Seattle Memorial Stadium project takes big step forward

Seattle Public Schools and the City of Seattle have announced a potential partnership to rebuild Memorial Stadium.

One Roof Partnership, the group that helped redevelop Climate Pledge Arena, said if a deal can get done, they will add $40 million to the $110 million the schools and the city are providing.

The proposal involved building a 10,000-seat stadium to hold athletic and student events and concerts.

The new facility will not be blocked off from the Seattle Center fountain and has much more of an open-air feel.

An advisory panel of SPS, city staff, and community representatives made the recommendations.

School superintendent Dr. Brent Jones and Mayor Bruce Harrell said in a joint statement:

We have carefully considered the recommendation of the Memorial Stadium Advisory Panel, and agree that One Roof Partnership’s proposal makes a promising case for a potential partnership with a strong understanding of our values, a bold vision for an innovative new stadium, and which comes closest to meeting the requirements, goals and student-centered focus of the RFP. As a potential partner, One Roof Partnership proposes a philanthropic funding approach, rather than a commercial enterprise. This unique approach best reflects community, with an emphasis on creating new opportunities for students and youth from all backgrounds, and has promise to be a great enhancement to the Seattle Center campus.

The interim director of Seattle Center, Marshall Foster, said the decision to move forward with a potential partner is a big step.

“This has been decades in the making,” he said. “And very important to the development of Seattle Center.

“It means that we have a partner who has the experience, the will, and the know-how to help us make this new stadium a reality,” Foster explained. “And it really opens the door for us to put all the details together, so we can move this forward, together with the school district.”

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Foster told KIRO Newsradio and MyNorthwest that the next step is for stakeholders to review the proposal and refine it.

“An important part of this is that we will engage the community. And that’s a lot of different people. Seattle Public School students, the athletics program, that’s our community here at Seattle Center.”

Foster explained that once the revised proposal is complete, it will go to the city council and the public school board.

The goal is to have the project completed in 2026 but by no later than 2027.