Puget Sound shimmers in the distance while snow-capped Mount Rainier looks on serenely – the view from inside the stadium. Yet it meets NFL and FIFA field size and sight line requirements. The state now has a venue for major events like the Super Bowl, World Cup, Final Four tournaments, concerts and the Olympics.
Large, open plazas perfect for markets, festivals and other community events rub shoulders with the historic and international neighborhoods south of downtown. The entrance and North Plaza beckon the city. Regional and national art work is displayed everywhere.
Paul Allen was transfixed by the model of the open bleachers. Then he asked, ‘Where else has this been done?’ When we told him ‘nowhere,’ he said, ‘Great, we’re going to do this.’
James Poulson, lead designer, Ellerbe Becket
