CX Monthly

The indoor, multi-purpose arena is an engineering miracle, as they saved the original roof and external structural columns of Seattle Center Coliseum, which was built in 1962 for the World’s Fair. 

Below the roof, a new arena was built that has broken new ground when it comes to fan experience, sponsorship, premium hospitality, sustainability, food & beverage, security, access control and back-of-house facilities.

Although not the same as a single-purpose Spanish football stadium, there are several reasons this is one of the most innovative new venues in the world, starting with the creative engineering it took to retain the roof and exterior structural columns of the original 1960s-era coliseum, while seamlessly fitting a brand-new arena below.   

In a first deal of its kind, the naming rights were sold to a company that didn’t put their brand in the name!  Instead, Amazon and the developer, Oak View Group (OVG), named the building to promote purpose – in this case, their commitment to The Climate Pledge, a cross-sector community of companies and organizations that have committed to decarbonizing the global economy by 2040.  

In turn, the arena has a worldwide identity that sets it apart from every other arena and stadium, increasing the demand and value for other partnerships, premium seating and touring artists. By securing the deal with Amazon over two years prior to opening, they gained momentum to pre-sell other founding partnerships and premium hospitality years before opening, which in turn provided contractually obligated income (COI) that was used as collateral to secure debt financing without any recourse to the club or its owners, with less onerous lender impositions and at attractive below market interest rates.

Climate Pledge Arena is amazing for more than just OVG’s ability to commercialize the project.  For guests (fans), the experience is fantastic, as they have significantly eliminated many of the inconveniences of attending live sporting events (especially long ques).

At security, there is no need to empty your pockets like at the airport.  At concessions, Amazon One allows guests to simply scan their hand, walk into a market, take whatever they want (including freshly prepared hot foods) and walk out.  No credit card…no cash… no contact…people just walk out!  There is a broad range of premium hospitality offerings that are all unique, priced for both large corporations, small businesses and young professionals.  There is even a state-of-the-art recording studio in the artist compound where songwriters can record before heading on stage.