1                                                                       Item No.: 10d 
2                                                                       Meeting Date: November 16, 2021 
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4 
5                                               ORDER NO. 2021-13 
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7                          AN ORDER OF THE PORT OF SEATTLE COMMISSION 
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9                           To direct the Executive Director to develop and execute a
10                        memorandum  of  understanding  by  July  29,  2022  that
11                        establishes  a  strategic  relationship   with  the  Seattle
12                        Aquarium, and commits $5,000,000 over the next five years
13                        for the development of the Aquarium's Ocean Pavilion
14                        including a Port-related marine environmental educational
15                        exhibit. 
16 
17                                                  PROPOSED 
18                                            NOVEMBER 16, 2021 
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20 
21                                               INTRODUCTION 
22 
23    The Seattle Aquarium ("Aquarium") and Port of Seattle share values that include environmental
24    stewardship of the marine environment, workforce development and equity. Headquartered on the
25    Seattle waterfront, the Port of Seattle and Seattle Aquarium are in close proximity to the Bell
26    Harbor Convention Center, marina, and cruise ship terminal at Pier 66 which are venues of great
27    public interest and attractions for tourism. 
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29    The waterfront is undergoing a major transformation associated with the removal of the Alaska
30    Way viaduct and associated construction of the new waterfront promenade and parks. Significant
31    public investments are being made by local, state, federal and private entities to create an Ocean
32    Pavilion at the Aquarium.
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34    The purpose of the Ocean Pavilion is to educate and inspire international visitors and local
35    communities about the environmental stewardship of the marine ecosystem of the Salish Sea and
36    Pacific Ocean. The Seattle Aquarium currently draws over 850 thousand visitors per year, with
37    various programs to allow the Seattle Public School District, and underserved communities to
38    receive subsidized or free tickets.  The new Ocean Pavilion is expected to draw over 1.5 million
39    visitors annually. 
40 
41    This presents a generational opportunity for the Port of Seattle to partner with Seattle Aquarium
42    in the development of the Ocean Pavilion and programming and create a marine-focused exhibit
43    highlighting the Port's innovative environmental programs and potentially promoting awareness
44    of the Port's maritime facilities. The new facility may also provide for future youth training and
45    workforce opportunities for participation in the blue economy. The Port's support of this effort
46    will also assist a major tourist attraction to the region. 

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47 
48                                            TEXT OF THE ORDER 
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50    The Port of Seattle Commission hereby directs the Executive Director to execute a memorandum
51    of understanding by July 29, 2022, that establishes a strategic relationship with the Seattle
52    Aquarium, and commits port funding of $5,000,000 over five years for the development of the
53    Aquarium's  "Ocean  Pavilion"  including  design  and  construction  of  a  marine-focused
54    environmental exhibit that provides local communities and visitors educational opportunities and
55    awareness of the Port of Seattle's environmental mission and goals for advancing ocean health,
56    the Salish Sea Ecosystem, and the blue economy, including the Port's maritime operations.
57 
58    In 2022 the executive director shall commit up to $100,000 to support the design and development
59    of the Port of Seattle exhibit at the Aquarium, subject to the completion of an agreement with the
60    appropriate party. 
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62                                  STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE ORDER 
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64    The Port of Seattle has a significant governmental interest in creating a strategic relationship with 
65    the Seattle Aquarium. This facility and exhibit will advance public awareness of port-related
66    marine-focused environmental programs and facilities and will serve as an important project to
67    promote and advertise Port properties and facilities. The facility and exhibit provide a platform to
68    highlight the Port's marine conservation work and will increase the public awareness of the Ports
69    environmental sustainability and maritime innovations in our region. This partnership supports the
70    Century Agenda values and goals of the Port increasing tourism, training, and job creation. 
71 
72    The Port's operation of this exhibit will include working with the Aquarium to market, update and
73    design the exhibit. The exhibit will highlight elements of the Port of Seattle's sustainability and
74    ocean conservation work through storytelling and interpretation in the Seattle Aquarium's Ocean
75    Pavilion, accessible public terrace landscape and rooftop that afford spectacular views of Elliott
76    Bay and Port harbor operations. 
77 
78    The  Port  partnership  with  the  Seattle  Aquarium  will  develop  interpretive  opportunities
79    highlighting the Port's work to conserve the Salish Sea and the waters traversed by ships in the
80    Trans-Pacific and Alaskan trade calling on its terminals.  Selected stories would be aligned with
81    both the Aquarium and Port's missions and conservation priorities. An ad hoc committee will be
82    formed by the Port Commission, to include Port, Aquarium, and external stakeholders to aid in the
83    exhibit development and programming. 
84 
85    The Port's commitment to this project is in addition to contributions made by other public entities
86    including $35M from the City of Seattle, $8M from King County and $3.4M from the state of
87    Washington. Federal support is also expected to be obtained. 
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93 
94     ATTENDANCE, TOURISM AND JOB CREATION 
95        The Ocean Pavilion, in association with the waterfront redevelopment, will dramatically
96        increase public interest in the waterfront and enhance Aquarium attendance. This will create
97        increased public awareness of the maritime environment while creating family wage jobs and
98        re-energize tourism to our region. 
99 
100        Serving almost 1 million tourists annually: The Aquarium projects attendance will climb
101        from 850,000 to 1.5 million per year with the opening of the Ocean Pavilion. Using historical
102        visitor data, it is estimated that 60 percent of visitors would be tourists, which would result in
103        the new building hosting 750,000+ tourists annually, making the Aquarium a top five Seattle
104        attraction. 
105 
106        Increase in tourism/waterfront visitation: According to a 2019 HR&A value study, overall
107        visitation by residents and tourists to the new waterfront is expected to increase by 20 percent 
108        (1.5 million net new visitors annually). The Ocean Pavilion will provide a new connection to
109        Pike Place Market (10 million annual visitors) through its publicly accessible roof and will
110        serve as the lynchpin for the City of Seattle's new waterfront park. Signage inside and outside
111        the Ocean Pavilion will highlight port facilities such as the rooftop of the Bell Harbor
112        Convention Center where additional explanatory signage may also be installed by the Port
113        informing visitors of Port facilities and additional Aquarium exhibitory. 
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115        Job Creation: The estimated one-time economic impact to the overall waterfront is $1.1
116        billion with more than $30 million in tax revenue generated. The Aquarium's Ocean Pavilion
117        project is underway with early site work and will employ an estimated 1,583 people throughout
118        construction at a critical time as we recover our economy. Inclusion of Port-related exhibitory
119        will identify ways for the public to participate in the blue economy. 
120 
121        Labor,  women  and  minority-owned  business  and  apprenticeship  programs:  The
122        Aquarium's Ocean Pavilion will employ an estimated 1,583 people70 percent will be local
123        union jobs and the project exceeds Seattle's Community Workforce Agreement goals including
124        women- and minority-owned business hires and apprentice programs.  The Port's ability to
125        potentially partner with job fairs will highlight future employment opportunities. 
126 
127       PROMOTING DIVERSITY, CULTURE, CONSERVATION AND EDUCATION: The
128        Seattle Aquarium aims to be inclusive and welcoming to all and believes its visitors should
129        reflect the diversity of our region, paying particular attention to ensuring access to underserved
130        communities and populations within our region. The expanded Aquarium will gain 35 percent 
131        more space and an estimated 75 percent increase in attendance, which will dramatically expand
132        the conservation and ocean health programming that it annually delivers. 
133 
134        Collaboration  with  Coast  Salish  and  Urban  Indigenous  Community:   Design,
135        interpretation and public art for the Ocean Pavilion is being done in collaboration with local
136        Coast  Salish  tribes  and  native  communities.  The  result  of  this  important  Indigenous
137        engagement  is  a  direct  influence  on  the  building  architecture,  rooftop  landscape  and

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138        interpretive design, interior guest experience exhibit program and public art. This work
139        includes the hiring of a Muckleshoot Tribal member as part of the landscape design team,
140        ongoing reviews and consulting from the Headwater People Consulting and the commissioning
141        by an all-Indigenous led selection panel of a Lummi glass artist for a public art portion of the
142        project.  Members of the Suquamish and Muckleshoot tribes have also been engaged through
143        the development of the pavilion. 
144 
145        Expanding Conservation Education Programming: The Aquarium expects to see a
146        dramatic increase in its programming and reach due to increased attendance and revenue.
147        Annually, the Aquarium hosts more than 40,000 students from more than 500 schools, with
148        approximately 60 percent of classrooms receiving scholarships. The Aquarium also engages
149        more than thousands of volunteers who provide more than 100,000 hours of service having
150        community conversations, with a third of those hours committed by youth. 
151 
152        An Inclusive Aquarium for All: The Aquarium prioritizes providing inclusive programming
153        like 'Dream Night' which provides special events for children and adults with chronic illnesses
154        and/or disabilities, our Open House that features multicultural interpretation and materials
155        available in eight languages, and our Deaf Community Day with sign language interpreters
156        throughout the Aquarium. To make the Aquarium accessible to all, the Aquarium distributes
157        approximately 80,000 free tickets through 350+ regional human services agencies supporting
158        underserved and underrepresented communities annually. Examples of community partners
159        include East African Community Services; Refugee Women's Alliance; Latino Outdoors;
160        Chinese Information and Service Center; Seattle Indian Health Board, and many other diverse
161        organizations. 
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