Stadiums of the Seattle Seahawks Throughout the Years: From Kingdome to CenturyLink Field The Seattle Seahawks first took the field in 1976, and they played their home games at the King County Domed Stadium, often known as the Kingdome, during the first quarter-century of their existence. The team moved into a new stadium, named after investor Paul Allen, in 1997.
The Seahawks played in the Kingdome, a multipurpose domed stadium located on the same location as Lumen Field, from its debut in 1976 until 1999. In June 1997, voters approved referendums to build two new stadiums. The first game was played in September 1999.
Converted from a baseball stadium, the Kingdome was one of the most innovative structures of its time. It featured an exterior made of thin aluminum panels attached to a steel frame, which provided both protection and aesthetics for the plant inside. However, the Kingdome did not meet with success: it was opened just five years after it was built and had cost $280 million to construct. Its design also proved to be outdated when compared to other sports facilities being built at the time.
After leaving the Kingdome, the Seahawks have used three different venues while looking for a new home. Their current stadium, known as "The Hawks Stadium" was built in 1999 and has a capacity of 65,000 people. The venue is located near the center of Seattle on the campus of the University of Washington.
In February 2016, the Seahawks announced that they had signed a contract to move back into the Kingdome in 2024 after their current facility is deemed unsafe by city officials.
Seattle, Washington A journey to the Pacific Northwest is a necessity for every NFL fan who wants to experience the atmosphere at Lumen Field during a Seattle Seahawks game. When Safeco Field opened in 1999, the Seahawks moved into this new stadium which has become their home field since then.
Lumen Field is also used for Major League Baseball games when the Seattle Mariners are not playing. The last MLB game played at the Kingdome was on September 27, 2000 - a 2001 American League Division Series game between the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners. After that game, the Mariners moved into Safeco Field for the remainder of their season.
Safeco Field is a classic double-decker ballpark with a capacity of 43,500. It is the home of the Seattle Mariners baseball team and was built in 1999 by Hank Aaron, who had been released by the Braves just a few months before the opening day crowd. He decided to build a new stadium for $140 million after being unhappy with Atlanta's decision not to renew his contract.
The Kingdome was originally supposed to be demolished after its final MLB game but public outcry caused the city to change its mind. Now only the Mariners' new state-of-the-art stadium remains on the site of the old one.
The Seahawks played their home games at the Kingdome from their first season in 1976 until 1999. A proposal to issue county bonds to support a refurbishment project at the building was proposed in 1995. As a result of the proposal's failure, Seahawks owner Ken Behring vowed to sell or relocate the team. The team moved into its current home, Qwest Field, for the 2000 season.
In January 1996, the Kingdome board of directors voted 6-1 to recommend demolition of the Kingdome. Demolition began on February 10 and was completed by November 9, 1996.
The decision to demolish the Kingdome was controversial. Many fans felt that with its new "slam-the-door" design, it was the most exciting stadium in football. Others argued that it was outdated and needed repairs before another season started.
During the last game at the Kingdome, on December 31, 1999, Gary Carter, the New York Mets pitcher, was killed when a rock struck him in the head while he was warming up before his start. Two days later, the Kingdome was destroyed by fire, causing $18 million in damage.
The cause of the fire has never been determined with certainty but evidence suggests that it may have been arson. Some people believe that Carter was hit by a rock thrown during one of his many arguments with players on the Mets' roster.
The NFL gave Seattle its 28th franchise on June 4, 1974, to play in the 64,984-seat Kingdome. A civic suggestion campaign yielded 20,365 entries and 1,741 possible names, but on June 17, 1975, "Seahawks" was chosen and publicized. Knox guided the Seahawks to the AFC Championship Game in his debut season. He was fired after a 3-9 record in 1976 and was replaced by Jack Patera.
Knox had been hired by Howard Cosell during Super Bowl VII when Cosell needed someone to replace the injured Don Shula with seconds left on the game clock. Cosell thought of Knox because they were both college coaches before becoming professional coaches. When Cosell was asked why he chose Knox over other candidates, he said, "I want you to know I didn't choose him. He chose himself."
After leaving Seattle, Knox went on to coach at North Carolina, Miami (Ohio), and California before returning to Seattle as the head coach for the 2012 season. He died of cancer on January 24, 2013. His death came three days after his 72nd birthday.
In addition to coaching in the NFL, Knox also served as an assistant coach for the United States men's national soccer team at the 1994 World Cup.
He is one of only four coaches to lead their teams to undefeated seasons.
CenturyLink Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks, The Seattle Seahawks are an American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are members of the Pacific Division of the National Football League (NFL). The Seahawks have won two NFL championships - one Super Bowl title and one World Championship.
The Seahawks have played their home games at CenturyLink Field since Qwest Field/SEATTLE CENTURY PLAZA was completed in 1999. The stadium is located adjacent to the Puget Sound waterfront in Downtown Seattle. It is three miles from both the University of Washington and the King County-Washington Regional Airport.
The Seahawks' rivalry with the San Francisco 49ers is considered by many to be the best in football. Other notable rivalries include ones with the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Indianapolis Colts.
Seattle has also developed a reputation for its love of sports in general and basketball, baseball, and especially football are popular among the local population. The Seahawks have four Pro Bowl players and multiple other players who have been selected to play in the NFL All-Star Game.
There are currently 1.5 million people living within 100 miles of CenturyLink Field, which is higher than any other NFL city outside of New York City.
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