the Coliseum.

[[File:Key Arena.jpg|thumb|200px|Interior of KeyArena when it served as the home of the Seattle SuperSonics (now the Oklahoma City Thunder)]]
With renewed interest on all sides, including the city council, the city spent $250,000 studying if it was even environmentally and engineeringly feasible to dig into the ground beneath the building. The plan proved possible and it was found that the compression ring holding the roof could be preserved, saving $15 million in cost and keeping the facility seismically sound against earthquakes. The original cable-suspended roof would be replaced by a conventional fixed roof with steel trusses that would preserve the well-known shape.

The project had an estimated cost of $73.4 million, considerably less than other new arenas of the time in Portland and Vancouver, to be paid with the city's bond capacity. A new kitchen and support building, a parking garage on 1st Avenue N, a new team store, and a tunnel connecting the store to the arena brought the total cost to nearly $127.3 million. New amenities would include 22 concession stands, 8 portable stands with vending in the seating, three private sports clubs, and a public sports bar and restaurant. [[Club seating|Club-level seating]] with 1,100 seats would also offer exclusive club, concession, and lounge areas, and a private concourse with 58 luxury suites would also be added.

A mandate of the project was that no taxpayer funds could be used to pay for it. This brought concern from the Ackerleys, but after nearly a year of negotiations a revenue sharing plan was developed. The city and the team would split revenues from suites, concessions, and other items all within the arena to service the debt for the city and provide income to the team. The arena would be the first to finance itself by use of the arena. In May 1993, the city council voted 7–2 in favor of the deal with the Sonics signing a 15-year lease agreement and a guaranteed income of $7 million per year during the lease. The agreement was initially turned down in council committee in the hopes of negotiating a 20-year lease with an increased guaranteed income of $9 million per year starting in year 15. The Ackerleys declined these changes.

[[File:KeyArena pano.jpg|thumb|200px|Panorama of the former interior of KeyArena]]

The Coliseum was rebuilt between 1994 and 1995, bringing the arena up to the NBA standards of the day. The local Seattle office of [[NBBJ]], the second largest architectural firm in the country, was chosen as the architects.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ballpark.org/design.htm |title=PFD: Ballpark Beginnings |access-date=January 27, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227031932/http://www.ballpark.org/design.htm |archive-date=February 27, 2012}}</ref><ref name="DJC" /> In an unusual move, the Coliseum would be closed for a year during the renovation. Construction began on June 16, 1994.<ref name="Storm" /> During the [[1994–95 Seattle SuperSonics season|1994–95]] season, the SuperSonics played their home games at the multi-purpose [[Tacoma Dome]] in [[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]], about {{convert|30|mi|-1|spell=in}} south.<ref name=crnvntac/>

On April 11, 1995, the city sold the naming rights to [[Cleveland]]-based KeyCorp, the parent of [[KeyBank]], which renamed the Coliseum as KeyArena.<ref name="clerk.ci.seattle.wa.us">{{cite web |url=http://clerk.ci.seattle.wa.us/~scripts/nph-brs.exe?d=CBOR&s1=116474.cbn.&Sect6=HITOFF&l=20&p=1&u=/~public/cbor2.htm&r=1&f=G|title=Seattle Ordinance 122944|quote=AN ORDINANCE relating to the Seattle Center Department; authorizing execution of an agreement with KeyCorp that terminates a prior agreement between the parties and replaces it with a new agreement for the title sponsorship of KeyArena at Seattle Center.|publisher=City of Seattle|access-date=December 18, 2012}}</ref> The renovation cost the city of Seattle $74.5 million and the SuperSonics approximately $21 million. The naming rights cost KeyCorp $15.1 million.

[[File:Keyarena-hockey.jpg|thumb|right|KeyArena's former ice hockey seating configuration]]

The remodeled arena maintained the architectural integrity of the original roofline by using the existing steel trusses in combination with four new main diagonal trusses. The wood, steel and concrete from the demolition was either reused in construction of the new arena or sold to recyclers. The original acoustical panels, the panels attached to the roof that keep the space from echoing, were refurbished and reused. The court was lowered {{convert|35|ft|0}} below street level to allow for 3,000 more seats. The doors opened to the newly renovated arena on October 26, 1995. The sightlines, however, benefitted the SuperSonics at the expense of the junior Thunderbirds. The floor was just barely large enough to fit a regulation ice rink. Many seats in the lower level were so badly obstructed that almost half the lower level was curtained off for T-Birds games. The new scoreboard was significantly off-center in the ice hockey configuration, hanging over one blue line instead of the center-ice faceoff circle.

The first regular season game for the SuperSonics at the rechristened KeyArena was played on November 4, [[1995–96 Seattle SuperSonics season|1995]], against the [[1995–96 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vividseats.com/venues/key-arena-tickets.html|title=KeyArena Tickets – KeyArena Ticket Info & Seating|publisher=Vivid Seats|access-date=December 18, 2012}}</ref> The renovated arena hosted the [[1996 NBA Finals]] in its first season, when the SuperSonics lost to the [[1995–96 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago Bulls]] in six games.

====Seattle SuperSonics relocation controversy====
{{main|Seattle SuperSonics relocation to Oklahoma City}}
[[File:Last Sonics Game 2008.jpg|thumb|200px|Last Sonics game in 2008]]
In 2001, ownership of the [[Seattle SuperSonics]] (who had called KeyArena home on-and-off since their establishment in 1967) transferred from Barry Ackerley to [[Starbucks]] CEO [[Howard Schultz]]. Schultz claimed that in the five years he owned the SuperSonics, the team suffered heavy financial losses, which led him to seek funding from the [[Washington State Legislature]] for a newer, more modern arena. After failing to reach an agreement with the city of Seattle over a publicly funded $220 million expansion of KeyArena, the Basketball Club of Seattle, led by Schultz, put the SuperSonics and its sister team, the WNBA's [[Seattle Storm]] up for sale. After failing to find a local ownership group to sell the team to, Schultz talked to ownership groups from [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]], [[St. Louis]], [[Las Vegas]], [[San Jose, California|San Jose]] and [[Anaheim, California|Anaheim]] before agreeing to sell the team on July 18, 2006 <ref name="initialsale">{{cite news|author1=Angela Galloway|author2=Phuong Cat Le|title=Sonics sold to ownership group from Oklahoma City|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/basketball/277945_sonics18ww.html|work=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]|date=July 18, 2006|access-date=July 18, 2006}}</ref><ref name="BasketballClubOfSeattleAnnouncesSale">{{cite news|title=Basketball Club of Seattle Announces Sale of Sonics & Storm|url=http://www.nba.com/sonics/news/sale_060718.html|publisher=Seattle SuperSonics|date=July 18, 2006|access-date=July 19, 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060719194751/http://www.nba.com/sonics/news/sale_060718.html|archive-date=July 19, 2006}}</ref> to an ownership group from [[Oklahoma City]], who was pursuing an NBA franchise after [[Effect of Hurricane Katrina on the New Orleans Hornets|hosting]] the [[New Orleans Pelicans|New Orleans Hornets]] franchise successfully for two seasons as the city of [[New Orleans]] rebuilt from [[Hurricane Katrina]]. The sale to [[Clay Bennett (businessman)|Clay Bennett]]'s ownership group, [[Professional Basketball Club LLC]] (PBC) for $350 million<ref name="initialsale" /><ref name="BasketballClubOfSeattleAnnouncesSale" /> was approved by NBA owners on October 24, 2006.<ref>{{cite news|title=NBA Board of Governors Approves Sale of Sonics & Storm|url=http://www.nba.com/sonics/news/pbc061024.html|publisher=Seattle SuperSonics|date=October 24, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061108052504/http://www.nba.com/sonics/news/pbc061024.html|archive-date=November 8, 2006|access-date=May 7, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Allen|first=Percy|title=NBA board approves sale of Sonics, Storm|url=http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/nba-board-approves-sale-of-sonics-storm/|newspaper=[[The Seattle Times]]|date=October 24, 2006|access-date=October 24, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=NBA approves sale of Sonics, Storm|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=2637335|publisher=[[ESPN]]|date=October 24, 2006|access-date=October 25, 2006}}</ref> Terms of the sale required the new ownership group to "use good faith best efforts" for a term of 12 months in securing a new arena lease or venue in the [[Seattle metropolitan area]].

In 2006, 74% of voters in Seattle voted to pass Initiative 91,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/horsefeathers-the-legacy-of-i-91/|title=Horsefeathers: the legacy of I-91|date=2006-11-13|website=The Seattle Times|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-29}}</ref><ref name="I91SeattlePI">{{cite news|last=Galloway|first=Angela|title=Initiative 91: Seattle rejects sports subsidies|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Initiative-91-Seattle-rejects-sports-subsidies-1219229.php|newspaper=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]|date=November 7, 2006|access-date=June 18, 2017}}</ref> a measure that prohibited use of tax dollars on arena projects in the city unless it could be shown the city would turn a profit on their investment.<ref>{{cite news|last=deMause|first=Neil|author-link=Neil deMause|title=Your Votes Don't Count: How Sports Stadium Welfate Deals Shut Out the Public's Voice|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/your-votes-dont-count-how-sports-stadium-welfare-deals-shut-out-the-publics-voice/|publisher=[[Vice Media|Vice Media LLC]]|date=April 14, 2015|access-date=June 18, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170606180443/https://sports.vice.com/en_us/article/your-votes-dont-count-how-sports-stadium-welfare-deals-shut-out-the-publics-voice|archive-date=June 6, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> The limitation of tax dollars that could be spent on the arena, combined with earlier losses under recent ownership groups, "likely doomed the Sonics' future in the city".<ref name="I91SeattlePI" />

On February 12, 2007, Bennett proposed using tax money to pay for a new $500 million arena in [[Renton, Washington|Renton]], a [[suburb]] of Seattle.<ref>{{cite news|author1=Jim Brunner|author2=Ralph Thomas|title=Sonics choose Renton|url=http://www.seattletimes.com/politics/sonics-choose-renton/|newspaper=The Seattle Times|date=February 13, 2007|access-date=February 13, 2007}}</ref> After failing to reach a deal by the end of the legislative session, Bennett gave up his attempt in April 2007.<ref>{{cite news|author1=Jim Brunner|author2=Ralph Thomas|title=Sonics owner: "Little hope" team will stay|url=http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/sonics-owner-little-hope-team-will-stay/|newspaper=Seattle Times|date=April 16, 2007|access-date=June 13, 2008}}</ref> On November 2, 2007, the team announced it would move to Oklahoma City as soon as it could get out of its KeyArena lease.<ref name="Post-Intelligencer">{{cite news|last=Johns|first=Greg|title=Bennett says Sonics going to Oklahoma|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/basketball/337871_arena03.html?source=mypi|newspaper=Seattle Post-Intelligencer|date=November 2, 2007|access-date=November 3, 2007}}</ref> Seattle's mayor, [[Greg Nickels]], maintained a stance that the Sonics were expected to stay in Seattle until their lease expired in 2010 and said the city did not intend to make it easy for Bennett to move the team early. Over concerns the city would accept a buyout of the lease, a grassroots group filed a citywide initiative that sought to prevent the city from accepting such an offer from Bennett's group.<ref>{{cite news|last=Brunner|first=Jim|title=Initiative aimed at holding Sonics to KeyArena lease|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003808219_keyarena27m.html|newspaper=The Seattle Times|date=July 27, 2007|access-date=February 23, 2008}}</ref> Seattle City Council later unanimously passed an ordinance modeled after the initiative.<ref>{{cite news|last=Brunner|first=Jim|title=Council votes 8-0 to enforce Sonics' lease|url=http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/council-votes-8-0-to-enforce-sonics-lease|newspaper=The Seattle Times|date=September 11, 2007|access-date=February 23, 2008}}</ref> On August 13, 2007, [[Aubrey McClendon]], a minor partner of Bennett's ownership group, said in an interview with ''[[The Journal Record]]'' (an Oklahoma City newspaper) that the team was not purchased to keep it in Seattle but to relocate it to Oklahoma City. Bennett later denied such intentions, saying McClendon "was not speaking on behalf of the ownership group". Due to his comments, McClendon was fined $250,000 by the NBA.<ref>{{cite news|last=Allen|first=Percy|title=Sonics co-owner McClendon fined $250K|url=http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/nba/sonics-co-owner-mcclendon-fined-250k|newspaper=The Seattle Times|date=August 23, 2007|access-date=March 10, 2008}}</ref>

On October 31, 2007, Bennett informed [[Commissioner of the NBA|NBA commissioner]] [[David Stern]] that the ownership group intended to move the Sonics to Oklahoma City as soon as it was legally possible. The timing of the announcement, one day after the Sonics' home opener, drew critical comments from Tom Carr, Seattle's attorney, who said "Mr. Bennett's announcement today is a transparent attempt to alienate the Seattle fan base and follow through on his plan to move the team to Oklahoma City ... Making this move now continues the current ownership's insulting behavior toward the Sonics' dedicated fans and the citizens of the city."<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=3091416 | title=Sonics tell NBA of intent to move SuperSonics to Oklahoma City | publisher=ESPN | date=November 3, 2007 | access-date=April 25, 2008}}</ref> Bennett also reiterated that the team was not for sale and dismissed attempts by local groups to repurchase the team.<ref name="Post-Intelligencer"/>

On September 23, 2007, the City of Seattle filed a lawsuit in an attempt to keep the Sonics from leaving before the end of their lease in 2010.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.seattlepi.com/basketball/332923_arena25.html| title=City sues Sonics to enforce arena lease | newspaper=Seattle Post-Intelligencer | first=Greg |last=Johns | date=September 24, 2007 | access-date=April 22, 2008}}</ref> In the midst of the lawsuit, Microsoft CEO [[Steve Ballmer]] offered to pay half of a $300 million renovation of KeyArena; the rest to be provided by the city and county.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mayor Nickels announces local effort to buy Sonics, renovate KeyArena|url=http://www.seattle.gov/news/detail.asp?ID=8243&dept=40|publisher=City of Seattle|date=March 6, 2008|access-date=March 26, 2008|archive-date=November 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118022805/http://www.seattle.gov/news/detail.asp?ID=8243&dept=40|url-status=dead}}</ref> However, when the state legislature did not give approval for the county to provide funds by an April 10 deadline, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels said that the effort had failed and the city's hopes rested in its lawsuit.<ref name="lawsuitdate">{{cite news|author1=Chris McGann|author2=Greg Johns|title=Impasse could sink KeyArena offer|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Impasse-could-sink-KeyArena-offer-1266768.php|newspaper=Seattle Post-Intelligencer|date=March 10, 2008|access-date=March 10, 2008}}</ref>

The last SuperSonics game played at KeyArena was on April 13, [[2007–08 Seattle SuperSonics season|2008]], a 99–95 win over the [[2007–08 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas Mavericks]].<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Seattle Times |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nba/2004347118_sonics14m.html |last=Eskenazi |first=Stuart |title=Sonics' home finale stirs memories, recriminations |date=April 14, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106030154/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nba/2004347118_sonics14m.html |archive-date=January 6, 2010}}</ref>

The NBA Board of Governors approved the relocation of the Sonics on April 18, 2008.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://old.seattletimes.com/html/sports/2004358405_websonivote18.html | title=NBA approves Sonics' move to Oklahoma City | newspaper=Seattle Times | first= Percy| last = Allen| date=April 18, 2008}}</ref>

On June 16, 2008, the grassroots organization "Save Our Sonics" organized a well-publicized rally, which reportedly drew over 3,000 participants, at the [[United States District Court for the Western District of Washington|U.S. District Courthouse]] in Seattle to protest the proposed relocation of the team.<ref>{{cite web|last=Raley|first=Dan|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/basketball/367296_rally17.html|title=3,000 rally loud and proud to keep Sonics in Seattle|work=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]|date=16 June 2008|access-date=16 June 2008}}</ref> The rally was held on the first day of the city of Seattle's lawsuit against the PBC to enforce the remaining two years on the KeyArena lease.

On July 2, 2008, two hours before a ruling in the city's lawsuit was to be given, it was announced that the team and the city had reached a settlement where PBC would pay the city $45 million immediately in exchange for breaking the lease, and an additional $30 million if Seattle was not given a replacement team in five years. According to the conditions of the settlement, the Sonics' name and colors could not be used by the team in Oklahoma City, but could be taken by a future team in Seattle, although no promises for a replacement team were given. The newly renamed [[Oklahoma City Thunder]] would retain the franchise history of the SuperSonics, which could be "shared" with any future NBA team in Seattle.<ref>{{cite news|last=Aldridge|first=David|title=Two years later, pain of losing Sonics still stings Seattle|url=http://www.nba.com/2010/news/features/david_aldridge/12/13/morning-tip-seattle-sonics/|publisher=National Basketball Association|date=December 13, 2010|access-date=March 28, 2016|quote=The history, actually, is in Oklahoma City. As part of the settlement between the team and the city, a 'shared history' arrangement was created. All of the old Sonics' records are now the Thunder's. The championship banners, retired jerseys and the 1979 NBA championship trophy now reside in Oklahoma City.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160222125424/http://www.nba.com/2010/news/features/david_aldridge/12/13/morning-tip-seattle-sonics/|archive-date=February 22, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release|title=THE PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL CLUB, LLC AND CITY OF SEATTLE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT|url=http://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/CityAttorney/Reports/2008SonicsSettlementAgreement.pdf|publisher=City of Seattle, Washington|website=Seattle.gov|date=July 2, 2008|access-date=May 6, 2016}}</ref> The team moved to Oklahoma City immediately and announced it would begin play in the [[2008–09 Oklahoma City Thunder season|2008–09]] season.<ref>{{cite news|author1=Jim Brunner|author2=Sharon Pian Chan|author2-link=Sharon Chan (journalist) |title=Sonics, city reach settlement|url=http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/sonics-city-reach-settlement/|newspaper=Seattle Times|date=July 2, 2008|access-date=July 2, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=NBA Commissioner David Stern Statement on Settlement Between Sonics and the City of Seattle|url=http://www.nba.com/news/sternsonicsstatement_080702.html|publisher=National Basketball Association|date=July 2, 2008|access-date=July 2, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170401085225/http://www.nba.com/news/sternsonicsstatement_080702.html|archive-date=April 1, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

====KeyArena after the Sonics====
Once KeyArena lost the SuperSonics and the Thunderbirds, who moved in 2008 as well, to nearby [[Kent, Washington|Kent]], there was speculation that KeyBank may try to amend the naming rights deal.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/virgin/371623_virgin22.html|first=Bill|last=Virgin|title=KeyArena lost a tenant; will it lose a name?|newspaper=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]|date=July 22, 2008|access-date=July 22, 2008}}</ref> In March 2009, the city and KeyCorp signed a new deal for a two-year term ending December 31, 2010, at an annual fee of $300,000.<ref name="clerk.ci.seattle.wa.us"/>

In 2009, the [[Seattle Redhawks|Seattle University]] Redhawks men's basketball team began playing their home games at KeyArena for the first time since 1980. In February 2009, the [[Seattle City Council]] approved a new 10-year lease that would keep the [[Women's National Basketball Association|WNBA's]] Storm at KeyArena.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wnba.com/storm/news/lease090202.html|title=STORM: Council Approves Storm Lease|publisher=National Basketball Association|date=February 2, 2009|access-date=December 18, 2012}}</ref>

In 2009, the arena hosted the [[No Way Out (2009)|WWE No Way Out]] [[List of WWE pay-per-view and WWE Network events|pay-per-view]] event. The [[WWE]] returned on March 9, 2010, to tape the March 9 episode of ''[[WWE NXT|NXT]]'' and March 12 episode of ''[[WWE SmackDown|SmackDown]]''. They would return a year later to host the [[Over the Limit (2011)|WWE Over the Limit]] pay-per-view on May 22, 2011. In April 2011, the [[Professional Bull Riders]] brought the [[Built Ford Tough Series]] to KeyArena for the first time.<ref>{{cite web |title=PBR Announces 2011 BFTS Schedule |url=http://www.pbrnow.com/release/?id=6771 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100928023610/http://www.pbrnow.com/release/?id=6771 |archive-date=September 28, 2010 |access-date=2022-07-06 |website=www.pbrnow.com}}</ref>

Between June 28 and 30, 2011, the arena hosted the Seattle audition stages in the first season of the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] singer search program ''[[The X Factor (U.S. TV series)|The X Factor]]''.

On January 21, 2011, Seattle Center announced that KeyCorp would not renew its agreement for naming rights of KeyArena, after 15 years of sponsorship. However, the venue retained the KeyArena name until its redevelopment, despite the fact that the naming right had expired.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://queenanne.komonews.com/content/name-change-coming-keyarena |title=Name change coming to KeyArena |work=[[KOMO-TV|KOMO]] |date=January 22, 2011 |access-date=December 18, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317110206/http://queenanne.komonews.com/content/name-change-coming-keyarena |archive-date=March 17, 2012}}</ref>

In January 2012, [[ESPN|ESPN.com]] reporter [[Scott Burnside]] said KeyArena "would be entirely acceptable", as a temporary venue for an [[National Hockey League|NHL]] franchise, depending on a future arena plan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mynorthwest.com/384/619433/Sports-fans-may-be-closer-to-a-new-team-than-they-think|title=NHL Reporter: Seattle a Favorite for Relocated Team|first=Jessamyn|last=McIntyre|work=[[KIRO (AM)|KIRO]]|date=January 30, 2012|access-date=December 18, 2012}}</ref> The [[Phoenix Coyotes]] were often speculated to be a likely candidate for relocation and in June 2013, reports circulated that if the NHL could not negotiate a new lease for the Coyotes with the city of [[Glendale, Arizona]], by July 2, the league would sell the team to a private investment group which would then be given permission to relocate the team to Seattle prior to the 2013–2014 season and use KeyArena as a temporary home.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/phoenix-coyotes-moving-seattle-roenick-reportedly-part-plan-143114434.html|title=Phoenix Coyotes Moving to Seattle? Roenick Reportedly Part of Plan B for NHL|first=Sean|last=Leahy|work=[[Yahoo! Sports]]|date=June 16, 2013|access-date=June 17, 2013}}</ref> On July 2, the city of Glendale, Arizona approved a new lease for the Coyotes at [[Jobing.com Arena]], and soon after, the NHL approved the sale of the Coyotes to an investment group that would keep the Coyotes in the Phoenix area, eliminating the possibility that the Coyotes could move to Seattle.

Conversely, in February 2012, [[SB Nation]] columnist Travis Hughes said that while it made "too much sense" for the NHL not to put a team in Seattle in the future, KeyArena was completely unsuitable even as a temporary facility due to the same problems with sight lines that ultimately forced the Thunderbirds to move out. Hughes wrote that even one year of NHL hockey in an arena where half the lower bowl sat unused would be "just unacceptable." He argued that the situation would be even worse than what the Coyotes faced at [[America West Arena]], their original home in Phoenix. When the Coyotes played there from 1996 to 2003, they had to deal with seats where part of the ice could not be seen at all, forcing them to curtain off several thousand seats in the upper level.<ref name=SBNation>{{cite web |last=Hughes|first=Travis|url=https://www.sbnation.com/nhl/2012/2/6/2774912/seattle-nhl-relocation-phoenix-coyotes-key-arena|title=NHL Relocation: Why The Phoenix Coyotes Won't Move To Seattle This Summer|work=[[SB Nation]]|date=February 6, 2012|access-date=December 18, 2012}}</ref>

League officials later hinted that a new arena would have to be in place before a new or relocated NHL team came to Seattle. During the 2012 All-Star Weekend, Bettman said that while Seattle was a good fit for the NHL, "there's no building."<ref name=SBNation/> Deputy Commissioner [[Bill Daly]] said that KeyArena would be "a difficult arena for hockey" due to the large number of obstructed-view seats.<ref name=king5>{{cite web |url=http://www.king5.com/sports/Group-interested-in-luring-NHL-to-Seattle-122557174.html |title=Group interested in luring NHL to Seattle |publisher=KING-TV |access-date=June 22, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110528015327/http://www.king5.com/sports/Group-interested-in-luring-NHL-to-Seattle-122557174.html |archive-date=May 28, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In February 2012, [[KING-TV|KING 5]] reporter Chris Daniels said an [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] team could also use KeyArena as a temporary home.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.king5.com/sports/Is-KeyArena-key-to-arena-proposal-138899044.html |title=Is KeyArena Key to Arena Proposal? |work=[[KING-TV|KING]] |date=February 7, 2012 |access-date=December 18, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120209121907/http://www.king5.com/sports/Is-KeyArena-key-to-arena-proposal-138899044.html |archive-date=February 9, 2012}}</ref>

In July 2012, at a public town hall meeting debating Chris Hansen's [[Sonics Arena|proposed NBA/NHL arena]] in downtown [[Seattle]], anti-arena proponents wanted to "re-explore" using KeyArena instead of the proposed site downtown.<ref>{{cite web |first=Mike|last=Salk|url=http://mynorthwest.com/422/704804/Arena-opponents-want-to-keep-Key-Arena-in-play|title=3 Important Messages from Town Hall Meeting on Arena|work=[[KIRO (AM)|KIRO]]|date=July 10, 2012|access-date=December 18, 2012}}</ref>

From 2014 to 2017, American [[video game developer]] [[Valve Corporation|Valve]] hosted [[The International (Dota 2)|The International]], the world championship for ''[[Dota 2]]'' [[eSports]], at the venue, which featured prize pools of over $20 million in 2016 and 2017.<ref>{{cite web|title=The International|url=http://blog.dota2.com/2014/03/the-international-10/|access-date=April 5, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Tickets to The International|url=http://blog.dota2.com/2015/03/tickets-to-the-international/|access-date=August 6, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Porter|first1=Matt|title=The International 2016 Now Has the Largest eSports Prize Pool in History|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2016/07/27/the-international-2016-now-has-the-largest-esports-prize-pool-in-history|website=IGN|date=July 27, 2016 |access-date=3 August 2016}}</ref> TI returned to the venue in 2023.

KeyArena hosted early rounds of the [[NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament]] in [[1999 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|1999]] and  [[2015 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|2015]].

On September 16, 2016, the arena hosted the Kellogg's Tour of Gymnastics Champions.<ref>{{cite web|title=2016 Kellogg's Tour of Gymnastics Champions takes center stage beginning Sept. 15|url=https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=19213|publisher=usagym.org|access-date=March 26, 2019|archive-date=March 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327085825/https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=19213|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[Roger Federer]] organized a tennis exhibition match at KeyArena with [[Match for Africa|Match for Africa 4]], held on April 29, 2017. Two matches were played, the first a doubles match pitting Roger Federer and [[Bill Gates]] against [[John Isner]] and [[Mike McCready]] of [[Pearl Jam]], and a singles match featuring Federer and Isner. More than $2 million was raised for the Roger Federer Foundation from the match's proceeds.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://komonews.com/sports/sports-content/tennis-great-roger-federer-wins-keyarena-match|title=Tennis great Roger Federer plays KeyArena matches in fundraiser|author=KOMO Staff|date=2017-04-30|website=KOMO|access-date=2019-05-21}}</ref>

On October 5, 2018, the [[Golden State Warriors]] played against the [[Sacramento Kings]] in a preseason game at KeyArena, the same arena where [[Kevin Durant]] played previously with the Sonics. The game was mostly played to celebrate its moments with the NBA and ended up being its final event as the KeyArena before the arena closed down for redevelopment.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/arena/former-sonic-durant-warriors-to-play-keyarenas-last-game-in-october/281-575543293|title=Former Sonic Durant, Warriors to play KeyArena's last game in October|author1=Daniels|first=Chris|date=July 19, 2018|access-date=July 21, 2018|publisher=[[KING-TV]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/nba-delivers-supersonic-goodbye-to-seattles-keyarena/281-601505839|title=NBA delivers supersonic goodbye to Seattle's KeyArena|last=Crowe|first=Michael|date=2018-10-06|access-date=2019-05-20|publisher=[[KING-TV]]}}</ref>

===Redevelopment into Climate Pledge Arena, arrival of the NHL===
[[File:KeyArena 0189 (1).jpg|thumb|left|Arena under renovation in August 2019]]
In October 2016, Seattle Mayor [[Ed Murray (Washington politician)|Ed Murray]] announced that the city would seek proposals to redevelop KeyArena into an NBA and NHL ready venue, issuing a full [[request for proposal]] in January. This came after the rejection of the new arena proposed in [[SoDo, Seattle|SoDo]] by Seattle City Council over the [[street vacation]] of Occidental Avenue.<ref>{{cite news |last=Baker |first=Geoff |date=October 27, 2016 |title=Group headed by Tim Leiweke interested in KeyArena renovation for NBA, NHL |url=http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/nba/group-headed-by-tim-leiweke-interested-in-keyarena-renovation-for-nba-nhl/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=April 12, 2017}}</ref>

Two groups, Seattle Partners (led by [[Anschutz Entertainment Group|AEG]] and Hudson Pacific Properties) and the [[Oak View Group]] (led by former AEG CEO [[Tim Leiweke]]), submitted proposals to the city in April 2017 to redevelop the arena, also securing corporate partnerships and seeking the support of the NHL.<ref>{{cite news |last=Baker |first=Geoff |date=April 12, 2017 |title=Prospective KeyArena groups add NHL assurance with new partners |url=http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/hockey/prospective-keyarena-groups-add-nhl-assurance-with-new-partners/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=April 12, 2017}}</ref> Both groups were required to submit an additional proposal to preserve the arena's roof, which the city planned to submit for [[List of Seattle landmarks|municipal landmark status]]. AEG unveiled a $520 million proposal that would extend the roofline over presently underutilized space on the arena's south end. Oak View Group submitted a $564 million proposal that would lower the arena's bowl {{convert|15|ft}} within the existing roof structure.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/nba/keyarena-groups-have-similar-goals-different-proposals-for-renovation/|title=Key Arena Groups Have Similar Goals, Different Proposals for Renovation|last=Baker|first=Geoff|date=April 24, 2017|website=Seattle Times}}</ref> On June 7, 2017, the city selected OVG as the preferred bidder for the redevelopment.<ref>{{cite news|agency=Associated Press|title=Seattle selects influential investor OVG for KeyArena renovation|url=http://q13fox.com/2017/06/07/seattle-selects-influential-investor-ovg-for-keyarena-renovation/|access-date=June 7, 2017|website=Q13 Fox}}</ref> The landmark status of the arena's exterior, including the roof, was approved by a city-appointed landmarks preservation board on August 2, 2017;<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/nba/keyarena-and-iconic-sloped-roof-get-historical-landmark-status/|title=KeyArena and iconic sloped roof get historical landmark status|last=Baker|first=Geoff|date=2017-08-02|website=The Seattle Times|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-21}}</ref> the exterior was subsequently listed on the [[Washington Heritage Register]] on March 8, 2018, and on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] on May 10.<ref name="Woonerf - KING 5" /><ref name="Weekly list">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/weekly-list-20180601.htm|title=Weekly List 20180601 - National Register of Historic Places|website=[[National Park Service]]|publisher=[[United States Department of the Interior]]}}</ref>

On December 4, 2017, the city council approved a [[memorandum of understanding]] with OVG to rebuild the arena by 2020. The approval came days after the previous memorandum with the SODO Arena had expired.<ref>{{cite news |last=Daniels |first=Chris |date=December 4, 2017 |title=KeyArena renovation wins approval from Seattle City Council |url=http://www.king5.com/news/local/arena/keyarena-renovation-wins-approval-from-seattle-city-council/496819961 |publisher=[[KING-TV|KING 5 News]] |access-date=December 4, 2017 |archive-date=December 5, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171205023734/http://www.king5.com/news/local/arena/keyarena-renovation-wins-approval-from-seattle-city-council/496819961 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Four days after the approval of the MOU, the [[NHL]] gave the Oak View Group approval to submit an application for an expansion franchise in Seattle. The arena would be closed for two years, and the last remaining professional sports team tenant, the [[WNBA]]'s Seattle Storm, would plan to move elsewhere in the Seattle metropolitan area during those two years. The team played its usual summer schedule at KeyArena in 2018, beginning in mid-May and continuing through the playoffs in early September; they ultimately won the [[2018 WNBA Finals]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sbnation.com/nhl/2017/12/7/16749150/seattle-nhl-expansion-team-keyarena-deal-houston-quebec-city|title=NHL gives Seattle the green light to submit an expansion application|first=Mary|last=Clarke|date=December 7, 2017|website=SBNation.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/arena/seattle-mayor-inks-keyarena-deal-to-lure-nba-nhl-teams/281-497417482|title=Seattle mayor inks KeyArena deal to lure NBA, NHL teams|website=king5.com|date=December 6, 2017 }}</ref> During the renovation, the Storm played most of their home games at the [[Hec Edmundson Pavilion|Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion]] on the campus of the [[University of Washington]],<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://storm.wnba.com/news/seattle-storm-set-to-play-2019-wnba-season-at-university-of-washingtons-alaska-airlines-arena/ |title=Seattle Storm Set to Play 2019 WNBA Season at University of Washington's Alaska Airlines Arena |publisher=Seattle Storm |date=August 15, 2018 |access-date=August 23, 2018}}</ref> with other games at [[Angel of the Winds Arena]] in [[Everett, Washington|Everett]].<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://storm.wnba.com/news/seattle-storm-announces-2019-regular-season-schedule/ |title=Seattle Storm Announces 2019 Regular Season Schedule |publisher=Seattle Storm |date=December 18, 2018 |access-date=April 21, 2019}}</ref>

[[File:Key-Arena-Bill-Signing-21 (44001220385).jpg|thumb|Mayor [[Jenny Durkan]] and others celebrating after she signed legislation authorizing the arena renovation]]
On September 25, 2018, the proposed <!--US-->$700 million renovation of KeyArena was approved unanimously {{nowrap|8–0}} by the Seattle City Council and signed into legislation by mayor {{nowrap|[[Jenny Durkan]].<ref>[https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/seattle-city-council-approves-700-million-renovation-of-keyarena Seattle City Council Approves 700 Million Renovation Of KeyArena], Heidi Groover, ''Seattle Times'', September 25, 2018</ref>}} The [[NHL Board of Governors]] voted to approve an [[Seattle Kraken|expansion team for Seattle]] on December 4, 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/hockey/after-years-of-trying-and-a-cast-of-characters-in-between-the-nhl-will-finally-put-a-team-in-seattle/|title=After years of trying and a cast of characters in between, the NHL will finally put a team in Seattle|date=2018-12-03|website=The Seattle Times|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-21}}</ref> Redevelopment commenced the next day on December 5.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/hockey/next-step-in-seattles-nhl-journey-kicks-off-with-keyarena-renovation-groundbreaking/|title=Next step in Seattle's NHL journey kicks off with KeyArena renovation groundbreaking|last=Staff|first=Seattle Times Sports|date=2018-12-05|website=The Seattle Times|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-21}}</ref> In mid-December 2018, OVG announced that overall project costs had increased to between $825 and $850 million. Although some design changes and additions had contributed to the increase in cost, OVG replaced the general contractor, [[Skanska]] [[Hunt Construction Group|Hunt]], with [[M.A. Mortenson Company|Mortenson Construction]].<ref>{{cite web |work=The Seattle Times|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/hockey/mortenson-replaces-skanska-hunt-as-general-contractor-for-keyarena-renovation-now-topping-800-million/ |title=Mortenson replaces Skanska Hunt as general contractor for KeyArena renovation now topping $800 million |date=December 11, 2018 |access-date=January 22, 2019}}</ref>

With the closing of the arena in October 2018 to begin redevelopment, the City of Seattle, Seattle Center, and Oak View Group retired the KeyArena name and officially adopted '''Seattle Center Arena''' as the name for the project.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://seattle.gov/arena/ |title=Seattle Center Arena |publisher=City of Seattle |access-date=January 21, 2019}}</ref> It was alternately referred to as the '''New Arena at Seattle Center'''.<ref name="seattlecenter1"/><ref name="newarenaatseattlecenter1"/> In February 2018, it was reported that six interested parties had approached OVG regarding naming rights for the new arena.<ref>{{cite web|last=McIntosh |first=Andrew |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2018/02/28/seattle-nhl-arena-naming-rights-season-ticket-sale.html |title=Six suitors are interested in Seattle's NHL arena naming rights, Oak View Group CEO says |date=February 28, 2018 |access-date=January 21, 2019}}</ref> [[Alaska Airlines]] was announced as the naming sponsor of the south atrium in January 2020.<ref>{{cite press release |date=January 16, 2020 |title=OVG, NHL Seattle Partnership with Alaska Airlines Takes Flight |url=http://newarenaatseattlecenter.com/2020/01/16/ovg-nhl-seattle-partnership-with-alaska-airlines-takes-flight/ |publisher=OVG |access-date=January 16, 2020}}</ref> On June 25, 2020, [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]] purchased the naming rights; the arena would be branded as Climate Pledge Arena to promote Amazon's partnership with the environmental advocacy group Global Optimism and its "Climate Pledge", under which companies sign up to make their operations [[Carbon neutrality|carbon neutral]] by 2040.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Kaplan |first=Emily |date=June 25, 2020 |title=Amazon backing Seattle arena climate initiative |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/29364848/amazon-backing-seattle-arena-climate-initiative |access-date=2022-08-27 |website=ESPN}}</ref><ref name="SP">{{cite web |last=Long |first=Michael |date=June 26, 2020 |title=Amazon deal sees Seattle's NHL venue renamed Climate Pledge Arena |url=https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/amazon-seattle-nhl-climate-pledge-arena-naming-rights |access-date=March 27, 2021 |work=Sportspromedia.com}}</ref> The renovated arena received carbon-neutral certification, uses rainwater for its hockey ice, and aims to source 75% of food locally, divert 95% of waste from landfills, donate unused food, and switched from plastic to compostable containers.<ref name="SP" /><ref name=":0" />

The rooftop signage for KeyArena was removed by a helicopter on July 8, 2020.<ref>{{cite news |date=July 8, 2020 |title=NHL Seattle removes KeyArena sign from Seattle Center venue |url=https://komonews.com/news/local/nhl-seattle-removes-keyarena-sign-from-the-seattle-center-venue |publisher=KOMO News |access-date=July 8, 2020}}</ref> The replacement signage was installed on December 5, 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Signing In|url=https://climatepledgearena.com/news-archive/t981x2r0iqv2e7u0x316l6jbpy8lba|access-date=2020-12-28|website=CLIMATE PLEDGE ARENA|language=en-US}}</ref> During redevelopment, the arena's existing roof was "detached from 20 original concrete Y-columns and four gigantic buttresses that previously supported it", being held up by "72 temporary steel columns, cross-beams and a steel reinforcement structure called a kickstand.” 600,000 cubic yards of dirt were removed during the excavation of the arena bowl, and the structure was then built upwards to connect with the roof.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.geekwire.com/2020/inside-another-big-dig-seattle-saving-roof-key-arena-44-million-pound-remodel-marvel/ | title=Inside another big dig in Seattle: Saving the roof at Key Arena is a 44-million-pound remodel marvel | date=January 22, 2020 }}</ref>

Climate Pledge Arena was opened to the public on October 19, 2021, by a [[Foo Fighters]] and [[Death Cab for Cutie]] concert for local charities.<ref name="Times-FooDeath"/> The first scheduled event, a sold-out [[Coldplay]] concert, took place three days later on the 22nd.<ref>{{cite news |last=Rietmulder |first=Michael |date=October 23, 2021 |title=Review: Coldplay spectacular pulls Climate Pledge Arena into the center of its universe |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/music/review-coldplay-brings-its-global-spotlight-to-seattles-climate-pledge-arena/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=January 25, 2022}}</ref> The first sports event at the renovated arena, a Seattle Kraken regular season game, took place on October 23 against the [[Vancouver Canucks]]. Kraken defenseman [[Vince Dunn]] scored the first NHL goal in the arena and the game ended in a 4–2 Kraken loss to the Canucks.<ref>{{cite web |title=Expansion Kraken fall in home debut 4-2 to Vancouver |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/recap/_/gameId/401349211 |website=ESPN |access-date=October 24, 2021 |date=October 23, 2021}}</ref> The first Kraken win at the arena was on October 26, a 5–1 victory against the [[Montreal Canadiens]]. On May 6, 2022, the Seattle Storm played their first game at the redeveloped arena against the [[Minnesota Lynx]], winning 97–74. For the first two months of the [[2022–23 AHL season]], Climate Pledge Arena hosted the [[Coachella Valley Firebirds]], the [[American Hockey League]] affiliate of the Kraken, until their arena, [[Acrisure Arena]] in Palm Springs opened on December 14, 2022; the Firebirds' first game at the new arena came four days later.<ref>{{cite news |date=May 3, 2022 |title=Coachella Valley Firebirds will likely start season in Seattle while awaiting arena completion |url=https://kesq.com/sports/firebirds/2022/05/03/coachella-valley-firebirds-will-likely-start-season-in-seattle-while-awaiting-arena-completion/|publisher=Jesus Reyes |access-date=May 3, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=TheAHL.com {{!}} The American Hockey League |url=https://theahl.com/stats/game-center/1024284 |access-date=2022-12-21 |website=theahl.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

On January 5, 2025, the first [[Professional Women's Hockey League]] (PWHL) game in Seattle was played at the arena between the [[Montreal Victoire]] and the [[Boston Fleet]]. Boston won 3–2 with 12,608 spectators in attendance.<ref>{{cite news |last=Shefte |first=Kate |date=January 5, 2025 |title=As PWHL takes over CPA, crowd makes it clear 'Seattle wants its own team' |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/kraken/as-pwhl-takes-over-cpa-crowd-makes-it-clear-seattle-wants-its-own-team/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=January 5, 2025}}</ref> The PWHL awarded an expansion team, tentatively named [[PWHL Seattle]], for the 2025–26 season.<ref name="Times-PWHL">{{cite news |last=Shefte |first=Kate |date=April 30, 2025 |title=PWHL expanding to Seattle. Here's what we know. |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/kraken/pwhl-expanding-to-seattle-heres-what-we-know/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=April 30, 2025}}</ref>