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165-564: Intiman Theatre is a resident theater company in Seattle, Washington , founded in 1972 by Margaret "Megs" Booker, who named it after Strindberg's Intimate Theater in Stockholm. Through its history, the professional theatre company has been based at various venues in Seattle; since 2021, it has been located as theatre-in-residence at Seattle Central College , performing in two venues on that campus. With

330-411: A Monorail Espresso location, and Piroshky Piroshky . Additional spaces for Wild Rye Bakery and Pike Brewing also opened in 2023. Summit includes more than 20 pieces of public artwork that is valued at $ 7.75 million and was included due to a public benefits clause in the facility's operating contract with the city and county governments. Five Indigenous women were selected to create artwork for

495-461: A $ 10.2 million loss. The convention center project was further complicated by President Ronald Reagan 's import quotas on foreign-made steel that went into effect in January 1985. This increased prices for the 18,000 short tons (16,000 t) required for the facility by $ 5 million to $ 120 million (equivalent to $ 289 million in 2023 dollars). The convention center board submitted a proposal to

660-402: A $ 70 million, 16-story office building at Pike Street and 7th Avenue. A key element of the expansion project was an arched glass canopy and skybridge over Pike Street between the two halves of the convention center, connecting at the fourth floor. Residents and city council members criticized the skybridge as an eyesore that would block views of Elliott Bay from Capitol Hill . Its design

825-583: A baby on her back. We Are All Connected is a series of sandstone sculptures with petroglyphs by Malynn Foster of the Squaxin Island and Skokomish Nations; one of the sculptures, called 17 Days We Wake Up the World , is about the orca Tahlequah . Other artworks include a steel enclosure resembling a burden basket by Kimberly Deriana (Mandan and Hidatsa) and four masks made of cast bronze, steel, and cast glass by Jennifer Angaiak Wood ( Yup'ik ). Aluminum panels at

990-545: A block north of the original convention center, a second major expansion began in 2018 and opened in January 2023. The entire facility was renamed to the Seattle Convention Center in 2022, with the first two buildings named "Arch" and the second expansion named "Summit". The convention center's largest annual events include PAX West (formerly the Penny Arcade Expo), Emerald City Comic Con , Sakura-Con , and

1155-542: A consulting team in 1975 to determine the feasibility of a large convention center, paid for by urban development funds from the federal government. The feasibility study, completed in 1977, recommended a facility with 70,000–90,000 square feet (6,500–8,400 m ) of meeting space and 40,000–60,000 square feet (3,700–5,600 m ) of exhibition space to host conventions of up to 7,000 attendees. Construction would require $ 47 million of state and county funds (equivalent to $ 184 million in 2023 dollars) , at one of four sites:

1320-619: A director and artistic director), Tony-nominated actress Celia Keenan-Bolger , and film actor Tom Skerritt . It was also home to the world premieres of the Tony-winning Broadway musical The Light in the Piazza , Craig Lucas 's Singing Forest and Dan Savage 's "Miracle!". Lucas also served as the Associate Artistic Director. Intiman won the 2006 Regional Theatre Tony Award . In April 2011, Intiman Theatre recognized

1485-477: A general size of 300,000 square feet (28,000 m ). The freeway site, supported by downtown businesses and authorized by the state legislature, would span Interstate 5 between Freeway Park and Pike Street. It would include landscaped terraces and private development using the freeway's air rights , leased from the Washington State Department of Transportation . The Seattle Center site, supported by

1650-611: A great frenzy among the technology companies in Seattle but the bubble ended in early 2001. In 1999, the World Trade Organization held its conference in Seattle, which was met with protest activity . The protests and police reactions to them largely overshadowed the conference itself. In 2001, the city was impacted by the Mardi Gras Riots and then by the Nisqually earthquake the following day. Another boom began as

1815-559: A lower operating cost due to shared equipment. The report also raised concerns about the potential loss of low-income housing concentrated on First Hill and the potential increase in noise and air pollution for the neighborhood. A separate report by the city concluded the freeway site would hurt operating revenue from parking at the Seattle Center. It also criticized the consultant's report for its lack of information and cost data. In early March, various groups announced their support for

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1980-462: A major scheduled event until December 2020. The convention center was allowed to reopen in September 2020 following the lifting of COVID restrictions by the state government in their phased reopening plan. The first full-scale event since the beginning of the pandemic was PAX West, hosted in September 2021 with approximately 17,000 sold tickets. Attendees were required to show proof of vaccination or

2145-441: A number of technology companies, including Amazon , F5 Networks , RealNetworks , Nintendo of America , and T-Mobile . This success brought an influx of new residents with a population increase within city limits of almost 50,000 between 1990 and 2000, and saw Seattle's real estate become some of the most expensive in the country. Seattle in this period attracted attention as home to the companies opened operations in or around

2310-478: A number of theaters in the city exhibiting vaudeville acts and silent movies. He went on to become one of America's greatest theater and movie tycoons. Scottish-born architect B. Marcus Priteca designed several theaters for Pantages in Seattle, which were later demolished or converted to other uses. Seattle's surviving Paramount Theatre , on which he collaborated, was not a Pantages theater. War work again brought local prosperity during World War II , centered on

2475-417: A pair of high-rise towers: a 30-story tower with 428 apartments and a 16-story office building. The $ 1.4 billion project was scheduled to begin construction in 2017 and open in 2020, adding 440,000 square feet (41,000 m ) of usable space—approximately double the current convention center's interior space. It is planned to be funded using revenue from development rights, the countywide hotel-motel tax, and

2640-424: A proposed rooftop park. As part of earlier financial negotiations, the city government excluded the convention center from paying a $ 1.1 million contribution to the low-income housing fund, citing the project's favorable impact on the job market. The second round of bidding in late July brought a low bid of $ 92.5 million. This allowed for some of the design changes to be reverted or deferred with preparations during

2805-488: A proposed tax on short-term rental services like Airbnb . Skanska – Hunt were initially chosen as the project's general contractors but were removed from the project in March 2016. They sued the convention center and Pine Street Group for wrongful termination of the contract. The lawsuit was settled for a payment of $ 7.8 million. The convention center hired a joint venture of Lease Crutcher Lewis and Clark Construction as

2970-664: A repertory company of 17 actors who stretched through over 40 roles. The Intiman Theatre Playhouse was renamed the Cornish Playhouse in 2013 and is now managed by the Cornish College of the Arts . In 2017, Phillip Chavira became Intiman's first Executive Director, and first person of color to lead this organization. At the end of 2017, Andrew Russell completed his tenure as Producing Artistic Director and Jennifer Zeyl became Intiman's seventh Artistic Director. Intiman's original location

3135-555: A resident company of fourteen actors, including Megan Cole, Clayton Corzatte, Ted D'Arms, John Gilbert, Patricia Healy, Richard Riele, Peter Silbert, Meg Hilton, Barry Mulholland, and Jean Smart. In 1977, Intiman opened year-round administrative offices in Pioneer Square and hired Simon Siegl as its first general manager. With a season of five classic plays, Intiman also began a parallel program "New Plays Onstage", staged readings of contemporary works directed and performed by members of

3300-437: A rooftop garden, and 800 parking spaces. The 150,000-square-foot (14,000 m ) exhibition hall would be located below street level and feature skylights and publicly-accessible spaces, including a high lobby on 9th Avenue. The building would also cantilever over a small section of Interstate 5 at the intersection of Pine Street and Boren Avenue. The northern blocks of the site would have underground truck loading ramps and

3465-467: A self-declared focus on "a resident acting ensemble, fidelity to the playwright's intentions and a close relationship between actor and audience", the Intiman soon called itself as "Seattle's classic theater". Its debut season in 1972 included Rosmersholm , The Creditors , The Underpants , and Brecht on Brecht . The theater has been host to Tony -nominated Director Bartlett Sher (who served as both

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3630-544: A separate bipartisan commission to review its economic feasibility. During the city's push for a bill in the state legislature, a group of Bellevue businessmen planning to build their own convention center questioned the use of the county's taxes to support the Seattle-based convention center while ignoring the needs of the Eastside . The Bellevue group threatened to take the dispute to the state legislature, where support for

3795-487: A site two blocks north of the convention center for the northernmost station of the downtown transit tunnel set to open shortly after the convention center. The convention center board signed an agreement with CHG International to develop the facility and manage private air rights above the freeway and adjacent to the building. In exchange, CHG would provide public parking and benefits, in addition to funding $ 30 million (equivalent to $ 77.1 million in 2023 dollars) of

3960-477: A study into lidding portions of Interstate 5. Convention Place station was permanently closed on July 21, 2018, and demolition began shortly afterwards. On August 14, ground was broken on construction of the convention center expansion; the new building was named "Summit", while the original convention center was renamed to "Arch". The contractors for the project used a "billboarding" process that divides structure erection into zones to shorten construction of

4125-595: A total area of 142.5 square miles (369 km ), 84 square miles (220 km ) of which is land and 58.1 square miles (150 km ) is water (41% of the total area). According to the Köppen climate classification system, Seattle has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate ( Csb ), while under the Trewartha system, it is labeled an oceanic climate ( Dobk ). It has cool, wet winters and mild, relatively dry summers, covering characteristics of both climate types. The climate

4290-404: A total cost of $ 162 million. LMN Architects was selected as the lead architect of the project. Pine Street Group was named the co-developer and project manager for the convention portion and the associated private development. The convention center proposed a modified plan centered around a five-story building housing the exhibition hall, several meeting spaces, retail space, a large ballroom,

4455-572: Is a city on the West Coast of the United States . It is the seat of King County , Washington . With a 2023 population of 755,078 it is the most populous city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region of North America , and the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The Seattle metropolitan area 's population is 4.02 million, making it the 15th-largest in

4620-453: Is bound by Pine Street to the south and Olive Way to the north, with 9th Avenue to the west and Boren Avenue to the east; the northeast corner of the building hangs over a section of Interstate 5. The ground floor includes a lobby, retail spaces, and a public parking garage; several mezzanines connect to a subterranean exhibition space and a flex hall above the ground floor. Two floors are reserved for 62 meeting rooms and an outdoor terrace, while

4785-506: Is hilly in some places. Like Rome, the city is said to lie on seven hills ; the lists vary but typically include Capitol Hill , First Hill , West Seattle , Beacon Hill , Queen Anne , Magnolia, and the former Denny Hill . The Wallingford , Delridge , Mount Baker , Seward Park , Washington Park , Broadmoor , Madrona , Phinney Ridge , Sunset Hill , Blue Ridge , Broadview , Laurelhurst , Hawthorne Hills , Maple Leaf , and Crown Hill neighborhoods are all located on hills. Many of

4950-588: Is planned to be dependent on lodging tax revenue, which fell by 60 percent due to the COVID-19 pandemic . A $ 100 million loan from King County was proposed in December 2020 to continue work on the project, which had slowed during the pandemic. The state government and city government also offered to join the loan deal to fill the funding gap. In April 2021, the convention center announced that it had sold $ 342 million in municipal bonds to private institutions to fund

5115-689: Is served by several transit routes, including King County Metro and Sound Transit Express buses on surface streets. Westlake station in the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel is the closest Link light rail station to the convention center and is served by the 1 Line , which travels south towards Seattle–Tacoma International Airport . The Arch building is located along Pike Street between 7th Avenue and Hubbell Place in Downtown Seattle. The complex straddles Pike Street, 8th Avenue, and Interstate 5 , stretching from Union Street in

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5280-491: Is sometimes characterized as a "modified Mediterranean" climate because it is cooler and wetter than a "true" Mediterranean climate, but shares the characteristic dry summer (which has a strong influence on the region's vegetation). Temperature extremes are moderated by the adjacent Puget Sound , greater Pacific Ocean , and Lake Washington . Thus extreme heat waves are rare in the Seattle area, as are very cold temperatures (below about 15 °F; −9 °C). The Seattle area

5445-557: Is the cloudiest region of the Continental United States , due in part to frequent storms and lows moving in from the adjacent Pacific Ocean. Seattle is cloudy 201 days out of the year and partly cloudy 93 days. With many more "rain days" than other major American cities, Seattle has a well-earned reputation for frequent rain: In an average year, there are 150 days in which at least 0.01 inches (0.25 mm) of precipitation falls, more days than in nearly all U.S. cities east of

5610-554: The Seattle George Monument by Buster Simpson , a 28-foot (8.5 m) high sculpture in Ellis Plaza that morphs between the silhouettes of George Washington and Chief Seattle . The plaza's Centennial Bell Garden includes 39 bells, provided by groups from every Washington county , and were selected by composer David Mahler to complement a Japanese temple bell . Jenny Holzer 's Truism, Living and Survival hangs above

5775-515: The 1962 World's Fair , for which the Space Needle was built. Another major local economic downturn was in the late 1960s and early 1970s, at a time when Boeing was heavily affected by the oil crises , loss of government contracts, and costs and delays associated with the Boeing 747 . Many people left the area to look for work elsewhere, and two local real estate agents put up a billboard reading "Will

5940-608: The Alaska–Yukon–Pacific Exposition of 1909, which is largely responsible for the layout of today's University of Washington campus. A shipbuilding boom in the early part of the 20th century became massive during World War I , making Seattle somewhat of a company town. The subsequent retrenchment led to the Seattle General Strike of 1919 , an early general strike in the country. A 1912 city development plan by Virgil Bogue went largely unused. Seattle

6105-565: The COVID-19 pandemic and the state government's prohibition of large public events. Among the affected events are the Emerald City Comic Con, which was initially rescheduled for August, and Sakura-Con, which was cancelled entirely. The convention center also cancelled shifts for employed workers and contractors, and the event cancellations also contributed to a decline in local hotel bookings. The convention center's other major events, including PAX, were also cancelled, leaving it without

6270-468: The Governor of Washington each select three members appointed to two- or four-year terms. A countywide hotel-motel tax primarily funds the public facilities district. It has approximately $ 907 million in total assets. The convention center regularly host 335 events per year. Of these, 50 were classified as national or international. Attendance has remained around 400,000 annually since the late 1990s, and

6435-641: The Lake Washington Ship Canal (consisting of two man-made canals, Lake Union , and the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks at Salmon Bay , ending in Shilshole Bay on Puget Sound). The sea, rivers, forests, lakes, and fields surrounding Seattle were once rich enough to support one of the world's few sedentary hunter-gatherer societies. In modern times the surrounding area lends itself well to sailing, skiing, bicycling, camping, and hiking year-round. The city

6600-769: The Naval Reserve Armory on Lake Union into its new home in 2012. The space was transferred back to the WSCC and converted into a four-story business conferencing center, which opened in July 2010. That same year, the convention center was re-branded as the Washington State Convention Center, dropping the word "trade". The facility's signs and furniture were replaced during a $ 21 million interior renovation completed in 2014, designed to fix wayfinding issues caused by inconsistent signage. A second major expansion of

6765-652: The Northwest Flower and Garden Show . It has approximately 415,000 square feet (38,600 m ) of usable space, including two exhibition halls with a combined area of 237,000 square feet (22,000 m ). The convention center is located near several hotels and a major retailing center, as well as the Westlake transit station and a public parking garage . In the early 20th century, conventions and trade shows in Seattle were traditionally hosted by arenas, hotels, ballrooms, department stores, and theaters. The Exhibition Hall at

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6930-488: The Olympic Hotel with a modern convention-and-hotel facility in 1974. The following year, Mayor Wes Uhlman formed a task force to study potential locations for a convention center. These included the Seattle Center and nearby Metro Transit bus base on Mercer Street. King County Executive John Spellman recommended use of the near-complete Kingdome multipurpose stadium for large conventions. The city government hired

7095-712: The Pacific Ring of Fire , Seattle is in a major earthquake zone . On February 28, 2001, the magnitude 6.8 Nisqually earthquake did significant architectural damage, especially in the Pioneer Square area (built on reclaimed land , as are the Industrial District and part of the city center), and caused one fatality. Other strong earthquakes occurred on January 26, 1700 (estimated at 9 magnitude), December 14, 1872 (7.3 or 7.4), April 13, 1949 (7.1), and April 29, 1965 (6.5). The 1965 quake caused three deaths in Seattle directly and one more by heart failure. Although

7260-658: The Port of Seattle is the fourth-largest port in North America in terms of container handling as of 2021 . The Seattle area has been inhabited by Native Americans (such as the Duwamish , who had at least 17 villages around Elliot Bay) for at least 4,000 years before the first permanent European settlers. Arthur A. Denny and his group of travelers, subsequently known as the Denny Party , arrived from Illinois via Portland, Oregon , on

7425-752: The Rocky Mountains . However, because it often has merely a light drizzle falling from the sky for many days, Seattle actually receives significantly less rainfall (or other precipitation) overall than many other major U.S. cities like New York City , Miami , or Houston . According to the 2012–2016 American Community Survey (ACS), the racial makeup of the city was 65.7% White Non-Hispanic , 16.9% Asian , 6.8% Black or African American , 6.6% Hispanic or Latino of any race, 0.4% Native American , 0.9% Pacific Islander , 0.2% other races, and 5.6% two or more races . Seattle's population historically has been predominantly white. The 2010 census showed that Seattle

7590-612: The Seattle Center was built to showcase fine art at the 1962 World's Fair . It re-opened the following year for conventions, trade shows, banquets, and other events. The city hosted its largest-ever convention, a week-long meeting of the Shriners , late June and early July 1969 at the Seattle Center Coliseum and around the Seattle Center grounds. The state government proposed a dedicated convention and trade center complex in

7755-513: The Seattle Fault passes just south of the city center, neither it nor the Cascadia subduction zone has caused an earthquake since the city's founding. The Cascadia subduction zone poses the threat of an earthquake of magnitude 9.0 or greater, capable of seriously damaging the city and collapsing many buildings, especially in zones built on fill. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the city has

7920-512: The University of Washington negatively. As schools across Washington lost funding and attendance, the university actually prospered during the time period as they focused on growing their student enrollment. While Seattle public schools were influenced by Washington's superintendent Worth McClure, they still struggled to pay teachers and maintain attendance. Seattle was the home base of impresario Alexander Pantages who, starting in 1902, opened

8085-592: The Washington State Convention Center ( WSCC ), is a convention center in Seattle , Washington , United States . It consists of two buildings in Downtown Seattle with exhibition halls and meeting rooms: Arch along Pike Street and Summit on the north side of Pine Street . The former straddles Interstate 5 and connects with Freeway Park . The convention center was planned in the late 1970s and funded through $ 90 million in bonds issued by

8250-686: The Washington State Convention Center . For several years, Intiman, unlike any other professional resident theatre in the area, operated without a permanent home. Under the continued leadership of Booker and Siegl, Intiman rented various performance venues around the city on a short term, basis, including Broadway Performance Hall on the campus of Seattle Central Community College . This picture changed radically after 1985, when Peter Davis came aboard as Intiman's first managing director. Davis—a former scenic designer who had worked for both Intiman and Seattle Repertory Theatre —completely restructured Intiman's finances and administration. He successfully negotiated

8415-592: The anti-Chinese riots of 1885–1886 . This violence originated with unemployed whites who were determined to drive the Chinese from Seattle; anti-Chinese riots also occurred in Tacoma . Seattle had achieved sufficient economic success when the Great Seattle Fire of 1889 destroyed the central business district. However, a far grander city center rapidly emerged in its place. Finance company Washington Mutual , for example,

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8580-460: The median of Interstate 5. The contractor halted work for a week in June after a portion of the project's liability insurance coverage expired and a new insurer was sought. Construction resumed in time for the state department of transportation 's July deadline for the start of steel erection. The erection of 22 steel trusses over Interstate 5 began in late July and was completed by November, while

8745-428: The schooner Exact at Alki Point on November 13, 1851. The settlement was moved to the eastern shore of Elliott Bay in 1852 and named "Seattle" in honor of Chief Seattle , a prominent 19th-century leader of the local Duwamish and Suquamish tribes. Seattle currently has high populations of Native Americans alongside Americans with strong Asian, African, European, and Scandinavian ancestry, and, as of 2015, hosts

8910-484: The state legislature . Construction began in September 1985 after delays in securing private funding; the complex opened on June 18, 1988. A major expansion began in 1999 and was completed in 2001, doubling the amount of exhibition space. A hotel and office tower were added, along with connections to the existing facility via a skybridge over Pike Street. At the site of the Convention Place transit station , located

9075-446: The $ 205 million (equivalent to $ 353 million in 2023 dollars) expansion began on May 19, 1999, under the direction of contractor Kiewit Construction . The last steel truss was placed in late December and work on the skybridge and canopy began the following spring. The expanded convention center opened to the public on July 14, 2001. With the expansion, the total exhibition space doubled to 205,700 square feet (19,110 m ) making

9240-478: The 1980s, the Seattle area developed into a technology center ; Microsoft established its headquarters in the region. In 1994, Internet retailer Amazon was founded in Seattle, and Alaska Airlines is based in SeaTac, Washington , serving Seattle–Tacoma International Airport , Seattle's international airport. The stream of new software, biotechnology , and Internet companies led to an economic revival, which increased

9405-522: The 2001 expansion and received several loaned works from private collections and public museums. The second floor of the atrium, named the Phyllis Lamphere Gallery, hosts exhibitions of local art that is rotated several times per year. The Summit building, opened in 2023, is one block northeast of the Arch building and contains 573,770 square feet (53,305 m ) of exhibition and meeting space. It

9570-614: The Denny Party. Members of the Denny Party claimed land on Alki Point on September 28, 1851. The rest of the Denny Party set sail on the schooner Exact from Portland , Oregon, stopping in Astoria , and landed at Alki Point during a rainstorm on November 13, 1851. After a difficult winter, most of the Denny Party relocated across Elliott Bay and claimed land a second time at the site of present-day Pioneer Square , naming this new settlement Duwamps . Charles Terry and John Low remained at

9735-558: The Legislature of Territorial Washington incorporated the Town of Seattle with a board of trustees managing the city. The Town of Seattle was disincorporated on January 18, 1867, and remained a mere precinct of King County until late 1869, when a new petition was filed and the city was re-incorporated December 2, 1869, with a mayor–council government . The corporate seal of the City of Seattle carries

9900-620: The Metro Transit bus base, the Nile Temple near the Seattle Center, on 6th Avenue near University Street, and near Stewart Avenue and 5th Avenue. The feasibility study estimated the convention center could generate $ 22 million in annual revenue and spur $ 50 million in associated private development. The following year, the Seattle Chamber of Commerce formed a community task force representing government agencies and business groups to explore

10065-665: The Pacific Ocean) to the west and Lake Washington to the east. The city's chief harbor, Elliott Bay , is part of Puget Sound, making the city an oceanic port. To the west, beyond Puget Sound, are the Kitsap Peninsula and Olympic Mountains on the Olympic Peninsula ; to the east, beyond Lake Washington and the Eastside suburbs, are Lake Sammamish and the Cascade Range . Lake Washington's waters flow to Puget Sound through

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10230-446: The Seattle Center grounds. Intiman received a 22-year lease from the City. After a US$ 1.2 million renovation, in 1987, for the first time in its history, Intiman had a single facility with performance, rehearsal, production, shop and administrative areas. As it moved into its new facility, Intiman hired a new artistic director, Elizabeth Huddle, who served for the next six years, succeeded in 1993 by Warner Shook . In 1994, Intiman became

10395-661: The Seattle area and has been open to all residents of Washington since 2002. On March 20, 1970, twenty-eight people were killed when the Ozark Hotel was burned by an unknown arsonist. The Wah Mee massacre in 1983 resulted in the killing of 13 people in an illegal gambling club in the Seattle Chinatown-International District . Prosperity began to return in the 1980s beginning with Microsoft 's 1979 move from Albuquerque, New Mexico , to nearby Bellevue, Washington . Seattle and its suburbs became home to

10560-630: The Seattle area during his 1791–1795 expedition for the Royal Navy , which sought to chart the Pacific Northwest for the British. In 1851, a large party of American pioneers led by Luther Collins made a location on land at the mouth of the Duwamish River ; they formally claimed it on September 14, 1851. Thirteen days later, members of the Collins Party on the way to their claim passed three scouts of

10725-497: The Seattle convention center was waning. Instead, a compromise was reached to tax hotels in Seattle and Bellevue at different rates. The special committee evaluated a new set of proposed sites for the convention center, including the north side of the Kingdome. However, a design spanning Interstate 5 near Freeway Park was unanimously recommended in December. The freeway site was more difficult to construct and cost $ 25 million more than

10890-611: The United States. According to the ACS 1-year estimates, in 2018, the median income of a city household was $ 93,481, and the median income for a family was $ 130,656. 11.0% of the population and 6.6% of families were below the poverty line. Of people living in poverty, 11.4% were under the age of 18 and 10.9% were 65 or older. According to a 2024 study by Henley & Partners , the city of Seattle has an estimated 54,200 millionaires and 11 billionaires. Washington State Convention Center The Seattle Convention Center ( SCC ), formerly

11055-512: The United States. Its growth rate of 21.1% between 2010 and 2020 made it one of the country's fastest-growing large cities. Seattle is situated on an isthmus between Puget Sound , an inlet of the Pacific Ocean , and Lake Washington . It is the northernmost major city in the United States, located about 100 miles (160 km) south of the Canadian border . A gateway for trade with East Asia ,

11220-506: The agreement was set to expire. Negotiations between the convention center board, the state government, FSLIC, and Industrial Indemnity (a subsidiary of Xerox and primary insurers of Westside's loan) continued until a comprehensive financing agreement was reached on November 4, 1985. The agreement transferred Westside's property holdings to the convention center board for $ 5 million. It also reduced Industrial Indemnity's financial stake to $ 12 million, and appropriated $ 3.5 million to FSLIC after

11385-401: The bank prior to filing for bankruptcy. The convention center board began searching for a new development partner. Local firms were reluctant to accept the project because of its instability and risk, but national firms expressed some interest. Westside assumed control of CHG's $ 30 million share of private development and began its own search for outside lending and assistance while dealing with

11550-617: The bigger West Coast city. Seattle had building contracts that rivaled New York City and Chicago , but also lost to Los Angeles. Seattle's eastern farm land faded due to Oregon 's and the Midwest 's, forcing people into town. Hooverville arose during the Depression, leading to Seattle's growing homeless population. Stationed outside Seattle, the Hooverville housed thousands of men but very few children and no women. With work projects close to

11715-438: The bill also doubted that the project could be fully funded due to the saturated bond market and high interest rates at the time. During the initial bond sale in January 1983, the state sold $ 92.75 million (equivalent to $ 238 million in 2023 dollars) in general obligation bonds at 8.85 percent interest. In June 1982, the state legislature established a public nonprofit corporation to manage construction and operations of

11880-502: The budget shortfall with approval from the Washington State Treasurer in lieu of public financing. The Summit building topped out in June 2021 and hosted its first event on January 13, 2023; its final cost was nearly $ 2 billion. To prepare for its opening, the entire complex was renamed to the Seattle Convention Center (SCC) on April 18, 2022; the rebrand was originally planned to occur in June 2020 with fanfare, but

12045-483: The building's collection, including several carvings by Malynn Foster. Mowitch Man by Andrea Wilbur-Sigo of the Squaxin Island Tribe is installed outside the building, facing west toward Elliott Bay in a plaza at the intersection of Pine Street and Ninth Avenue. The statue was carved from a 20-foot Western red cedar log. Another entrance features Wilbur-Sigo's Creator , a statue depicting a pregnant woman with

12210-486: The city emerged from the Great Recession , commencing when Amazon moved its headquarters from North Beacon Hill to South Lake Union . The move initiated a historic construction boom which resulted in the completion of almost 10,000 apartments in Seattle in 2017, more than any previous year and nearly twice as many as were built in 2016. From 2010 to 2015, Seattle gained an average of 14,511 residents per year, with

12375-485: The city government, would replace the Metro Transit bus base and part of Memorial Stadium . The stadium part would be traded by the Seattle School District for the Metro Transit bus base. Some of the design options for the Seattle Center site included integrated bus facilities for Metro Transit in a lower level garage as well as a spur of the monorail serving the facility's top floor. The Kingdome site, deemed

12540-488: The city's population by almost 50,000 in the decade between 1990 and 2000. The culture of Seattle is heavily defined by its significant musical history . Between 1918 and 1951, nearly 24 jazz nightclubs existed along Jackson Street, from the current Chinatown/International District to the Central District . The jazz scene nurtured the early careers of Ernestine Anderson , Ray Charles , Quincy Jones , and others. In

12705-616: The city, Hooverville grew and the WPA settled into the city. A movement of women arose from Seattle during the Great Depression , fueled in part by Eleanor Roosevelt 's 1933 book It's Up to the Women ; women pushed for recognition, not just as housewives, but as the backbone to family. Using newspapers and journals Working Woman and The Woman Today , women pushed to be seen as equal and receive some recognition. The Great Depression did not impact

12870-535: The city. In 1990, the Goodwill Games were held in the city. Three years later, in 1993, the APEC leaders was hosted in Seattle. The 1990s also witnessed a growing popularity in grunge music, a sound that was largely developed in Seattle's independent music scene. In 1993, the movie Sleepless in Seattle brought the city further national attention, as did the television sitcom Frasier . The dot-com boom caused

13035-428: The conference were interrupted by widespread protests that blocked access to the convention center and the conference ultimately ended with the collapse of trade talks. The WTO meeting and protests did not cause widespread disruption to convention center operations, with only one rescheduled event and no cancelled bookings. Over ten major events at the convention center scheduled for March 2020 were cancelled due to

13200-477: The construction costs. The project moved into final design and environmental review after the signing of the CHG agreement. An additional signed agreement with the Washington State Department of Transportation spelled finalized a 66-year lease for the air rights above the freeway. A group of First Hill residents formed a citizens' group to oppose the freeway site's design, fearing its impact on fixed-income residents of

13365-433: The construction of the convention center and the proposed tower complex. The city council's urban redevelopment committee endorsed the hearing examiner's funding idea for review by the full council in their decision to grant permits for the project. The city council approved a zoning amendment and street vacation for the project and a compromise proposal with CHG to replace and rebuild 115 units of low-income housing near

13530-458: The convention center and contribute to a displacement mitigation fund. In early December, CHG filed for a bankruptcy petition to obtain new financing amid turmoil at its primary lender, Westside Federal Savings and Loan, who was also a signatory to the convention center agreement in September 1983. To avoid reaching Westside's single-borrower lending limit and furthering complicating the project's funding arrangement, CHG had deeded its parcels to

13695-570: The convention center complex, including $ 150 million in public funding and $ 34 million from private contributions and investments. Seattle's convention center opened within a few years of competing facilities in Vancouver and Portland, Oregon , the result of increased demand for conventions in the Pacific Northwest. At the time of its opening and formal christening in September 1988, the convention center had 103 reservations extending to 1996 and

13860-419: The convention center in 2008, ; and Sakura-Con , an anime convention hosted at the convention center since 2006. The convention center's largest trade show is the Northwest Flower and Garden Show , hosted since 1989 and attracting 60,000 visitors. Since 2017, the convention center has also hosted Microsoft 's Build developer conference, which has had an attendance of 6,000. The convention center

14025-485: The convention center in July. The convention center complex would include 140,000 square feet (13,000 m ) of exhibition space and a three-story glass enclosure facing Freeway Park and the retained 8th Avenue overpass. Air space around the center would be sold for private development. The facility would be designed for "middle of the market" conventions and trade shows, with 10,000 to 20,000 attendees, and include adaptable space for infrequent large events. Metro chose

14190-474: The convention center planned to double the amount of exhibition space with a new building on the site of the Convention Place transit station , was proposed in 2008 at a cost of $ 766 million. The convention center board proposed an appropriation of $ 15 million in hotel tax revenue to be used to acquire options on land needed for the project. The state legislature rejected the appropriation in May 2009, effectively putting

14355-572: The convention center project while continuing work on potential enhancements to the Seattle Center and Memorial Stadium. The state legislature authorized construction and further design of the convention center project during a special session in late May. The legislature also reduced the project's annual operating budget and rejected a proposed $ 6 million (equivalent to $ 15.4 million in 2023 dollars) issue of bonds. TRA Architects and engineering firm HNTB , with input from landscape designer Angela Danadjieva , unveiled an updated design concept for

14520-458: The convention center spends 40 percent of days without a large convention in session. The convention center reportedly turns away more events than it books. The convention center hosts several large annual events that draw in excess of 10,000 attendees. Among the facility's largest events are local fan conventions focused on various subcultures: PAX West , a gaming event hosted annually in September since 2007; Emerald City Comic Con moved to

14685-407: The convention center's structural components. Hudson Pacific Properties acquired the rights to the northeastern tower site on Boren Avenue and plans to build a 16-story office building that would open in late 2022. In May 2020, the project development team announced that they would seek financial assistance from the federal government and bonds to fill $ 300 million in unmet needs. The project

14850-453: The convention center. Governor Spellman appointed the corporation's board of directors which included banker James Cairns Jr. as chair, civic activist Jim Ellis , former councilwoman Phyllis Lamphere , and business leaders from Seattle and the Eastside. The appointed board was tasked with selecting a site for the convention center, with hopes of opening the facility by 1986. Public support for

15015-511: The date "1869" and a likeness of Chief Seattle in left profile. That same year, Seattle acquired the epithet of the "Queen City", a designation officially changed in 1982 to the "Emerald City". Seattle has a history of boom-and-bust cycles, like many other cities near areas of extensive natural and mineral resources. Seattle has risen several times economically, then gone into precipitous decline, but it has typically used those periods to rebuild solid infrastructure. The first such boom, covering

15180-569: The dealership at Olive Way and Boren Avenue for $ 56.5 million in January 2014, condemned a property on Howell Street in March 2015, and paid $ 6.6 million to Sound Transit in October 2015 for the last property outside of the transit station. A preliminary agreement with King County to acquire the Convention Place transit station for $ 147 million was signed in November 2015 and finalized in June 2017 for

15345-425: The design of the convention center. Local firm Skilling Ward Magnusson Barkshire engineered the structure. It straddles twelve lanes of Interstate 5 using a series of 30 concrete columns and reinforced concrete pilings driven 100 feet (30 m) underground. The original building is 800 feet (240 m) wide and encloses a space equivalent to twelve downtown blocks , resting atop several steel trusses . In

15510-508: The early 1970s as a form of economic stimulus following the " Boeing bust ". The City of Seattle proposed to site the convention center at the Seattle Center, funding it with $ 10 million (equivalent to $ 60.6 million in 2023 dollars) in Forward Thrust grants allocated towards a planned multipurpose stadium . The University of Washington , a major downtown landowner, and the city government considered another plan to renovate or replace

15675-579: The early part of the 20th century, and funded many new Seattle companies and products. In 1907, 19-year-old James E. Casey borrowed $ 100 from a friend and founded the American Messenger Company (later UPS ). Other Seattle companies founded during this period include Nordstrom and Eddie Bauer . Seattle brought in the Olmsted Brothers landscape architecture firm to design a system of parks and boulevards. The Gold Rush era culminated in

15840-486: The early years of the city, rode on the lumber industry. During this period the road now known as Yesler Way won the nickname "Skid Road", supposedly after the timber skidding down the hill to Henry Yesler 's sawmill. The later dereliction of the area may be a possible origin for the term which later entered the wider American lexicon as Skid Row . Like much of the U.S. West , Seattle experienced conflicts between labor and management and ethnic tensions that culminated in

16005-534: The end of the month, Westside's stock had fallen as the bank announced a deficit of $ 29.5 million. Further, the bank needed additional assistance from the Federal Home Loan Bank to continue their commitment in the convention center project. On August 30, the bank collapsed and was taken over by the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation (FSLIC). This left the private financing unclear days before

16170-742: The ensemble. Over the next several years, Intiman was awarded institutional status by the King County and Washington State Arts Commissions and received an NEA challenge grant. After a three-year planning process Intiman participated in the 1982 Scandinavia Today, an international exposition of Nordic culture, which took place in five American cities. Intiman presented staged readings of five contemporary works and two great classics on its main stage: The Wild Duck and A Dream Play , in collaboration with top Scandinavian directors, designers and playwrights. Meanwhile, Second Stage, Intiman's venue for nine theatrical seasons, faced demolition to make way for

16335-625: The event of a major vehicle fire under the convention center, the concrete ceiling of the freeway lid are designed to withstand high-temperature fires for up to eight hours and protect the steel from damage. The construction of the convention center also created a new traffic bottleneck on Interstate 5 due to decreased visibility caused by the building's shadow. The design of the building was praised for its uniqueness compared to other convention centers, as well as its interactions with Freeway Park. The building uses irregularly shaped and landscaped terraces to hide its scale from street level and emulates

16500-474: The exhibition hall kitchens on event days. The convention center's administrative offices located on the fifth floor, sharing space with several client conference rooms overlooking the exhibition hall. The conference center on the north side of Pike Street is a standalone facility with 71,000 square feet (6,596 m ) on four floors. TRA Architects and HNTB, with the assistance of Pietro Belluschi and environmental architect Angela Danadjieva , supervised

16665-605: The facility the 28th largest in the United States. The inaugural event at the expanded facility was the Seattle Gift Show in August 2001. The Seattle Public Library used a portion of the expansion's office space as a temporary branch during construction of the new central branch from July 2001 to May 2004. The space was originally planned to be used by the Museum of History and Industry after 2004. The museum decided to instead renovate

16830-485: The facility. The $ 190 million project would add 144,000 square feet (13,400 m ) of exhibition space and include space for a new central branch of the Seattle Public Library system. The state legislature initially rejected the expansion's $ 15 million property-and-study appropriation. Instead, it formed a committee to determine market demand and the economic feasibility of an expansion. The expansion plan

16995-464: The fifth-largest LGBT community in the U.S. Logging was Seattle's first major industry, but by the late 19th century the city had become a commercial and shipbuilding center as a gateway to Alaska during the Klondike Gold Rush . The city grew after World War II , partly due to the local company Boeing , which established Seattle as a center for its manufacturing of aircraft. Beginning in

17160-542: The final steel beam was installed in May 1987. The project used 19,500 short tons (17,700 t) of steel—more than that of the 76-story Columbia Center — lifted into place by a 450-short-ton (410 t) crane. Steelwork fell behind schedule in late August because of a shortage in imported Taiwanese steel pieces that were seized by federal inspectors to investigate and validate its origin. The steel pieces were delivered and installed in autumn 1986, but were found to have cracked joints in need of repair. The final piece of

17325-459: The first regional theatre company in the country to be awarded the rights to produce Tony Kushner 's Tony - and Pulitzer -winning two-part epic Angels in America . Part One: Millennium Approaches closed Intiman's 1994 season, and Part Two: Perestroika opened the 1995 season. Directed by Shook, the complete Angels in America was the most commercially successful production ever to be produced at

17490-429: The following weeks while preparations began for a series of large conferences and events at the new facility. The facility opened with 152,000 square feet (14,100 m ) of usable space, including 102,000 square feet (9,500 m ) for exhibitions and 50,000 square feet (4,600 m ), making it the 20th largest in the United States. It cost $ 186 million (equivalent to $ 413 million in 2023 dollars) to construct

17655-468: The founders of Duwamps, was the primary advocate to name the settlement Seattle after Chief Seattle ( Lushootseed : siʔaɫ , anglicized as "Seattle"), chief of the Duwamish and Suquamish tribes. The name "Seattle" appears on official Washington Territory papers dated May 23, 1853, when the first plats for the village were filed. In 1855, nominal land settlements were established. On January 14, 1865,

17820-448: The fourth floor, divided into two halls connected by a 90-foot-wide (27 m) skybridge across the north and south sides of Pike Street. It has a capacity for 1,105 booths or 8,000 people seated for plenary sessions . The exhibition level also has truck ramps connected to Hubbell Place and 23 loading docks, along with freight elevator access and a dedicated bridge over Pike Street. The facility's 68 meeting rooms are primarily on

17985-450: The freeway concept was later modified at the urging of First Hill neighborhood groups to include low-income housing to replace lost units. On March 31, 1983, the convention center board of directors voted 8–1 in favor of the freeway site. Several boardmembers cited its potential as a catalyst for a downtown revival that outweighed the higher cost and complexity. The city government responded by pledging to cooperate on design and permitting of

18150-411: The growth strongly skewed toward the center of the city, and unemployment dropped from roughly 9 percent to 3.6 percent. The city has found itself "bursting at the seams", with over 45,000 households spending more than half their income on housing and at least 2,800 people homeless , and with the country's sixth-worst rush-hour traffic. Seattle is located between the saltwater Puget Sound (an arm of

18315-476: The highest floors are a 58,000-square-foot (5,400 m ) ballroom. Summit has 19 elevators, 42 escalators, and several stairways. The expansion incorporates environmentally-friendly features, including a rooftop solar array , reclaimed wood furnishings, radiant flooring for heating, and fabric paneling. The wood finishes use local species from the Pacific Northwest. The building's initial retail tenants include Ethan Stowell 's restaurant Bombo Italian Kitchen,

18480-401: The hilliest areas are near the city center, with Capitol Hill, First Hill, and Beacon Hill collectively constituting something of a ridge along an isthmus between Elliott Bay and Lake Washington. The break in the ridge between First Hill and Beacon Hill is man-made, a result of two of the many regrading projects that reshaped the topography of the city center. The topography of the city center

18645-473: The initial phase of construction. The $ 42 million (equivalent to $ 101 million in 2023 dollars) loan and financing agreement for the private portion of the convention center project was announced in late July. It was scheduled to be signed in August, but last-minute concerns from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle , charged with supervision of Westside, led to a breakdown in negotiations. By

18810-418: The last person leaving Seattle – Turn out the lights." Seattle remained the corporate headquarters of Boeing until 2001, when the company separated its headquarters from its major production facilities; the headquarters were moved to Chicago. The Seattle area is still home to Boeing's Renton narrow-body plant and Everett wide-body plant . The company's credit union for employees, BECU , remains based in

18975-425: The late 19th and early 20th centuries were almost entirely from Guangdong Province . The Seattle area is also home to a large Vietnamese population of more than 55,000 residents, as well as over 30,000 Somali immigrants. The Seattle-Tacoma area is also home to one of the largest Cambodian communities in the United States, numbering about 19,000 Cambodian Americans, and one of the largest Samoan communities in

19140-456: The late 20th and early 21st century, the city also was the origin of several rock bands, including Foo Fighters , Heart , and Jimi Hendrix , and the subgenre of grunge and its pioneering bands, including Alice in Chains , Nirvana , Pearl Jam , Soundgarden , and others. Archaeological excavations suggest that Native Americans have inhabited the Seattle area for at least 4,000 years. By

19305-483: The mainland U.S., with over 15,000 people having Samoan ancestry. Additionally, the Seattle area had the highest percentage of self-identified mixed-race people of any large metropolitan area in the United States, according to the 2000 United States Census Bureau. According to a 2012 HistoryLink study, Seattle's 98118 ZIP code (in the Columbia City neighborhood) was one of the most diverse ZIP Code Tabulation Areas in

19470-606: The miners in Alaska and the Yukon . Few of those working men found lasting wealth. However, it was Seattle's business of clothing the miners and feeding them salmon that panned out in the long run. Along with Seattle, other cities like Everett , Tacoma , Port Townsend , Bremerton , and Olympia , all in the Puget Sound region, became competitors for exchange, rather than mother lodes for extraction, of precious metals. The boom lasted into

19635-446: The need to pause, reflect and relaunch with a financially sustainable and artistically vibrant new model. After listening to input from artists, audiences, funders and the community, Intiman launched its first summer theatre festival in July and August 2012 under the leadership of Artistic Director Andrew Russell and Managing Director Keri Kellerman. The festival, curated from the impulses of an artist collective , featured four plays and

19800-662: The neighborhood. The group announced plans in July 1983 to file a lawsuit to halt further planning. In response to displacement concerns from First Hill, the convention center's private development site was shifted to the west side of Interstate 5. The group later lobbied state legislators to overrule the convention center board's decision to put the renovation of low-income units in the Eagles Auditorium Building on hold. The draft environmental impact statement , published in November and amended in February 1984, recommended

19965-531: The new facility. The project moved to city council for approval, along with a CHG proposal to build two 40-story hotel and office towers over the convention center before the city's new zoning restrictions were to take effect. Ahead of a city council hearing on land-use restrictions and zoning for the convention center project, the city hearing examiner proposed that CHG build or fund $ 1.5 million (equivalent to $ 3.72 million in 2023 dollars) in low-income housing. This would offset potential displacement caused by

20130-467: The north side of Pike Street over a proposed site on First Hill. They offered to build 772 low-income housing units to replace similar units that would be demolished for the project. The convention center board selected two private co-developers to build a hotel and office tower as part of the expansion: R.C. Hedreen would lead the convention center portion and build a separate 30-story hotel and parking garage for $ 145 million; Trammell Crow would develop

20295-472: The one "left behind" in the "two-horse race" between the freeway and Seattle Center proposals, would replace the north parking lot and be adjacent to King Street Station . A pedestrian bridge would cross over the tracks to reach 4th Avenue South. A report prepared by a consultant hired by the convention center board favored the freeway site for its marketability. However, it found that the Kingdome and Seattle Center sites would be easily expandable and would have

20460-469: The original landing location, reestablished their old land claim and called it "New York", but renamed "New York Alki" in April 1853, from a Chinook word meaning, roughly, "by and by" or "someday". For the next few years, New York Alki and Duwamps competed for dominance, but in time Alki was abandoned and its residents moved across the bay to join the rest of the settlers. David Swinson "Doc" Maynard , one of

20625-488: The park by using interspersed plants and trees. The convention center's lobbies and atrium also include small trees, shrubs, ivy, and flowers in planters used to divide lounge areas. The south wall and atrium lobby is broken into green glass cubes that extend to the ceiling; it faces Ellis Plaza, an extension of the park that includes several pieces of public art commissioned and by the convention center's percent for art program. The convention center's public art includes

20790-640: The plan for Intiman to operate and manage a theatre facility on the grounds of Seattle Center . That facility, the Seattle Center Playhouse (later Intiman Playhouse and later Cornish Playhouse) had been built for the Century 21 Exposition (the 1962 Seattle World's Fair ), and had then served as the original home of the Seattle Repertory Theatre. In 1982, the Rep had moved to a new facility elsewhere on

20955-489: The planned sale of the McKay Hotel. The state government agreed to buy the rest of the convention center property for $ 8.5 million (equivalent to $ 20.5 million in 2023 dollars). Despite the ongoing negotiations to secure private financing, Paschen Contractors was awarded the project's $ 97.6 million construction contract on August 27, 1985; demolition work on the site began on September 17. A ceremonial groundbreaking

21120-411: The population, Spanish was spoken by 4.5% of the population, speakers of other Indo-European languages made up 3.9%, and speakers of other languages made up 2.5%. Seattle's foreign-born population grew 40% between the 1990 and 2000 censuses. The Chinese population in the Seattle area has origins in mainland China , Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, and Taiwan . The earliest Chinese-Americans that came in

21285-518: The production of Boeing aircraft. The war dispersed the city's numerous Japanese-American businessmen due to the Japanese American internment . After the World War II, however, the local economy dipped. It rose again with Boeing's growing dominance in the commercial airliner market. Seattle celebrated its restored prosperity and made a bid for world recognition with the Century 21 Exposition ,

21450-499: The project cut during earlier design revisions. As part of the convention center's development agreement, it renovated the historic Eagles Auditorium Building at a cost of $ 30 million. The center sold it to A Contemporary Theatre for use as a downtown theater, which opened in 1996. The McKay Apartments building, also part of the development agreement, was demolished in 1990 after sitting vacant for three years. The convention center's success during its first five years of operations

21615-420: The project on hold. The proposal was revived in 2012 and expanded to include two triangular blocks to the north of the transit station, then occupied by a car dealership. The convention center proposed a 1.2-million-square-foot (110,000 m ) expansion with 310,000 square feet (29,000 m ) of exhibition space and several office or hotel towers built by co-developers. The convention center board acquired

21780-424: The project remained high because of a local recession. The project's location and public amenities, however, were the subject of a major debate that spanned several months of public hearings and city council meetings. TRA Architects were named as the head of a joint venture design team in September 1982. They unveiled preliminary designs for the convention center in February 1983 based on three finalist sites and

21945-417: The project's new general contractor. Due to delays in receiving city approval and permits, construction was pushed back to May 2018 and its cost increased to $ 1.7 billion. In May 2018, the city council approved the project's street vacation for Terry Avenue in exchange for $ 80 million in public benefits. These included funding for affordable housing, improvements to Freeway Park and nearby bicycle lanes, and

22110-528: The project's private financing was secured in September 1986. Contractors Paschen and Tishman Midwest signed a tentative $ 42.5 million agreement to purchase and renovate the Eagles and McKay buildings for use as low-income housing. Governor Gardner proposed an additional round of state bonds in place of the Paschen–Tishman agreement to retain state control of the project, at a cost of $ 49.4 million. In March 1988,

22275-442: The proposed Kingdome and Metro Transit sites but was closer to downtown hotels and retailers. The Select Committee on Feasibility of a State Trade and Convention Center wrote a bill in late 1981 providing $ 99 million (equivalent to $ 281 million in 2023 dollars) in issued bonds for the convention center project paid with a countywide hotel-motel tax. It was read during the 1982 legislative session and passed by both houses during

22440-463: The re-opening of bids and a three-month delay in construction. To reduce construction costs, the convention center board considered design changes that were opposed by Mayor Royer. He feared that cutbacks could create an "eyesore" similar to the bare-bones Kingdome. The convention center board proceeded with the design changes, at the urging of financial consultants. They cut $ 15.8 million by using leased equipment, rearranging interiors, and eliminating

22605-410: The regular session before being signed by Governor Spellman on March 13, 1982. The bill included provisions for other cities to use a similar hotel-motel tax for their convention centers. It faced some opposition because of the state's worsening debt problems, which could prevent it from repaying the bonds if the hotel-motel tax failed to fully cover construction cost. Some of the lawmakers who supported

22770-530: The remaining site options and submit a funding proposal to the state legislature . The task force, together with Mayor Charles Royer , announced their recommendation of the Metro Transit bus base site in December 1978, rejecting a plan from city-hired consultants and deciding instead to side with the business community. The city and chamber of commerce began formally lobbying the state legislature to approve $ 64.2 million (equivalent to $ 235 million in 2023 dollars) in 30-year general obligation bonds issued by

22935-434: The second, third, and sixth floors and include 123,761 square feet (11,498 m ) of total space. The meeting floors are shared with other uses: the second and third floors are also parking garages with a total of 1,490 stalls. The sixth has the facility's kitchen and four ballrooms with 44,628 square feet (4,146 m ) of space. The convention center has a concessions and catering contract with Aramark , which uses

23100-490: The south atrium and generates phrases using ten electronic signs with words from various languages. The convention center formally established its own arts program in 1997, under the leadership of board member Phyllis Lamphere. The program partnered with the Washington State Arts Commission in 2003 to curate and coordinate its art collection. The convention center produced several commissioned pieces for

23265-635: The south to Pine Street in the north. It is six stories tall and has 414,722 square feet (38,529 m ) of rentable event space. The building's main public space is a four-story atrium with restaurants, shops, and public artwork . Each floor has a lobby, with two that open to street-level entrances: the Pike Lobby at Pike Street, which includes a visitor center , and 7th Avenue and the Atrium Lobby facing Freeway Park and Union Square . Arch has 236,700 square feet (21,990 m ) of exhibition space on

23430-434: The start of construction past the state's June deadline. This delay, and the attention given to the project's issues, caused four major conventions to cancel their early reservations. There had been 30 firm bookings and 79 tentative bookings. Bidding on the convention center project was opened in April and split into thirteen packages; the initial bids for three of the packages were 10 percent higher than estimated, forcing

23595-402: The state government choose the freeway site, and fund promotion and marketing for the new facility. The convention center board of directors unanimously adopted the final environmental impact statement, including the freeway site, on March 26, 1984. It included a 40 percent enlargement of Freeway Park and agreements with the managers of nearby buildings to integrate stairways and open space into

23760-500: The state legislature approved a $ 58 million bond package to complete construction of the convention center and buy and renovate the nearby Eagles Building. The Washington State Convention and Trade Center hosted its first event, a 1,400-member conference for professional meeting and convention planners , on June 18, 1988. It was formally dedicated by Governor Gardner, Mayor Royer, and County Executive Tim Hill on June 23, hosting 4,000 guests. Self-guided public tours were offered in

23925-479: The state legislature asking to sell the remaining $ 6.25 million in bonds from the original $ 90 million package. The House and Senate approved the bill in April, with provisions to relax financial restrictions on the organization. Westside, meanwhile, received a pledge for a $ 40 million loan from Rainier National Bank and 11 other lenders in Washington state. The financing plan had been delayed long enough to push back

24090-479: The state, and a hotel-motel tax increase to pay for the project, which was dubbed the Washington State Convention and Trade Center. The state legislature considered the financing plan in February 1979, with Governor Dixy Lee Ray taking a neutral stance on state funding despite her support of the project. However, the bill was introduced too late in the legislative session to pass out of committee and

24255-492: The street level were created by Satpreet Kahlon, Ulises Mariscal, Maki Tamura, and Robert Hardgrave. The interior also features A Place in the Woods by Cathy McClure and LMN Architects. The work comprises 45 perforated wooden panels that hang over the street level lobby. A new work by Dan Webb, a stained glass window inspired by local marquee signs, is expected to be installed near the southwest entrance in 2023. The Summit building

24420-419: The theatre, reaching more than 63,000 attendees over its two-year run. Over the next decade, Intiman produced plays by such provocative and influential American writers as Edward Albee , Moisés Kaufman , Ellen McLaughlin , Terrence McNally , David Rabe , Anna Deavere Smith , Paula Vogel , and Chay Yew . Seattle, Washington Seattle ( / s i ˈ æ t əl / see- AT -əl )

24585-465: The time the first European settlers arrived, the Duwamish people occupied at least 17 villages in the areas around Elliott Bay . The name for the modern city of Seattle in Lushootseed , dᶻidᶻəlal̓ič , meaning "little crossing-over place", comes from one of these villages, which was located at the present-day King Street Station . In May 1792, George Vancouver was the first European to visit

24750-557: The two front-runner sites at the freeway and Seattle Center ahead of a potential decision by the convention center board scheduled for March 31. Downtown business groups, including the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce, as well as tourism groups, downtown retailers, and hotel owners supported the freeway site. The Seattle Center site received the support of mayor Charles Royer , the city council, who voted 8–1 in favor of it, and several unions and tenants groups. The design of

24915-481: Was a 65-seat theater in Kirkland, Washington . Under the leadership of artistic directors Megs and John Booker, the Intiman officially incorporated as a non-profit theatre in 1973. Over the next few years, the company mounted productions at Cornish College and Gary Austin 's Second Stage Theatre in Seattle, growing in attendance and budget each season. By 1978, Intiman called itself "Seattle's Classic Theatre" and featured

25080-411: Was actively seeking bookings from international conferences. By its second full year of operation, the convention center was booking 80 events annually and attracting 375,000 attendees; its largest event was a national convention of Alcoholics Anonymous in July 1990, which drew 48,000 attendees. A minor expansion was completed in July 1991, adding new banquet and meeting rooms and restoring elements of

25245-731: Was also changed by the construction of a seawall and the artificial Harbor Island (completed 1909) at the mouth of the city's industrial Duwamish Waterway , the terminus of the Green River . The highest point within city limits is at High Point in West Seattle, which is located near 35th Ave SW and SW Myrtle St. North of the city center, the Lake Washington Ship Canal connects Puget Sound to Lake Washington. It incorporates four natural bodies of water: Lake Union , Salmon Bay , Portage Bay , and Union Bay . Due to its location in

25410-438: Was awarded LEED Platinum certification in December 2023 for its environmentally friendly features and design, which included reduced carbon emissions and energy use. A public facilities district , created in 2010 to replace direct management by the state government, operates the Seattle Convention Center. The public facilities district is governed by a board of directors with nine members. The City of Seattle, King County, and

25575-472: Was credited with revitalizing Downtown Seattle and its retail core. At the behest of the Nordstrom family and other downtown business groups, planning began for an expansion of exhibition and meeting space to host additional events. Preliminary plans for the expansion were unveiled in January 1994. They proposed a six-story building on the north side of Pike Street that was envisioned in the original designs for

25740-482: Was delayed and announced without a celebration due to the pandemic. Hudson Pacific subsequently announced the start of construction on the 16-story office building, officially named Washington 1000, on April 28; the building's opening date was pushed back to early 2024. The convention center is adjacent to several downtown hotels and the Pike–Pine retail corridor, which includes Westlake Center and Pacific Place . It

25905-412: Was delayed to the next year. A citizen initiative restricting the city's ability to fund tourist activities, including the convention center, filed and placed on the November 1979 ballot by anti-tax activists. It was defeated by voters, but the campaign introduced public doubts about the project. The state legislature formed a special committee in early 1981 to study the convention center proposal and

26070-412: Was endorsed by city council in late 1994, with the promise of protecting existing low-income housing in exchange for financial support. The proposal returned to the state legislature during the 1995 session. A state contribution of $ 111.7 million was authorized for construction, provided private or local funding was secured beforehand. In October 1996, the convention center board chose a two-block site on

26235-474: Was founded in the immediate wake of the fire. The Panic of 1893 hit Seattle hard. The second and most dramatic boom resulted from the Klondike Gold Rush , which ended the depression that had begun with the Panic of 1893 . In a short time, Seattle became a major transportation center. On July 14, 1897, the S.S. Portland docked with its famed "ton of gold", and Seattle became the main transport and supply point for

26400-399: Was held on September 19 featuring speeches by Governor Booth Gardner and Mayor Royer. During construction, sections of Interstate 5 were closed or narrowed during nights and weekends, along with long-term closures of various ramps and the 8th Avenue overpass. Construction of the building's foundation began in January 1986 followed by work on the basement level and 30 concrete columns in

26565-705: Was mildly prosperous in the 1920s but was particularly hard hit in the Great Depression, experiencing some of the country's harshest labor strife in that era. Violence during the Maritime Strike of 1934 cost Seattle much of its maritime traffic, which was rerouted to the Port of Los Angeles . The Great Depression in Seattle affected many minority groups, one being the Asian Pacific Americans; they were subject to racism, loss of property, and failed claims of unemployment due to citizenship status. Seattle

26730-485: Was one of the major cities that benefited from programs such as the Works Progress Administration , CCC , Public Works Administration , and others. The workers, mostly men, built roads, parks, dams, schools, railroads, bridges, docks, and even historical and archival record sites and buildings. Seattle faced significant unemployment, loss of lumber and construction industries as Los Angeles prevailed as

26895-448: Was one of the whitest big cities in the country, although its proportion of white residents has been gradually declining. In 1960, whites constituted 91.6% of the city's population, while in 2010 they constituted 69.5%. According to the 2006–2008 American Community Survey , approximately 78.9% of residents over the age of five spoke only English at home. Those who spoke Asian languages other than Indo-European languages made up 10.2% of

27060-536: Was selected as the venue of the 1999 conference of the World Trade Organization , to be attended by 3,000 delegates and 2,000 journalists and observers. The state legislature approved $ 970,000 in funds to prepare the convention center for the conference, which was scheduled to take place from November 30 to December 3. The funds covered security measures for President Bill Clinton , Secretary of State Madeleine Albright , and United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan , who were all expected to attend. The first days of

27225-402: Was ultimately given preliminary approval by the city council in August 1998, along with land use permits as part of the final approvals for the project. Dissenting city council members re-opened the debate on the skybridge during consideration of a proposed street vacation , but the city council approved the design again in April 1999 to prevent a costly last-minute redesign. Construction on

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