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Council backs pursuing 2027 bond to renovate and decarbonize Seattle Center
Summary
The Council adopted Resolution 32205 endorsing modernization and decarbonization of Seattle Center and asked the Mayor to direct departments to develop a bond measure for the 2027 ballot, citing union support for job creation and apprenticeship opportunities.
The Seattle City Council unanimously adopted Resolution 32205 directing the Mayor and relevant departments to develop plans for a bond measure to fund a major renovation, decarbonization, and revitalization of Seattle Center for placement on the 2027 ballot.
Councilmember Saka, who brought the resolution forward, described the effort as a joint mayoral–council commitment to restore the aging campus, support arts and cultural tenants, and create family-wage union jobs through a public/private financing strategy. He said staff will aim to place a bond on the ballot in 2027, with a target of no later than the November 2027 general election.
During public comment, union leaders and Seattle Center advocates emphasized the urgency of action and local workforce benefits. Peter, a District Seven resident representing electricians, urged the Council to “put a bond to renovate and decarbonize Seattle Center on the ballot for voters.” Rob Johnson, Executive Director of the Seattle Center Foundation, described the effort as an opportunity for public-sector investment after decades of private philanthropic support and framed the measure as an economic development priority.
Councilmember Saka said the Council will pursue robust public/private partnerships to maximize matching dollars and cited the waterfront project as a model for financing and delivery. Councilmember Foster and others asked that the planning process explicitly engage arts and cultural tenants so that the bond design supports the broader arts ecosystem that animates Seattle Center.
The resolution passed unanimously; the Council voted to direct departments to prepare the package and to report back with a timeline and design details. Councilmembers suggested periodic briefings over the next year to keep the work on schedule.
This article uses direct quotations and paraphrase from the Council meeting transcript; attributions are to speakers as they identified themselves on the record.
