Amazon has secured naming rights to the future home of the NHL Seattle expansion team, but the name of the online retail giant will not be part of the venue’s moniker. The $900M-plus building will be called Climate Pledge Arena. The name refers to an initiative that Amazon co-founded in '19 committing to be net zero carbon across its business by '40. THE DAILY in January first reported that Amazon was seen as the leading contender.
“Amazon reminded us that they don’t need branding, but if they found a cause, that they’d rally around the cause,” said Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke, whose company sold the deal and will operate the arena. He called this the hardest deal he has ever had to pull together in his career.
Amazon and OVG are touting it as the first net zero carbon certified arena in the world. Climate Pledge Arena will be powered with 100% renewable electricity. All events at the venue will be “zero waste,” and single-use plastic containers and utensils will be eliminated by '24. The venue also will use reclaimed rainwater in the ice system to create the “greenest ice” in the NHL.
