Weeks before Mayor Murray was supposed to announce the winner of the redesign contest for KeyArena–hereafter called Seattle Center Coliseum*–AEG withdrew its proposal, breaking the suspense that Oak View Group would be the winner.
AEG argued the process was not fair and its competitor was not being forthright in its finances. We do know that AEG asked for $250 million in public financing, whereas Oak View Group claimed it could finance its proposal privately, even retracting its request for a publicly-funded 850-stall parking garage recently.
“We fear the City is driving toward an unrealistic financing structure, and we believe the City has failed to conduct a sufficiently thorough, objective and transparent process to properly evaluate the respective strengths and weaknesses of the two proposals and, most significantly, to identify the proposal best positioned to deliver a project consistent with the community’s interests,” AEG’s withdrawal letter read.
Over AEG protests, Mayor Murray’s announcement proceeded with pomp and circumstance on June 7th. Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke called the Seattle Center Coliseum the biggest opportunity of his career. Seemingly in one breath he promised to land an NHL team, turn the arena into a top ten concert venue, and end child homelessness.
Murray: "Now is the time to seize this historic moment of innovation and growth to build an arena for the 21st century." pic.twitter.com/cA6F5zYCdd
— The Urbanist (@UrbanistOrg) June 7, 2017
