A Seattle City Council committee will get an update Thursday on transportation and design plans for the KeyArena renovation at Seattle Center.
The new arena plan is on track to be finalized by the city in September, in time for the NHL to officially award an expansion franchise to play in it. That's according to a draft outline presented before Seattle City Council earlier this month.
The council committee will look at transportation challenges that may exist both during and after construction. The Oak View Group, the group leading this project, is pledging $40 million to help with the effort. Project leaders are looking at some options from more parking garages to a street dedicated to walkers and bikers.
The Council Committee will look at a Monorail study July 26. Many believe a more efficient monorail option may be a potential solution to getting people into the heavily congested Lower Queen Anne and South Lake Union areas. Amendments are scheduled to be heard August 10 before a final committee vote on September 14. It would then likely be approved three days later.
It is expected the NHL will give a conditional approval to an expansion franchise in June with a final full league approval in September.
The Oak View Group struck a $660 million deal with the council last December in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding. The MOU requires certain targets to be met before construction can begin. OVG has targeted October to begin demolition so the new arena could be open in time for the 2020 season.
A draft environmental review in April showed the group wants to build at 750,000 square-foot arena on the current site of KeyArena -- more than doubling the current capacity. The final environmental review is now scheduled to be done by August 31.
