In another step toward potentially landing a franchise, officials have announced a March 1 launch of a season-ticket drive for a Seattle NHL expansion team.
Details of the campaign were announced on Tuesday. Beginning March 1, fans will have the opportunity to place a refundable deposit for season tickets for a Seattle NHL expansion team that would play at a renovated KeyArena. Oak View Group and the prospective franchise’s ownership group–led by David Bonderman and producer Jerry Bruckheimer–submitted its expansion application last week, and the season-ticket drive is seen a key step in showing community support for a Seattle NHL team. More from The Seattle Times:
The Oak View Group, which is planning a $600 million renovation of KeyArena, and the City of Seattle on Tuesday unveiled the “On Sale” ticket-deposit campaign, which will allow Seattle-area hockey fans the chance to make deposits for season tickets beginning March 1 at NHLSeattle.com.
“I’m telling you, mark your calendars,” Mayor Jenny Durkan tweeted following her first State of the City address Tuesday at Rainier Beach High School.
Fans can submit deposits for regular- and club-season tickets. Regular-season ticket deposits will cost $500, and club-season tickets will go for $1,000
Should the expansion franchise ultimately be approved, it is expected that Seattle’s backers will pay a $650 million expansion fee. Momentum for a Seattle NHL expansion team has been building steadily over the last few months, particularly in the period since the Seattle City Council’s December vote to approve a memorandum of understanding with OakView Group on its proposed KeyArena renovation.
It is currently anticipated that the Seattle NHL expansion team could begin play in 2020, when the KeyArena renovation is expected to be complete. The renovation will bring the venue to modern NBA and NHL standards. While Seattle is expected to pursue teams in both leagues, the NHL appears to be the more imminent possibility.
Rendering courtesy OakView Group.
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