Amazon founder Jeff Bezos announced Thursday that his company bought the naming rights to Seattle’s revamped arena, but it won’t share the name of the online retail giant. Instead, Bezos said it will be called Climate Pledge Arena as a “regular reminder of the urgent need for climate action.”
Seattle’s expansion NHL team, which is set to launch in the 2021-22 season, and the Seattle Storm of the WNBA will be tenants at Climate Pledge Arena. The venue formerly known as KeyArena is being rebuilt and is expected to be “the first net zero carbon certified arena in the world and set a new sustainability bar for the sports and events industry,” according to a news release.
Financial terms for the naming rights deal were not announced.
Last year, Amazon partnered with Global Optimism to form The Climate Pledge, which calls on businesses to sign it and vow to make their companies net zero carbon by 2040.
Bezos said the arena won’t generate any waste and will use reclaimed rainwater “to create the greenest ice in the NHL.” It also will be all electric and powered with 100 percent renewable energy from both solar panels on site and off-site renewable energy.
View this post on Instagram I’m excited to announce that Amazon has bought the naming rights to the historic Seattle arena previously known as KeyArena. Instead of calling it Amazon Arena, we’re naming it Climate Pledge Arena as a regular reminder of the urgent need for climate action. It will be the first net zero carbon certified arena in the world, generate zero waste from operations and events, and use reclaimed rainwater in the ice system to create the greenest ice in the NHL. #ClimatePledge A post shared by Jeff Bezos (@jeffbezos) on Jun 25, 2020 at 11:00am PDT
I’m excited to announce that Amazon has bought the naming rights to the historic Seattle arena previously known as KeyArena. Instead of calling it Amazon Arena, we’re naming it Climate Pledge Arena as a regular reminder of the urgent need for climate action. It will be the first net zero carbon certified arena in the world, generate zero waste from operations and events, and use reclaimed rainwater in the ice system to create the greenest ice in the NHL. #ClimatePledge
A post shared by Jeff Bezos (@jeffbezos) on Jun 25, 2020 at 11:00am PDT
Amazon and Oak View Group have partnered in investing in the arena rebuilding.
“There is no question that the state of our planet is a critical issue for all of us,” said Tim Leiweke, CEO of Oak View Group. “We have a responsibility to future generations to try to leave them with a better world. We love that Amazon is using its naming rights for a cause we care deeply about. … Our goal is to be the most progressive, responsible, and sustainable venue in the world. It is not just about one arena — it’s a platform for us to step up and heal our planet.” Holders of tickets to NHL and WNBA games can ride public transit for free to promote ride sharing and conservation.
The 18,100-seat venue, which sits in the shadow of the Space Needle, is expected to host 200 events each year, including sports, entertainment and civic programs. The renovation is budgeted at $930 million.
–Field Level Media (@FieldLevelMedia)
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