The Seattle City Council voted unanimously on June 9 to approve a resolution backing a potential 2027 bond measure that would fund infrastructure upgrades for the Seattle Center campus.
The amended joint resolution calls for new investment in the campus, where many baseline systems, such as plumbing, electrical and life-safety, are more than 60 years old. It sets in motion a coordinated, multi-department capital planning effort meant to evaluate long-term needs for the 74-acre property, laying the groundwork for future renovation.
The measure formally states the council’s intent to put a bond measure in front of voters by the end of 2027. It also asks the mayor to include appropriations in the upcoming budget so that priority projects can move forward.
Named priorities include a renovation of the Seattle Center Armory, along with planning work related to expanding the veterans memorial. The resolution also urges Seattle City Light and Seattle Public Utilities to partner with Seattle Center on a shift toward carbon-neutral operations.
The size of the eventual bond would depend on what the city can secure beyond its own funds. Officials have indicated they plan to pursue outside money to round out the funding package, including federal grants, public-private partnerships and a possible arrangement with Seattle Public Schools. That deal would tie an Armory renovation to the adjacent Center School. According to officials, the campus has not received a major public investment since 1991.
First developed for the 1962 World’s Fair, Seattle Center remains one of the region’s most-visited cultural draws. The campus saw 11.3 million visitors last year, generating about $3.3 billion in economic activity.
Officials connected the resolution to the council’s broader effort to position the city for the return of a National Basketball Association (NBA) team. They pointed to legislation passed in April confirming Seattle’s readiness to welcome back the SuperSonics, describing the new resolution as a firmer step that pairs the city’s goals with funding from public and philanthropic partners.
The resolution now moves to the mayor’s desk for signature. Should a bond measure eventually reach the ballot and win voter approval, it could fund a wide range of upgrades and capital projects across the campus.
Photo by Seattle City Council from Seattle, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
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