Oak View Group continues to make progress in its plans for a KeyArena renovation, and could begin construction work at the venue later this year.
In December, the Seattle City Council approved a memorandum of understanding with Oak View Group to move forward with a major overhaul to the facility. The $600-million renovation is expected to raise the existing KeyArena to modern NBA and NHL standards, with the project estimated for a completion in 2020.
Since that decision was made, an effort to bring an NHL expansion franchise to Seattle has gathered some momentum. It appears that the renovation plan is also making steady progress, as Oak View Group indicated on Monday that it is working to take control of KeyArena by late fall and begin construction before the year concludes. More from the AP:
Steve Mattson, director of operations for Oak View Group, said Monday that the goal remains to have approval to take control of the arena at Seattle Center by late fall and begin the construction process before the end of 2018.
”Every day we move them along a little bit and we feel really good about where we’re at right now,” Mattson said.
Oak View Group released new renderings of the remodeled arena on Monday, beginning a busy week for the group that is looking to bring the NHL to Seattle for the 2020 season. The group has formally filed for an expansion franchise with the NHL and is kicking off its season-ticket campaign on Thursday.
Oak View Group and the prospective franchise’s ownership group–led by David Bonderman and producer Jerry Bruckheimer–submitted its NHL expansion application last month. While the group has plenty of work ahead before it can gain formal approval, it has been anticipated that a Seattle NHL expansion franchise could begin play as early as 2020.
As noted, the KeyArena renovation will raise the venue to modern NBA and NHL standards. Seattle is likely to pursue franchises in both leagues, but the NHL appears to be the more imminent possibility for now. The city has been without an NBA franchise since the Seattle SuperSonics relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008.
Renderings courtesy Oak View Group.
RELATED STORIES: Seattle NHL Season Ticket Drive Launches March 1; Seattle NHL Expansion Application Submitted; Prospect of Seattle NHL Franchise Intrigues Team Execs; Best of 2017, #1: KeyArena Renovation Approved; NHL to Consider Seattle NHL Expansion Pitch; How Will KeyArena Renovations Impact NBA, NHL?; KeyArena Renovation MOU Approved; Report: Next NHL Expansion Fee Could Be $600-$700M; KeyArena Renovation Vote Set for Monday
