KIRKLAND, Wash. — A new $60 million iceplex is coming to Kirkland as the Seattle Kraken expand their footprint on the Eastside through a public-private partnership with the city.
The Seattle Kraken and the City of Kirkland announced on Wednesday that the team will build its second iceplex at the former Houghton Park & Ride site.
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The privately financed, 80,000-square-foot facility will include two NHL-regulation ice rinks, a city-operated community center, a public restaurant, and a team store.
City and team leaders said the project is designed to support the continued growth of hockey and ice sports in the region while providing year-round community programming. The iceplex is expected to generate an estimated $7 million each year in economic activity for Kirkland and the Eastside, including local jobs, new visitors, and benefits for local businesses.
“Kirkland is thrilled to welcome the Kraken Iceplex and Community Center as a major new community asset for Kirkland residents, families, and the entire Eastside,” Kirkland Mayor Kelli Curtis said. “This project will create new opportunities for our community to gather, learn, and play, and it will bring both significant economic investment and the excitement of professional hockey to Kirkland. This partnership delivers public benefit, significant private investment, and long-term economic vitality to our city with no new taxes.”
The Kraken and the city began discussions in September 2024, and the lease was formally approved in December 2025. The team selected BN Builders as its construction partner and plans to break ground in May 2026. The facility is expected to open in fall 2027.
“When we built the Kraken Community Iceplex, we were building the first sheets of ice in the city of Seattle,” said Tod Leiweke, CEO of the Seattle Kraken. “Its success has been incredible, and we’ve seen the popularity of ice sports grow across our region. We are grateful to the City of Kirkland for their partnership to create our second iceplex and bring the same energy to the Eastside. We want to keep growing the game and meeting our fans where they are.”
The Kraken said the team will continue to train and maintain staff headquarters at its existing Kraken Community Iceplex in Northgate. The Kirkland facility is expected to offer similar public programming, including public skates, field trips, youth and adult learn-to-play classes, recreational hockey, camps, clinics, learn-to-skate classes, private rentals, figure skating training and competitions, and tournaments.
