Official Groundbreaking and Shovel Ceremony for Washington State Convention Center Addition, Summit  

State, County and City officials celebrate beginning of work on downtown Seattle’s largest capital project

WHAT: State, county and city government officials alongside private industry and labor icons will help convention center leaders break ground on the Washington State Convention Center additional facility, Summit. The $1.7 billion project will help grow Seattle’s already strong demand for meetings and conventions business as well as reconnect multiple neighborhoods to downtown, making them more navigable for visitors and residents alike.

WHERE: Terry Avenue and Olive Way (1 block north of existing facility)

WHO:  Featured events and speakers include:

• Official Speeches
  • Washington State Convention Center Chairman Frank Finneran
  • Washington State Convention Center President & CEO Jeff Blosser
  • Washington State Department of Commerce Director Brian Bonlender
  • King County Executive Dow Constantine
  • Seattle Building Trades Executive Secretary Monty Anderson
  • First Hill Improvement Association Executive Director Alex Hudson
  • Visit Seattle President & CEO Tom Norwalk
  • Microsoft Director & Executive Producer Christi Wilfong
  • PCMA President & CEO Sherrif Karamat

WHEN: Tuesday, August 14, 2018

• Arrivals: 9:30 a.m.
• Presentation and speeches: 10-11:20 a.m.
• Refreshments: 11:20 a.m.-12:20 p.m.

WHY: The addition seeks to build upon the strong growth and demand for Seattle’s convention business. In the past five years, Seattle has turned down more than 350 event proposals because dates were not available, costing the region more than $2.13 billion in potential economic benefit. When finished, the WSCC Summit is expected to drive more than 400,000 new conventioneers to the city and generate more than $19 million dollars in revenue each year by bringing demand year-round to our hotels, restaurants, retailers, performing arts centers and cultural sites.

It offers a rare opportunity to knit together and strengthen neighborhoods, like Capitol Hill, South Lake Union, Denny Triangle and Pike and Pine, left divided by past infrastructure projects. Acting in tandem, convention and local officials earmarked $93 million from the project to make drastic improvements in pedestrian and transit infrastructure, refurbish open space sites and create affordable housing opportunities in the city.

Visuals: Groundbreaking and shovel ceremony with all officials and dignitaries

Technical: Multi-box connections will be available to news media who need audio from the podium

Press room – https://visitseattle.org/press/

Groundbreaking press kit (live on August 14, 2018) – https://visitseattle.org/press/convention-center-groundbreaking-press-kit/

Information on WSCC – https://www.wscc.com/additional-facility  AND https://visitseattle.org/meeting-planners/washington-state-convention-center/

Construction updates – http://www.wsccaddition.com/

Please RSVP to Kauilani Robinson, (206) 461-5839, [email protected]

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