Seattle Memorial Stadium Falls, $150M Replacement on the Horizon

Photo Courtesy of Kyle M. Keenan

Seattle’s Memorial Stadium is coming down after nearly 80 years of high school football games and graduations, soccer matches, and community events. Demolition crews are dismantling the aging grandstands at Seattle Center to clear the way for a $150 million, state-of-the-art multipurpose venue.

The new stadium will seat 6,500 people and have a capacity of 8,000. It will feature three covered seating areas and multiple courtyards on the east and west sides. New concession areas, restrooms, locker rooms, and space center shops will be added. The design will integrate the stadium into the Seattle Center campus.

The new stadium will be designed by Kansas City firm Generator Studio, a specialist in sports venues, which is collaborating on the design with local firm GGLO. Funding the costs will be $66.5 million, along with nearly $4 million in state funding and $40 million from the city of Seattle.

Built in 1947 to honor Seattle students who lost their lives in World War II, the stadium’s legacy will live on with a preserved and expanded memorial plaza. The new facility will keep its high school football and graduation traditions while adding a broader slate of sports, from professional rugby to Ultimate Frisbee, with events planned annually.

Photo courtesy of Brendon Keelan

The stadium is home to the Seattle Cascades (United Frisbee Association), Tempest (Western Ultimate League) has called the venue home since 2015 and 2021, respectively. Both teams will be sad to see the old stands razed, according to GM Xtehn Frame.

“The stadium means a lot to our organization. I played on that field with the Cascades, coached the team, and can't count the number of home games we've hosted there - maybe more than any other pro team. It's sad to see those old concrete grandstands come down, but I'm looking forward to what's to come!”

The stadium served as the first home of the Seattle Sounders when they were in the NASL and later the USL First Division. It also served as the home venue to the Seattle Reign of the National Women's Soccer League and FC Ballard in USL League Two.

The Cascades and Tempest will play home games at temporary Interbay Stadium on the campus of Seattle Pacific University until construction is completed. However, Frame added that the team's home is at Seattle Center.

“We really embraced Memorial Stadium in the heart of Seattle, and made our home games super fun & family friendly. Opening ceremonies with flags flying, a kid zone with a bouncy house, and Casey the Sasquatch roaming the stands. Of course, the on-field action was awesome to see from those steep grandstands.

Opposing teams would tell us that we had the loudest and most passionate fans in the league!”

The stadium hopes to be completed by the end of 2027 and operate as a sustainable not-for-profit venture, rather than a commercial enterprise. Seattle Public Schools will retain ownership and prioritize student athletics and events.

Officials say the transformation will open the site to the community, create new sight lines to landmarks like the Space Needle, and make the venue a hub for Seattle sports for decades to come.

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Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter and his YouTube channel. Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com