Seattle Kraken, Climate Pledge Arena to require proof of vaccination
The Seattle Kraken will require fans ages 12 and over to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination in order to attend games this season.
The Kraken and Climate Pledge Arena announced Tuesday that — in compliance with the mandate from Washington state — all guests ages 12 and over attending games, concerts and events will have to show proof of vaccination upon entry. Until the state issues further guidance, guests also will be required to wear a mask while attending events.
The team and Climate Pledge Arena will introduce a process to allow guests to show proof of vaccination using their smartphones.
“On March 1, 2018, we started this amazing journey together to build a new arena under a historical roof and bring the 32nd NHL franchise to Seattle,” Seattle Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke said in a release. “We are now poised to open Climate Pledge Arena and celebrate together, at capacity, in an environment that is safe for our fans, staff, players and artists.”
All three Kraken home preseason games in Spokane (Sept. 26), Everett (Oct. 1) and Kent (Oct. 2) will require proof of vaccination. Fans planning to attend training camp at the Kraken Community Iceplex and any following practices also will be required to show proof of vaccination.
Climate Pledge Arena features an advanced air circulation and filtration system and MERV-13 filters that exceed CDC guidelines. All air filtered into the arena will be brought in from the outside. The arena will have enhanced cleaning and sanitization procedures as well as contactless ticketing and food and beverage transactions.
“Throughout the construction process, we have followed guidance from the CDC, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and other health authorities to identify effective solutions, not only for today but for years to come,” Don Graham, senior vice president at OVG and CPA Covid Taskforce lead for Climate Pledge Arena, said in a release. “We continue to review ventilation performance, ensuring maximum air changes that increases outside air to all guests.”
All full-time and part-time employees and contractors are required to be fully vaccinated.
Fans who aren’t fully vaccinated can still do so before the first event at Climate Pledge Arena. People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose in a two-dose series or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine.
This story was originally published September 7, 2021 at 9:43 AM.
