SEATTLE (CelebrityAccess) — Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and Oak View Group’s Tim Leiweke are set to sign a memorandum of understanding on Tuesday, as OVG lines up to oversee the renovation of the city’s KeyArena.
The signing comes just a day after the Seattle City Council voted 7-1 to approve the $600 million renovation deal that the city hopes will attract and NHL and possibly NBA team as tenants for the arena.
“We still have work to do. The mayor was elected, and she has the right to ultimately make the final decision. We respect that process, and until she makes that decision we’re not done. And so we’re going to wait on any public comments until we can give the mayor a chance to weigh in on this,” ’’ Leiweke said after the vote, according to the Seattle Times.
Leiweke’s Oak View Group beat out competitors including AEG and a local consortium led by Chris Hansen who had proposed a scaled-back renovation plan for the arena. Hansen is still pitching his arena vision, and is seeking permission to build the project on a part of Occidental Avenue South, the Times reported.
“Having two viable arena options puts Seattle in the best position to attract an NBA team,” Hansen said in a statement after Monday’s City Council vote. “If some future NBA ownership group is unable to reach a competitive deal at Seattle Center, having an alternative is vital for the City and Sonics fans. We ask the City Council to consider our revised application.”
Oak View Group is pursuing an aggressive timeline for the renovations and is hoping to begin construction by next October.
