Editing Climate Pledge Arena (section)

===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>