Seattle Growth Podcast Special Episode: To Key or not to Key?

What is the future of Seattle Center’s Key Arena?

Multiple groups are hoping to bring NBA basketball and NHL hockey back to Seattle. One, led by investor Chris Hansen, is proposing the construction of a new sports and entertainment complex in the SoDo district. But two others have proposed a renovation of Key Arena, the former home of the Seattle SuperSonics, to bring the public facility up to the requirements of the NBA and NHL.

This special episode of the Seattle Growth Podcast considers the future of Key Arena, whether or not it is selected as Seattle’s new home to indoor professional sports.

City Councilmember Rob Johnson describes the process by which the three competing proposals will be evaluated and offers insight into the pros and cons of each. Developer Sam Farrazaino offers an alternative vision for repurposing Key Arena should a new development in SoDo be selected to host professional basketball and hockey.

Rob Johnson

Sam Farrazaino

The Seattle Growth Podcast is hosted and produced by Jeff Shulman, an associate professor of marketing and the Marion B. Ingersoll Professor at the UW Foster School of Business.