Oak View Group is serious about keeping its arenas around the world safe and secure. That’s partly why the sports and entertainment facility company led by CEO Tim Leiweke — who will speak at the Sports Tech Summit on Thursday — recently launched its own security-focused subsidiary made up of former members of the LAPD, Green Berets, and Special Forces. Called Prevent Advisors, the company is responsible for ensuring that OVG’s 26 arenas across the world provide a safe place for sports fans and concert-goers to experience their favorite team or artist. That includes Key Arena in Seattle, where OVG will… Read More
Tim Leiweke is a name Seattleites should be familiar with if they care about potential new sports franchises coming to town or the future of Key Arena. The sports executive is CEO of Oak View Group, which will lead a $564 million renovation of Seattle’s Key Arena and try to lure the NBA and NHL to Seattle. Leiweke, who has more than three decades of leadership experience in the sports industry, will join us at our second annual GeekWire Sports Tech Summit on June 21-22 in Seattle to talk about how technology will impact the future of sports stadiums and… Read More
Updated 4:15 p.m. Wednesday: Promising to build a world-class arena, and with it potentially lure an NBA or NHL team to Seattle, Mayor Ed Murray announced Wednesday that he has selected Oak View Group to renovate the 55-year-old KeyArena. “If the Space Needle is the front door of this beautiful place, KeyArena is the action-packed rec room,” Murray said during a news conference (watch in full in the video above) from the venue at Seattle Center. The mayor was joined by a host of dignitaries, including Oak View founders Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff, former Seattle Supersonics head coach Lenny Wilkens, and owners… Read More
Seattle Partners, one of two groups aiming to renovate Key Arena, dropped out of the city’s bid process on Sunday. AEG and Hudson Pacific Properties, representing the Seattle Partners group, pulled their proposal and cited concerns with how the city is conducting the bid process. “We remain firm in the belief that our proposal best serves the people of Seattle, but, unfortunately, significant factors through the bidding process have eroded our confidence in the ultimate execution of this project, no matter which group is selected,” the group wrote in a letter to the mayor and city council. Oak View Group… Read More
Seattle Mayor Ed Murray is asking for public feedback on two proposals to renovate Key Arena in the hopes of bringing NBA and NHL teams to the city. Related: Two groups announce plans to renovate Seattle’s Key Arena for potential NBA and NHL franchises Both proposals are online and the city is accepting public comment from the community here. City staff will host a public open house May 11 from 5-8 p.m. at KEXP, right around the corner from Key Arena. The event is an opportunity for residents to ask questions about both proposals. The updated Key Arena RFP website includes more details… Read More
