Accesso ShoWare Center
{{short description|Multi-use indoor arena in Kent, Washington}}
{{lowercase title}}
{{Infobox venue
| name = accesso ShoWare Center
| nickname = The Show
| former names = Kent Events Center {{small|(planning/construction)}}
Amiga Center {{small|(planning/construction)}}
ShoWare Center
{{small|(2009–2017)}}
| logo_image =
| logo_caption =
| image = Thunderbirds ShoWare Center.JPG
| image_size = 250px
| image_alt =
| caption = {{small|Arena bowl (c. 2012)}}
| image_map = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=250|zoom=8|type=point}}
| pushpin_map = USA#Washington
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in the United States##Location in Washington
| pushpin_relief = 1
| pushpin_label = Kent
| address = 625 W. James Street
| location = Kent, Washington, U.S.
| coordinates = {{coord|47|23|18|N|122|14|24|W|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| type =
| genre =
| broke_ground = {{Start date|2007|09|25}}
| built =
| opened = {{Start date and age|2009|01|02|br=y}}
| renovated =
| expanded =
| closed =
| demolished =
| owner = City of Kent
| operator = ASM Global
| cost = $84.5 million
| architect = {{hlist|LMN Architects|PBK Architects}}
| builder =
| project_manager = Shiels Obletz Johnsen, Inc.
| structural engineer = Magnusson Klemencic Associates
| services engineer = Wood Harbinger, Inc.
| general_contractor = Mortenson Construction
| main_contractors =
| seating_type =
| capacity = 7,141
| tenants = Seattle Thunderbirds {{small|(WHL)
(2009–present)}}
Seattle Mist {{small|(LFL) (2009–2019)}}
Seattle Thunder {{small|(X League)
(2022–present)}}
Rat City Rollergirls {{small|(WFTDA
(2009–2021)}}
Kent Predators/Seattle Timberwolves {{small|(IFL) (2010–2011)}}
Seattle Impact {{small|(MASL) (2014–2015)}}
Tacoma Stars {{small|(MASL) (2015–present)}}
| embedded =
| website = {{URL|https://www.accessoshowarecenter.com/|Venue Website}}
| publictransit =
}}
The accesso ShoWare Center is a multi-purpose arena in the Northwestern United States, located in Kent, Washington, a suburb south of Seattle.
About the venue
Construction began in September 2007,{{cite web |title=Events Center Ceremony Wins National Award|author=|url=http://www.kentreporter.com/news/35157119.html|website=Kent Reporter |publisher=Sound Publishing, Inc.|date=November 28, 2008|access-date=March 10, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160406054124/http://www.kentreporter.com/news/35157119.html |archive-date=April 6, 2016}} and the venue opened in January 2009.{{cite web |title=Big Plans for ShoWare Center Grand Opening|first=Steve|last=Hunter|url=http://www.kentreporter.com/news/36667219.html|website=Kent Reporter |publisher=Sound Publishing, Inc.|date=January 2, 2009|access-date=March 10, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408231514/http://www.kentreporter.com/news/36667219.html |archive-date=April 8, 2016}} The principal tenants are the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League (WHL) and the Tacoma Stars of the Major Arena Soccer League (MASL).
Naming rights to the arena were initially sold to Amiga, Inc. and the arena was to be called the "Amiga Center".{{cite web |first=Matthew |last=Gaschk |title=T-Birds' proposed arena gets a name |url=http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/T-Birds-proposed-arena-gets-a-name-1234581.php|date=April 17, 2007|access-date=January 5, 2009|website=Seattle Post-Intelligencer|publisher=Hearst Corporation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021190348/http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/T-Birds-proposed-arena-gets-a-name-1234581.php |archive-date=October 21, 2012}} However, Amiga failed to make a promised down payment, and lost the naming rights as of August 2007.{{cite web |first=Jim |last=Brunner |website=The Seattle Times |publisher= The Seattle Times Company |title=Amiga fails to deliver cash, loses naming rights to Kent arena
|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003813881_kentarena31m.html |date=July 31, 2007 |access-date=January 5, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071018003036/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003813881_kentarena31m.html |archive-date=October 18, 2007}} In November 2008, the Kent City Council announced that the city had sold the naming rights to the Fresno-based VisionOne, Inc., an e-business software developer which in turn named the arena after ShoWare, its flagship box office operations program.{{cite web |first=Steve |last=Hunter |website=Kent Reporter |publisher=Sound Publishing, Inc.|title=New name for the Kent Events Center |url=http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/south_king/ken/news/34770879.html |date=November 19, 2008 |access-date=January 5, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522080329/http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/south_king/ken/news/34770879.html |archive-date=May 22, 2011}} In 2014, tech company Accesso purchased VisionOne, Inc.; with the venue changing its name to the accesso ShoWare Center in the fall of 2017.{{cite web |url=http://www.kentreporter.com/news/kents-showare-center-to-get-longer-name/ |title=Kent's ShoWare Center to get longer name |last1=Hunter |first1=Steve |date=June 15, 2017 |website=Kent Reporter |publisher=Sound Publishing, Inc. |access-date=February 25, 2019|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190225211731/http://www.kentreporter.com/news/kents-showare-center-to-get-longer-name/|archive-date=February 25, 2019}}
The design architect is LMN Architects of Seattle, in association with PBK Architects of Vancouver, British Columbia.{{cite web |url=https://lmnarchitects.com/assets/work/showare_center/pdfs/2009ShowareCenterPressKit.pdf |title=ShoWare Center Press Kit |author= |date=December 2008 |website=LMN Architects |access-date=March 10, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515032750/http://lmnarchitects.com/assets/work/showare_center/pdfs/2009%20Showare%20Center%20Press%20Kit.pdf |archive-date=May 15, 2013}} The arena is managed and operated by Philadelphia-based SMG.
Among other events, it hosted the 2012 edition of the Hilton HHonors Skate America.{{cite web |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2012/05/04/kent-wash-chosen-to-host-2012-skate-america/ |title=Kent, Wash., chosen to host 2012 Skate America |author= |date=May 4, 2012 |website=The Denver Post |publisher=Digital First Media |access-date=February 25, 2019|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190225221055/https://www.denverpost.com/2012/05/04/kent-wash-chosen-to-host-2012-skate-america/ |archive-date=February 25, 2019}}
In 2021, the ShoWare Center began a $5 million renovation to the arena, including a $800,000 scoreboard, which was completed early in the 2021-22 season. More additions to this renovation include a new cover for the ice while not in use, concession stand rebrands, the improving of the outdoor marquee, replacement of folding chairs, kitchens and other concession equipment, new stage and blackout curtains, and ice making equipment. Smaller improvements include new carpets in administrative offices, a stronger transformer to be used during concerts, motors for the curtains, the refinishing and repairing of the basketball court, repairing of fences and gates, and 40 new televisions for the suites. {{Cite web |last=Hunter |first=Steve |date=2021-08-31 |title=Kent's ShoWare Center to get $3 million in upgrades, repairs |url=https://www.kentreporter.com/news/kents-showare-center-to-get-3-million-in-upgrades-repairs/ |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=Kent Reporter |language=en-US}}
Facts about the venue
;Miscellaneous
- The approximate square footage of the arena is {{convert|150000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}
- The new scoreboard built in 2021 includes two ribbon boards, the top board measuring 21'4" x 3'3", the bottom measuring 18'10" x 2'6". The four main replay screens measure 18'10" x 10'8".{{Cite web |website=City of Kent |title=Accesso ShoWare Scoreboard Replacement RFP – Addendum #1 |url=https://www.kentwa.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/17080/637581612415770000 |access-date=2023-12-04}}
- The venue opened on January 3, 2009 with a hockey game by (Seattle Thunderbirds vs. Everett Silvertips)
- The arena has a capacity of 5,887 seats. Retractable seating to provide additional space for concerts, basketball, shows and other events, expanding the capacity to 7,141.
- The venue typically hosts 110 to 117 events annually, including about 40 Thunderbird games.
- Country duo Florida Georgia Line drew an audience 7,129 people on December 14, 2013.{{cite web|title=ShoWare Center 5th Anniversary Celebration|url=http://www.seattlethunderbirds.com/article/showare-center-5th-anniversary-celebration|website=Official Website of the Seattle Thunderbirds|publisher=Canadian Hockey League|access-date=August 24, 2015|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190225222101/http://www.seattlethunderbirds.com/article/showare-center-5th-anniversary-celebration |archive-date=February 25, 2019|date= January 16, 2014}}
- The 2 millionth guest celebration was held on November 11, 2014.{{cite web|title=Welcome to our Two Millionth Guest!|date=November 2014|url=http://www.showarecenter.com/events/details/000001086/welcome_to_our_two_millionth_guest!x?id=40802189570|website=Official Website of the ShoWare Center|access-date=August 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924101436/http://www.showarecenter.com/events/details/000001086/welcome_to_our_two_millionth_guest!x?id=40802189570 |archive-date=September 24, 2015}}
;Sports
- Brenden Silvester of the Seattle Thunderbirds scored the first goal in the history of the arena, in the 2nd period on January 3, 2009 against the Everett Silvertips in a 4-3 Seattle win.
- Greg Scott of the Seattle Thunderbirds scored the first hat trick in the arena on February 6, 2009
- The 2015-2016 hockey season reached an all time attendance record with an average of 4,792 people per game.{{cite web|title=Seattle Thunderbirds Yearly Attendance Graph|url=http://www.hockeydb.com/nhl-attendance/att_graph.php?tmi=7964|website=hockeyDB.com|access-date=August 15, 2015|date=August 2015}}
- Hockey single game attendance record of 6,223 set on May 12, 2017 during the WHL finals against the Regina Pats.{{cite web |url=http://www.independentsportsnews.com/2017/05/13/t-birds-fly-past-pats-3-2-championship-series-lead/ |title=T-Birds Fly Past Pats For 3-2 Championship Series Lead |author= |date=May 13, 2017 |website=ISN |access-date=February 25, 2019|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190226005839/http://www.independentsportsnews.com/2017/05/13/t-birds-fly-past-pats-3-2-championship-series-lead/ |archive-date=February 26, 2019}}
- Hosted first professional basketball games during the 2018 JBA season.
- In Professional Wrestling, the arena has hosted three house shows for the TNA Wrestling promotion (2009, 2011, 2012) and one taped event for Ring of Honor wrestling's weekly television program (2019).
- The arena hosted a National Hockey League preseason game between the Seattle Kraken and Calgary Flames on October 2, 2021.{{cite news |title=On the Road to Season Start Kraken announce preseason 'home' |url=https://www.nhl.com/kraken/news/on-the-road-to-season-start/c-325615364 |website=NHL |date=July 9, 2021}}
{{-}}
Selected events
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
!colspan="6"|List of selected events held at the accesso ShoWare Center |
| width="150"| Date
! width="200"| Artist ! width="200"| Event ! width="200"| Opening act(s) ! width="150"| Attendance ! width="150"| Revenue |
|---|
| November 19, 2016
|Christmas with Amy Grant & Michael W. Smith |5,986 / 5,986 |
| December 7, 2016
|Tyler Farr |3,481 / 3,498 |
| April 12, 2017
|Gira Es Tuyo Mi Amor |Pancho Barraza |6,521 / 6,521 |
| June 18, 2017
|El Fantasma |Rancheando En La Ciudad Tour |Voz de Mando |1,890 / 6,439 |
| July 13, 2017
|Everybody's Tour |Joey Badass |4,612 / 4,937 |
| October 15, 2017
|Los Inquietos del Norte |Gira Locos y Entumecidos |Chuy Lizárraga |2,796 / 6,614 |
| October 29, 2017
|Unleashed Tour |Britt Nicole |1,891 / 4,432 |
| March 3, 2018
|The Beautiful & Damned Tour |Trippie Redd |6,656 / 6,820 |
References
{{reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{succession box
| title = Home of the
Seattle Thunderbirds
| years = 2009–present
| before = KeyArena
| after = current
}}
{{end}}
{{LFL Venues}}
{{MASL Arenas}}
{{WHL Arenas}}
Category:Ice hockey venues in Washington (state)
Category:Indoor soccer venues in the United States
Category:Music venues in Washington (state)
Category:Sports venues in Kent, Washington
Category:Western Hockey League arenas
Category:Buildings and structures in King County, Washington
Category:Tourist attractions in King County, Washington