Think food and drinks are expensive at Climate Pledge? Wait until you hear about the hidden fees

You didn’t even know it was happening unless you asked for a receipt. Apparently, Climate Pledge Arena was bumping up the price of food and drinks by 3% and didn’t stop until they were caught.

The arena will pay $477,917 in penalties and refunds following an investigation by Attorney General Bob Ferguson.

From February 27, 2023, to July 22, 2023, the arena added a 3% fee to food and beverage purchases without disclosing it, violating Washington’s Consumer Protection Act. The investigation revealed the fee was charged on approximately 183,000 transactions during 37 events, generating $162,917.16. The agreement is subject to court approval.

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After being informed, arena executives ended the practice. A spokesperson for Climate Pledge Arena apologized for the inconvenience caused.

As part of the settlement, Climate Pledge Arena must:

• Resolve a class action lawsuit, providing full restitution to affected consumers through a claims process.
• Pay an additional $10 to each affected customer who files a claim.
• Pay $315,000 to the Attorney General’s Office for case costs, future enforcement, and additional payments if necessary.
• Disclose all future fees to customers.

“Washington law is simple: If you charge a fee, you must clearly disclose that fee before someone pays it,” Ferguson said. “Climate Pledge was not doing that. Now they are paying the price.”

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A whistleblower at Climate Pledge Arena initially reported the hidden fee. KIRO 7 confirmed the fee’s existence during a Duran Duran concert and a Storm game. The fee was not visible at pay stations and only appeared on receipts.

The investigation began after a KIRO 7 news story highlighted the fee. The fee was not disclosed at kiosks or in digital payments, and attendees only learned about it if they requested a receipt. The arena ceased the fee following the news story and the Attorney General’s investigation.

The settlement includes a claim fund for impacted consumers, who will receive $10 each. Details on how to file a claim will be available on a website launching in October.

Honest Fees Initiative

Ferguson’s Honest Fees Initiative has resulted in over $9.6 million in penalties from companies caught charging hidden fees. He urges Washingtonians to check their bills for undisclosed fees and file complaints if necessary.

In previous actions under the initiative, companies like CenturyLink, Frontier Communications Northwest, Charter Communications, and Wave have paid significant penalties for similar violations.

CONTRIBUTING: KIRO 7 News

Bill Kaczaraba is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here. Follow Bill on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email him here.