Team and arena outline guidance for guests prior to inaugural events

SEATTLE, Wash. — September 7, 2021 — In compliance with the mandate from Washington state, Climate Pledge Arena and the Seattle Kraken have announced that all guests, ages 12 and over, attending Kraken games, concerts and events at Climate Pledge Arena will be required to provide proof of vaccination upon entry. In the near-term, all guests will also be required to wear a mask while attending events until further guidance from Washington state.

The Kraken and Climate Pledge Arena will introduce a seamless and convenient process to allow guests to show proof of full vaccination via their smartphones. 

“On March 1, 2018, we started this amazing journey together to build a new arena under an historical roof and bring the 32nd NHL franchise to Seattle,” said Seattle Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke. “We are now poised to open Climate Pledge Arena and celebrate together, at capacity, in an environment that is safe for our fans, staff, players and artists.”

Climate Pledge Arena already boasts several unique safety measures that will enhance the guest experience:

• An unparalleled air circulation and filtration system that is the most advanced of its kind in North America:
  • MERV-13 filters have been installed throughout the building to, not only meet, but exceed CDC guidelines.
  • 100 percent of the air filtered into the arena will be brought in from the outside.
• Enhanced cleaning and sanitization procedures that will ensure all guests feel safe upon entering the building.
• Contactless ticketing and food and beverage transactions via mobile devices.

“Throughout the construction process, we have followed guidance from the CDC, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and other health authorities to identify effective solutions, not only for today but for years to come,” added Don Graham, Senior Vice President at OVG and CPA Covid Taskforce lead for Climate Pledge Arena. “We continue to review ventilation performance, ensuring maximum air changes that increases outside air to all guests.”

All full-time and part-time employees and contractors are also required to be fully vaccinated.By announcing the policy today, the team is ensuring that fans, who are not yet vaccinated can do so ahead of the first event in the arena. People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose in a two-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine.

Upcoming Events

The Seattle Kraken’s first home game in franchise history against their division-rival the Vancouver Canucks is scheduled for Saturday, October 23. The opening act will be announced in the coming days. The legendary rock band Eagles, who are set to bring their ‘Hotel California’ Tour to Climate Pledge Arena on Nov. 5 and 6, previously announced a vaccine mandate for their two shows.

All three Kraken home preseason games in Spokane (Sept. 26), Everett (Oct. 1) and Kent (Oct. 2) will require proof of vaccination. In addition, fans planning to attend training camp, at Kraken Community Iceplex, beginning on Sept. 23, and practices thereafter will be required to show proof of vaccination.

Guests visiting the Iceplex for other events, or to shop at the team store, do not require proof of vaccination but will be asked to wear masks.

The team and arena have held a number of vaccination clinics during their ‘Shut Out the Virus’ campaign. Please visit kingcounty.gov for local vaccination clinics.

About Climate Pledge Arena

Climate Pledge Arena, located at Seattle Center, is the complete redevelopment of a historic landmark, originally built for the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair. It will be an industry first, including being the first net zero certified arena in the world.  Home to the NHL’s Seattle Kraken, WNBA’s Seattle Storm, and the world’s biggest performers of live music and events, Climate Pledge Arena will open in October 2021.

Climate Pledge Arena will serve as a long-lasting and regular reminder of the urgent need for climate action. The Climate Pledge, which was founded by Amazon and Global Optimism in 2019, is a commitment from companies globally to be net zero carbon by 2040. Visit climatepledgearena.com

About Seattle Kraken

The Seattle Kraken are the National Hockey League’s newest franchise, set to play their inaugural season in 2021-2022 at Climate Pledge Arena at Seattle Center, developed by Oak View Group. Visit www.nhl.com/kraken for the latest news and information including press releases, multimedia content and the latest hires.