On Monday, plans were unveiled for the NHL Seattle Ice Centre, a training facility that will be constructed if a Seattle NHL expansion bid is approved.
Billionaire David Bonderman and producer Jerry Bruckheimer are leading an effort to bring an NHL expansion franchise to Seattle. Plans call for the team to play its home games at an overhauled KeyArena, but it would train at an elaborate facility that was unveiled on Monday. Dubbed the NHL Seattle Ice Centre, the facility is part of the phased redevelopment of Northgate in Seattle. It would be designed by Generator Studio, according to the Seattle Times.
Located on the east side of the property, the first phase of NHL Seattle development will total more than 180,000 square feet. The privately funded facility will become an anchor tenant as part of Simon Property Group’s redevelopment efforts.
“If we are awarded an NHL franchise, creating a one-of-a-kind training facility that can serve as the home of hockey in the Pacific Northwest for youth and adult hockey, all within the city of Seattle, is critical and we’ve sought out this amazing opportunity at Northgate to meet our goal,” said Tod Leiweke, CEO, NHL Seattle. “This facility is designed with three ice rinks that will allow us to serve our community and it will be one of the finest NHL training facilities ever built.”
Major highlights of the new training facility center, include:
- Three NHL regulation ice rinks with spectator viewing locations and seating for 1,000 fans in the main rink and 400 in rinks two and three.
- NHL training facility that includes state-of-the-art locker rooms and strength and conditioning areas to recruit and retain top talent.
- Offices for NHL Seattle hockey operations and administrative staff.
- Restaurant, bar and retail space.
- A commitment to build the most environmentally sustainable practice facility in the NHL using structural wood products indigenous to the Pacific Northwest.
- Partner space for on-site activation, ice sports rental, retail shop, locker rooms and hospitality areas.
“In building our new home for NHL hockey in Seattle, it is important that we build a facility that has the necessary infrastructure and access for our community to grow the great game of hockey,” said Leiweke. “Our goal is to provide access and opportunity to the game of hockey for children of all ages no matter their financial means. With no permanent ice rinks within the City of Seattle, we’re excited that will change with this project in the near future.”
In addition to NHL, community, adult and youth hockey, it will also become the host site for training camps, national tournaments, figure skating and training, public ice time and learn-to-skate programs.
“As a key component in Northgate’s future, this new practice facility and community hockey center is not just another development project,” said Lance Lopes, project leader, NHL Seattle. “It is the latest cornerstone of the public/private revitalization endeavor to transform Northgate into a thriving pedestrian-friendly, transit-oriented urban center. In the last decade, the City of Seattle has made major civic investments in Northgate, building parks, a new library and community center, a community garden, improving Thornton Creek and the pedestrian environment, bringing light rail and transit to the nearby hub, and more. And Simon has demonstrated a commitment to this effort, both in terms of conveying land a decade ago to create the Thornton Creek project and open space, but also in its efforts with Sound Transit and already in-process land use master plan efforts to embrace a high-quality mixed-use future.”
NHL Seattle is working closely with the NHL, Simon, owner of the Northgate facility, and the City of Seattle, with the goal of starting construction as soon as feasible. Construction is slated to be complete in time for NHL Seattle’s inaugural season, should the NHL Board of Governors vote to approve a team in Seattle.
“We are excited to collaborate with NHL Seattle and make its training center and corporate headquarters a key piece of Northgate’s transformation from a traditional regional shopping mall into a world class transit-oriented mixed-use center,” said Michael E. McCarty, Chief Operating Officer, Simon Malls. “The transformation of Northgate is a prime example of our ability to create compelling ways for consumers to live, work, play, stay, shop and now skate at their favorite Simon destination.”
“We are thrilled to be able to be a partner and make this happen at Northgate and be a central piece to this evolution,” said Lopes. “This facility is designed to serve the community and accessibility is important. We are excited to partner with Simon to redevelop an iconic piece of the Seattle landscape into a modern urban lifestyle center.”
The design for the NHL Seattle Ice Centre is being submitted to the City of Seattle with Simon shortly, and will proceed through the city’s land use and design review process.
RELATED STORIES: Seattle NHL Inaugural Season Up in the Air; Seattle NHL Expansion Bid Heads Toward Key Meeting; Committee Approves KeyArena Renovation Plan; KeyArena Demolition to Begin After NHL Franchise is Awarded; Seattle NHL Minority Owners Back Expansion Bid; Seattle NHL Training Facility Plans Taking Shape; Tarrifs Cited as Factor in Rising KeyArena Renovation Cost; Skanska-Hunt Chosen as KeyArena Renovation Contractor; KeyArena Renovation Project Cost Now $700M; Apartment Building Owners Criticize KeyArena Renovation EIS; Seattle NHL Expansion Bid Could Be Voted on This Fall; Vegas Could be Model For Seattle NHL Franchise; Draft EIS Released on KeyArena Renovation; Prospective Seattle NHL Owners Interested in Seattle NBA Team; KeyArena Renovation Remains on Schedule; 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
