As other host cities announce that they are charging for fan zone access, the Seattle host committee continues their plan of broad access to the places they control. Prices for the games themselves are out of reach for many, but the people of the region will have many options for free watch parties on massive outdoor and indoor screens.
On Monday it was announced that there will be four free fan zones in central Seattle – at Seattle Center (indoor at The Armory), Pacific Place (indoor as part of Seattle Soccer House), Waterfront Park at Pier 62 (outdoor, with fan experiences) and Victory Hall (indoor).
Most celebration locations intend to be open for the majority of the tournament, not just the six Seattle matches. Capacity across the four venues will vary depending on match day, with the highest capacity planned for Seattle matches, which remains around 15,000 people at any one time.
All four fan spaces are along the new “Unity Loop,” a walking trail from SoDo to Seattle Center that includes the waterfront and downtown shopping districts. The urban trail will be lined with massive murals celebrating the region and soccer.
Smaller events are planned in “every district” of the city as well.
Other cities statewide are still clarifying their announcements, ahead of the 100-day mark in planning. Those cities include Bellingham (two locations), Bremerton (Quincy Square), Everett, Olympia/Lacey, Spokane (Riverfront Park, one other), Tacoma, Tri-Cities, Vancouver, and Yakima.
Renton is finishing up Legacy Square, which will have a RAVE Foundation mini-pitch, a stage with screen and other outdoor activities.
Unlike past major events, the focus of the Seattle organizing committee is not on massive one-time construction, nor on large projects with limited use. The small infrastructure of parks improvements, trails, at least 52 mini-pitches, access, anti-trafficking, equity coursework and more are structured around permanent changes in the city, region and state that impact a broad community.
Lumen Field and the team base camps (Belgium in Renton and another team at Gonzaga) will be the centers of global attention. The Lumen Field improvements are a state budget item of $45 million, with other security expenses coming from the state and local governments.
Parks and other small infrastructure are expected to cost tens of millions, much lower expenditures than typical for events like World Cups and Olympics and without the single-use bloat.
