Kirkland officials, Seattle Kraken outline privately funded iceplex and community center; council to consider agreements Dec. 9

Kirkland city leaders and representatives of the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday described a public–private proposal to build an iceplex and an attached community center on land the city bought at the Houghton Park-and-Ride.

Deputy Mayor Jay Arnold said the project was brought forward because it “sits at the intersection of several long-term priorities” for the city: activating the 85th Street station area tied to Sound Transit investments, strengthening Kirkland’s economy and expanding recreation space without raising new taxes. Arnold said staff and the Kraken are approaching an agreement and that the council will consider a full set of agreements at a special meeting on December 9.

Deputy City Manager Jim Lopez said the facility would be privately funded and estimated at about $60 million, with the city’s primary contribution the purchase of the Houghton site for $9 million. He described two financing models under discussion but said in every model the city would retain ownership of the land throughout the deal and that the building is expected to transfer to city ownership roughly 30–34 years after construction under current terms.

“The top line item that I would like everybody to know is this is a privately funded endeavor,” Lopez said, summarizing the city’s negotiating priorities, which include protections if the city floated bonds to buy the building and then leased it back to the Kraken.

Kraken representative Lance Lopes described the facility as a two-sheet ice complex with eight locker rooms, bleacher seating above the rink, a roughly 12,500-square-foot community center and a restaurant with about 150 seats. Lopes emphasized youth programming and community access: he said the team expects to offer free ice time and run substantial youth initiatives at the site.

“For me, every day, it feels like this is something that is inevitable,” Lopes said, describing the team’s decision to pursue Kirkland and the project timeline.

City and Kraken officials outlined a target schedule that depends on finalizing agreements: the team aims to break ground in May with a 15–16 month construction schedule and an opening targeted as early as August–September 2027 (Kraken representatives also referenced an internal deadline in the summer of 2027 to capture typical rink scheduling patterns).

An economic analysis the city commissioned from CAA ICON estimates roughly $7 million in annual local economic activity tied to visitor and patron spending at the facility, Lopez said, and the city posted the consultant materials on its website for public review.

Officials addressed questions about parking and traffic mitigation. Lopes said the north half of the Houghton site would be restored as core parking with an estimated 210–215 spaces; traffic-impact studies are underway to determine mitigation needs.

Officials said the Kraken would seek a construction loan and expected to convert that financing into bonds later in the project timeline; the operations lease paid by the Kraken would be the primary revenue source to service those bonds under the models discussed.

City staff also described plans to relocate existing activities now at Houghton Park-and-Play (pickleball courts, skate park, pea patch) to other city locations, and to design the community center as a multifunctional space that can host classes, fitness, youth programs and larger community events.

On jobs, Kraken representatives estimated roughly 40–50 part-time positions and 15–25 full-time positions to operate the facility, with many part-time roles expected to be new hires.

The city and Kraken emphasized that details remain to be resolved in negotiations and that council review on December 9 will include the full set of agreements and related materials. The presenters invited public comment and said staff would continue to post supporting analytic materials for review.