Seattle’s New Convention Center to Spark Renaissance for Meeting Planners

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Seattle is poised to become a leading meetings capital as it braces for new openings this year. With a new state-of-the-art convention center set to debut alongside a rebranding of its main convention center, the unveiling of a new International Arrivals Facility at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and a cache of new luxury hotel properties, along with an investment in community partnerships, Seattle is full of news that meeting planners will want to hear.

The most significant story is that in January 2023, Seattle will usher in a new era of excellence for the meetings and conventions industry with the debut of the Summit building. The 1.5-million-square-foot center joins the existing Arch building in creating a meetings compound at the recently rebranded Seattle Convention Center (SCC).

Spanning four blocks in the heart of Seattle’s business and entertainment district, the Summit makes an architectural statement with its mostly glass edifice revealing a cascading wood stair climb with areas to sit, mingle and admire the view of the famed Pike Place Market. With functional and flexible event space, including a 100,000-square-foot hall and column-free ballroom, the Summit can accommodate single large shows as well as concurrent events.

The building boasts a nod to sustainability, with LEED certification and a garden terrace. Salvaged wood, culled from log booms and a building that once stood on the site, as well as other sustainable sources, is incorporated throughout the design.

The new SCC’s Summit building also brings with it a community benefits package to enhance the lives of locals, including:

• Affordable public housing
• Public art and open spaces
• Improvements to the pedestrian, bicycle and transit infrastructure

Other newsworthy items include the new International Arrivals Facility at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and the Climate Pledge Arena, an ILFI Net-Zero Carbon Certified multi-purpose live entertainment venue that opened last fall. Seattle is also welcoming a cache of new luxury hotels, including the 232-key citizenM, Astra Hotel and Lotte Hotel Seattle, giving meeting planners even more reason than ever to keep Seattle top of mind.

Visiting Seattle? Visit https://visitseattle.org for more information.