Facelift Approved For Seattle Center

"How the city will raise the money isn't clear, but the City Council on Monday approved an ambitious $567 million plan to transform Seattle Center into the nation's best gathering place."

"Over two decades, the site of the 1962 World's Fair would be transformed to include a new Memorial Stadium covering a vast underground parking garage, a renovated glass-enclosed Center House to draw visitors from every direction, and an outdoor Fun Forest activity area to replace the carnival rides."

"'It is a long-range plan, so we will be paying for it incrementally over time,' said Deputy Mayor Tim Ceis. 'It's going to be a combination of private money, foundation money and public money, much as previous improvements to the center have been.'"

"Seattle Center Director Robert Nellams predicted that the first phase of development will be on its way toward completion by April 2012, the campus's 50th anniversary."