I've had an opportunity to speak with the leadership of both Climate Pledge Arena and the Seattle Center late last week.   They have since posted a "Letter to the Community" which includes much of what we talked about.   Here is the link to the letter:  https://seattlecenter.com/skcc-community-letter

Subsequent to our meeting and viewing the Letter,  I had some additional questions which I've included below.

The Letter to the Community states that it was the contracts with the WNBA and the NHL that precluded the October 2022 being available for the Clinic, and that it was not to schedule concerts during that time frame.  If that is the case, why were those dates offered originally, even if they were a “soft” agreement?  Weren’t the contractual restrictions apparent at that time? 

• In early 2019 as construction first began on the Arena, the Arena offered Seattle Center soft holds on October dates to be consistent with when the Clinic was held in the past.  At that time,  the WNBA and NHL requirements were unknown, as the Arena did not have those contracts secured.
• In 2021, as the Arena prepared for a late 2021 opening, the Arena secured anchor tenancy with the Seattle Storm and the Seattle Kraken and began working with those partners on 2022 league requirements.  When those requirements became apparent and known to the Arena, the Arena met with Seattle Center leadership to inform them of this conflict and to offer to work with the leadership team to find alternative dates.

The Letter to the Community blames the loss of the October 2022 dates on the NHL and WNBA contracts, yet at this time neither the Storm or the Kraken are in the Arena on those dates.  The schedule only shows concerts booked at that time.  Why is that?

• The contracts with the professional teams require that Climate Pledge Arena be available for post-season WNBA teams and for home games for the NHL season that begins early October.  The confirmed schedules for both leagues aren’t released until 3-4 months out the start of season and individual teams have very limited control.  That is why no professional sports games are on the 2022 October calendar yet.

If those contracts with the WNBA and NHL are so restrictive, how will it ever be possible for the Arena to host the SKCC?  

• Finding dates that work for all parties will require work, but the Arena and Seattle Center have an outstanding partnership and are committed to finding dates that work for all.
• The Seattle Center is overburdened in Summer months, when the Arena has the most flexibility, and the Arena is overburdened in Fall, Winter and Spring due to league requirements.  The Arena has proposed two windows that can be guaranteed every year that the Seattle Center is considering (the last week of June, and the first week of September), and two additional windows that we know also work but fall in late January / early February during NHL all-star week, a time frame not preferred by Seattle Center due to weather uncertainty.  

Thank you all for your support of the Seattle King County Clinic.   I'm hopeful that going forward that Climate Pledge Arena will be made available on fixed dates, and until we have a more functional health care system that this essential event will be there for our most vulnerable community members.

In solidarity,

Rick