Seattle’s new NHL franchise is trying to make it easier for fans to get to games given the difficulty of a traffic-heavy city. NHL Seattle announced that it will fully subsidize public transit costs for fans with both season tickets and single-game tickets.

The team is also partnering with the Seattle Center Monorail to upgrade the current system that connects downtown Seattle with the Seattle Center. The team has pledged $7 million for upgrades for the monorail system. It was originally built in 1962 for the World’s Fair.

“We respect the history of the Monorail and want to remind people of its original intent. I couldn’t be prouder to align with a company that shares our values and ambitions,” team CEO and president Tod Leiweke said. “By offering embedded public transit we are making the right decision for our fans and for our city.”

Seattle and the surrounding neighborhoods have changed immensely and is now a booming tech hub for Amazon, Google, Facebook, Apple, and a host of others.

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“We expect around 25 percent of fans to use public transit in our first year,” said Rob Johnson, VP of Transportation for NHL Seattle. “The use of public transit can become a unique part of the fan experience and will likely be the quickest and most reliable way to get to and from our games. Our data shows that from Westlake Center fans can transfer from the light rail to Monorail and be at the arena in as little as six minutes.”

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Seattle’s team has yet to be named but is expected to take the ice in 2021. The arena development project has cost $930 million and is set to be completed next summer.

 

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