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Key Arena
Home of the Seattle SuperSonics
Key Arena, located in Seattle, Washington, is situated in the Seattle Center. This 74-acre facility houses a number of sections, including Key Arena. This area is filled with much history dating back to the 1800s at which time James Osbourne willed his estate to Seattle in order to build a civic hall near The Prairie, as it was once known. In 1889, David and Louisa Denny provided acreage to Seattle that was to be used for "public use forever." The Denny's home was then located on the current Seattle Center grounds. Since those earliest days, there have been several major phases of development that has transformed The Prairie into the massive complex known as Seattle Center.
In 1927, the first phase of construction began on a brand new million-dollar facility. This project included the addition of the Civic Auditorium, which is now known as Marion Oliver McCaw Hall; Civic Arena, which is now known as Mercer Arts Arena; and Civic Field, which is now Memorial Stadium. This phase of construction was built from a $900,000 gift from James Osborne, a local saloon owner, which was a city bond that was approved by voters. In addition, part of the land used in construction was that deeded by the Denny's. The auditorium was often referred to as "The House That Suds Built." To this day, two of the facilities are still in use, including the arena and stadium.
The next phase of the Seattle Center's creation featured the acquiring of property to be used for the 1962 World's Fair. This area contained 74 acres and would ultimately change the Seattle skyline forever. Additions included the Space Needle, the Pacific Science Center and the Coliseum, which is now called Key Arena. The Key Arena, under it's new name, officially opened in 1995. Since that time, more than 10 million guests have packed the seats to see a variety of sports, concerts and family events. It's modern, yet unique, design allows fans to experience events with amazing sightlines and sounds. Fan amenities include concession areas, official merchandise shops and ample parking. Home to Seattle's Supersonics, Thunderbirds and Storm, Key Arena is very popular among sports fans. Music lovers find harmony here as the Key Arena has hosted more than 100 concerts, including Aerosmith, Celine Dion, Garth Brooks, Elton John, George Strait and many others. In addition, this state of the art facility has hosted Disney On Ice, WWE, Champions on Ice, the NCAA and the NBA Finals for the 1995-96 season.
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