The new century will see a new team in Husky Stadium—the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks.
On May 21 the UW Board of Regents approved an agreement on the use of Husky Stadium for Seahawks home games during the 2000 and 2001 seasons, while a new football/soccer stadium is under construction on the site of the Kingdome in downtown Seattle.
During each of the two seasons, the Seahawks expect to play 10 home games in Husky Stadium, with the possibility of two additional games, depending upon postseason playoffs.
The Seahawks will pay $305,000 per game, of which $205,000 will be to rent Husky Stadium and related athletic facilities. The remaining $100,000 per game pays for access to the campus, including parking facilities.
“Both the Seahawks and the UW want to make these games at Husky Stadium a well-planned and successful experience—for Seahawks fans coming to the UW, as well as for the students, faculty and staff of the UW, and neighbors in the surrounding communities,” says UW Executive Vice President Weldon Ihrig.
As a starting point in addressing community concerns, the Seahawks agreed not to sell alcohol in Husky Stadium and not to hold home Seahawks games on Mondays through Fridays. The organization is also committed to work with the NFL to avoid scheduling home Seahawks games on the same weekends as Husky home games.
The Seahawks hope to increase the use of mass transit on game days and discourage parking in residential zones. The team also agreed to maintain access to the UW Medical Center for patients, visitors and staff, as well as maintain open access to campus facilities by students, faculty and staff on Seahawks game days.
Revenue from the stadium rental will go to the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics’ facilities program. Officials are proposing that other rental income fund a $1.6 million project to expand computing facilities in Odegaard Library.