Story Suggestions for Seattle and the Pacific Northwest
Fall 2011
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
New King Tut Exhibition to Make West Coast Debut at Pacific Science Center
Pacific Science Center will host the West Coast debut of Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs, May 24, 2012 – January 6, 2013. This is the largest King Tut exhibition ever shown on the West Coast, featuring more than 100 objects from both the tomb of King Tut and from royal and private tombs and temples of important rulers throughout 2,000 years of ancient Egyptian history. In addition to these artifacts, many of which have never been seen in North America, the exhibition will offer the opportunity to learn about King Tut’s life and death through recent CT scans of his mummy. Group tickets for this exhibition are now on sale. Individual ticket sales will be available in early 2012.
Media contact: Wendy Malloy, Pacific Science Center, (206) 443-2879; www.pacificsciencecenter.org.
Seattle Symphony Announces Free Tickets for Kids
The Seattle Symphony now offers free companion tickets for up to two children between the ages of 8 and 18, when accompanied by a paying adult to attend concerts at Benaroya Hall during the 2011-2012 season.
Media contact: www.seattlesymphony.org.
Nirvana Exhibit Debuts at Seattle’s EMP
Seattle’s EMP Museum features the world’s most extensive exhibit of grunge memorabilia, through April 22, 2013. The exhibit, Nirvana: Taking Punk to the Masses includes 200 artifacts tied to the native Seattle band and tells the public and personal story of Nirvana within the context of the independent, underground music scene in which Kurt Cobain and band mates flourished. The exhibit contains more than 100 new and archived oral histories from key figures in the 1980s and early 1990s independent music scene as well as candid snapshots from the band’s early years, Cobain’s handwritten lyrics for Nirvana songs, numerous instruments, clothes worn by Cobain and stage props used on tour.
Media contact: Anita Woo, Experience Music Project, (206) 770-2700; www.empmuseum.org.
AVATAR: The Exhibition Makes Global Premiere at Seattle’s EMP
Based on the highest grossing film of all time, AVATAR: The Exhibition opened at Seattle’s EMP Museum June 4, 2011. The exhibit, developed in partnership by EMP, Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products and James Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment, will run through Sept.3, 2012, and will then travel to other major arts and cultural institutions in the U.S. and abroad. AVATAR: The Exhibition features authentic artifacts and props, such as the actual Armored Mobility Platform (AMP) suit used in the combat scenes, soldier uniforms and the original hand-made models of the Na’vi characters and their wardrobes. Interactive displays, concept models and sketches from the film explore the technologies used to create Pandora.
Media contact: Anita Woo, Experience Music Project, (206) 770-2700; www.empmuseum.org.
The 5th Avenue Theatre Announces New Musical Line Up
Tickets to The 5th Avenue’s 2011 – 2012 season are still available and include an exciting new line up. The current line-up includes Cinderella, First Date, Oklahoma, Damn Yankees and Rent. Exclusive benefits to nearby restaurants are available all season long to ticket holders.
Media contact: Bridget Summers, 5th Avenue Theatre, (206) 625-1418; www.5thavenue.org.
Chihuly Exhibition Breaks Ground at Seattle Center Campus
The Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibition is being built on Seattle Center’s 74-acre campus. The Chihuly exhibition, expected to open in Spring 2012, will showcase the glass sculpting of Washington-native Dale Chihuly. Artwork including a comprehensive collection of glass, sculpture and other media is slated to be displayed in both interior and exterior exhibits. The interior exhibit will highlight the wide variety of Chihuly’s work; the exterior will feature Chihuly’s Gardens and Glass exhibitions, previously presented at venues throughout the world. The exterior will also include a 40-foot Glass House structure with Chihuly artwork flowing from the ceiling.
Media contact: Mary Bacarella, Space Needle, (206) 905-2164; www.seattlecenter.com.
Seattle Center Gears Up for the 50th Anniversary of the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair
Seattle will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair, a cornerstone in the city’s modern development, April 21 – Oct. 21 2012. The Next Fifty celebration will feature six months of national and international touring artists and other concerts, diverse cultural displays, history and heritage exhibits and much more – all on the 74-acre campus of the Seattle Center, the legacy of the World’s Fair. Surrounding cultural institutions and the Space Needle will also plan corresponding 50th anniversary celebrations.
Media contact: Deborah Daoust, Seattle Center, (206) 386-1974; www.thenextfifty.org.
Gauguin’s Exotic Works of Polynesian Art Exhibits at Seattle Art Museum in 2012
The Gauguin and Polynesia: South Pacific Encounters exhibit will be on display from Feb. 9 – April 29, 2012 at the Seattle Art Museum (SAM). This is the first exhibit to bring Polynesian studies to the center of an exploration of Paul Gauguin’s art, revealing the dynamic relationship between the work of the great European artist and the Polynesian art that he encountered when he moved to the South Pacific islands in 1891. With approximately 40 paintings, sculptures and works on paper by Paul Gauguin and works from Pacific island cultures, the exhibit will reveal the influence of Polynesian art and culture on Gauguin’s work in unique depth. At the same time, the exhibit will explore a fuller history of Polynesian art as it responded to the dynamic exchanges between Pacific Island peoples and Europeans throughout the nineteenth century. Individual and group tickets for this exhibition are now on sale.
Media contacts: Cara Egan and Calandra Childers, Seattle Art Museum, (206) 654-3158; www.seattleartmuseum.org.
ATTRACTIONS & TOURS
Blake Island’s Tillicum Village Offers Visitors a Unique New Show
Visitors to Seattle can view century old traditions of Native Americans when they visit Blake Island’s Tillicum Village. Argosy Cruises, a family‐owned and locally‐operated Seattle company, recently updated its Tillicum Village experience, a boat trip from the Seattle waterfront to Blake Island in Puget Sound where guests experience Northwest Coast Salish culture in an authentic longhouse. Newly-debuted changes from the menu, stage, sets, lighting, regalia and performance offer an authentic presentation of the customs, beliefs and dances of the Northwest Coast Salish culture. To ensure that visitors have a truly authentic Coast Salish tribes experience, Argosy worked directly with tribal members from early on in the show planning process. In addition to new show content, state-of-the-art lighting and musion technology projects filmed imagery in a lifelike manner woven seamlessly with live acting to tell the story of the Coast Salish tribes. The show purposely utilizes technology and historical live dance to project the native culture as one that has thrived and will continue to thrive in the Northwest.
Media contact: Maureen Black, Argosy Cruises, (206) 623-1445; www.tillicumvillage.com.
“Chef Walks: Seattle” with Tom Douglas Now Available on Kindle
Seattle’s most famous chef, Tom Douglas, has published an eating and walking tour of Seattle, “Chef Walks: Seattle” in Amazon’s Kindle Store. “Chef Walks: Seattle” (co-written by Shelley Lance), serves as a portable guide to navigating Seattle, useful to visitors and locals alike. The guide shares Douglas’ favorite spots to eat, drink, shop and get coffee in Seattle, as well as city information, including where to catch a ferry, see a great city view, or check out the local music scene. Accessible with a Kindle device or via the Kindle app on your phone, “Chef Walks: Seattle” is lighter and more portable than most traditional printed guidebooks. The first in an intended series of city guides, “Chef Walks: Seattle” is only $3.99 exclusively in the Kindle Store.
Media contact: Amazon.com, Inc., (206) 266-7180; www.amazon.com.
New Tour Company Explores the Beauty Outside of Seattle
Kitsap Tours offers a tour of Bainbridge Island and the Kitsap Peninsula, located 35 minutes from downtown Seattle via ferry boat. Kitsap Tours offers a variety of tours including a seven-hour photography tour of Bainbridge Island and the Kitsap Peninsula, where some of the best photography locations in the area will be visited, as well as a 3-hour tour of the Bloedel Reserve, a 150-acre estate garden with large areas of second growth forest, gardens, ponds and meadows. Transportation is via a 14- passenger mini bus and tours begin at the Bainbridge Island ferry terminal.
Media contact: Jean Boyle, Kitsap Tours, (877) 877-1950; www.kitsaptours.com.
Space Needle Joins Seattle CityPass
CityPass has joined forces with the Space Needle and now includes the iconic attraction in its Seattle CityPass attraction book. The Space Needle joins other great Seattle attractions such as the Pacific Science Center, Argosy Cruises Harbor Tour, Seattle Aquarium, Experience Music Project|Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame and an option ticket with the choice of visiting Woodland Park Zoo or the Museum of Flight. Adult Seattle CityPasses are $59, while youth passes (ages 4-12) are $39. The collection of passes saves 51 percent of what each ticket would cost if it was purchased separately. Seattle CityPass may be purchased at any of the included attractions or online at http://www.citypass.com/city/seattle.html.
Media contact: CityPass Public Relations, publicrelations@citypass.com; www.citypass.com./seattle.
HOTELS
Sheraton Opens FOUR Points
Four Points Sheraton Seattle Center opened in August 2011 and is conveniently located within walking distance to the Space Needle and Seattle Center and Monorail. The property includes 158 rooms and a 520 square-foot meeting room. Each room is equipped with a large work area, a 42-inch flat screen TV and complimentary internet. The hotel also features breakfast and dinner service, full bar, secure parking, onsite parking center, valet dry cleaning and a coin-operated laundry.
Media contact: www.starwoodhotels.com.
Hotel FIVE Now Open in Downtown Seattle
Hotel FIVE, the newest property of Pineapple Hospitality, is now open with 120 guestrooms. Previously a Ramada, Hotel FIVE is a new urban industrial-inspired boutique hotel located in downtown Seattle on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Blanchard Street. Hotel FIVE offers completely renovated guest rooms featuring hardwood floors, urban industrial art and furnishings designed by Interior Design International of Seattle. Hotel FIVE is conveniently located near popular tourist attractions like Seattle Center and Pike Place Market, as well as being centered between the business hubs of downtown Seattle and bustling South Lake Union.
Media contact: Lori Meyers, Richmond PR, (206) 682-6979; www.hotelfiveseattle.com.
Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau Provides Travel Booking Service
The Seattle Super Saver website enables one-stop shopping for lodging, transportation, tours, sightseeing and other Seattle activities. This program regularly features tickets to the most popular civic festivals, special events and major cultural exhibitions, travelers can book at www.seattlesupersaver.com or call (866) 285-2535.
Media Contact: David Blandford, Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau, (206) 461-5806; www.seattleseattlesupersaver.
Hyatt Place Opens New Seattle Hotel
Hyatt introduced its Hyatt Place brand to Seattle with the opening of the new Hyatt Place Seattle/Downtown hotel on June 1, 2010. Located within walking distance of the Space Needle, the hotel features 160 guestrooms, indoor swimming pool, in-room refrigerators, 1,460 square feet of meeting space, as well as complimentary Wi-Fi internet throughout.
Media contact: Michael Ashley, Hyatt Place Seattle/Downtown, (206) 441-6041;
www.hyattplaceseattledowntown.com.
Courtyard by Marriott Opens New Hotel in Seattle’s Historic Pioneer Square
Courtyard Marriott has brought a historic building back to life as its new Courtyard Seattle Downtown Pioneer Square hotel. The 1904 Alaska Building, in the heart of Seattle’s historic Pioneer Square district, originated as a bank to accommodate prospectors flocking to Seattle during the Klondike Goldrush in the late 1800s. The building opened as a hotel on June 1, 2010 with 262 newly designed guestrooms, a restaurant with full service bar and over 4,600 square feet of meeting space. The hotel has 26 guestrooms dedicated to stays of 30 days or more, offering cooking amenities and sleeper sofas. The hotel’s location puts its guests within walking distance of Seattle’s sports stadiums, as well within close proximity to the city’s top attractions.
The hotel is also adjacent to the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel, providing direct connection to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport via Sound Transit’s new Link light rail service.
Media contact: Gerry Lamontange, Courtyard Seattle Downtown Pioneer Square,
(206) 409-7487; www.courtyardpioneersquare.com.
Hostelling International Seattle Opens Doors of American Hotel Downtown
Hostelling International opened its renovated facility in the historic American Hotel in downtown Seattle on July 31, 2009. The American Hotel is an 89-room, 294-bed hostel with rates beginning at $29 per bed for dorm-style accommodations for Hostelling International members. Dorm-style accommodations for non-members are $31 per bed. Private rooms are available for $86 a night for up to two people, with extra persons in a private room for an additional $9. A continental breakfast and sheets, towels and pillows are complimentary. Other amenities include computers, laundry facilities, a self-serve kitchen and storage lockers.
Media contact: Scott Shapiro, American Hotel Seattle. (206) 999-5088;
www.americanhotelseattle.com.
Hyatt Regency Bellevue Opens Doors to Second Tower Expansion
The Hyatt Regency Bellevue opened the doors to its much anticipated expansion on July 31, 2009. The expansion introduced a second tower with 43,000 square-feet of meeting and event space, as well as 351 new guestrooms. With the opening of the second tower, the hotel houses 733 luxury guestrooms, 60,000 square feet of meeting and event space as well as a 7,000 square-foot workout complex.
Media contact: Allison Ferre, Duo PR, (206) 957-8305; www.bellevue.hyatt.com.
Hyatt at Olive 8 Opens in Downtown Seattle
The Hyatt brand has expanded its holdings in downtown Seattle with the opening of a $175- million, 39-story hotel-condominium project located one block north of the existing Grand Hyatt Hotel. Opened January 30, 2009, Hyatt at Olive 8 features 231 condominiums on the upper 22 floors and 346 hotel rooms on the lower 17 floors. The entire building is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certified by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). It is the first mixed-use hotel and residential project to achieve such certification in Seattle. Hyatt at Olive 8 also becomes one of only 20 hotels in the U.S. to be officially designated “green” by the LEED Green Building Rating System. Key elements of the energy-saving and eco-friendly building include low-flow plumbing fixtures, dual-flush toilets, a low-chemical mechanical water
system and landscaping maintenance that uses minimal city water thanks to native plant
species and irrigation systems. On-site amenities available to both condominium owners and hotel guests include the locally-sourced restaurant Urbane, an eco-friendly spa, saltwater pool, housekeeping, drying-cleaning services, valet parking and 24-hour room service, in addition to separate lobbies and elevators for the hotel and condominium components of the building. Hyatt at Olive 8 also contains 11,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space.
Media contact: Allison Ferre, Duo PR, (206) 957-8305; www.olive8.hyatt.com.
Four Seasons Returns to Seattle
The Four Seasons brand returned to Seattle on Nov. 3, 2008 with a 21-story hotel and
condominium tower in the heart of downtown, adjacent to Pike Place Market and the Seattle Art Museum. The luxury hotel features 134 guestrooms, 13 suites, a signature water-view restaurant, event and meeting space including an expansive ballroom and an outdoor pool overlooking Elliott Bay. The hotel’s restaurant, ART Restaurant & Lounge, has a “best source” philosophy of using the freshest local ingredients, not only in its main dining room, but also in its in-room dining and catering menus. Overseeing the food and beverage for the hotel is acclaimed Seattle chef and Four Seasons veteran, Executive Chef Kerry Sear. The project was developed by The Seattle Hotel Group LLC, which is comprised of local investors John Oppenheimer, president and CEO of Seattle-based Columbia Hospitality; former Seattle mayor Paul Schell; and entrepreneur Bruce McCaw.
Media contact: Meg Paynor, Paynor PR, (206) 913-3848; www.fourseasons.com/seattle.
GROUND TRANSPORTATION
Link Light Rail Reaches Completion from Downtown Seattle to Airport
Sound Transit’s Link light rail line from downtown Seattle to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) reached completion on Dec. 19, 2009. Now travelers are able to traverse the 15.6 miles between downtown Seattle and Sea-Tac seamlessly. Downtown stations are located at Westlake Center, the financial district, Pioneer Square and the International District. The train makes stops in several neighborhoods south of Seattle before reaching the Sea-Tac/Airport Station, an approximately 37 minute trip. The Sea-Tac/Airport Station connects to the airport through the airport parking garage via a pedestrian walkway. The fare for the trip from downtown Seattle is $2.50 for adults, $1.75 for youths 6-18 and free for riders under six when accompanied by a paying adult.
Media contact: Bruce Gray, Sound Transit Media Relations, (206) 398-5069;
www.soundtransit.org.
CONVENTION NEWS
Washington State Convention Center Opens Additional Space
On July 20, 2010, Washington State Convention Center opened The Conference Center, its newest meeting and event facility. Located at the corner of Eighth Avenue and Pike Street, The Conference Center features 71,000 square feet of high-end configurable space which easily connects to 205,000 more; a 20,000 pound capacity freight elevator to facilitate move in/move out; and 60 amp electrical connections for registration and networking requirements. The Conference Center has award-winning catering services, a commitment to sustainability and an eco-friendly design. The Conference Center received a LEED Silver rating under the Commercial Interiors classification system from the U.S. Green Building Council.
Media contact: Michael McQuade, WSCC, (206) 694-5105; www.wscc.com.
Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau Offers Two Visitor Centers
Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau (SCVB) opened its second visitors’ center at the Market Information Center in June 2009 at the entrance to the Pike Place Market at First Avenue and Pike Street. A collaboration between SCVB and the Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority, the center facility serves the needs of Seattle visitors and locals, as well as the Pike Place Market neighborhood. The Market Information Center is open daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Formerly the Citywide Concierge Center location, the Seattle Visitor Center and Concierge Services opened in 2008 and is located in the upper Pike Street lobby of the Washington State Convention Center. Open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the highly visible location allows the center to assist more visitors and convention attendees. The center features large plasma-screen displays of Seattle information and real-time Seattle-Tacoma International Airport flight information.
Media contact: Kauilani Robinson, Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau, (206) 461-5839; www.visitseattle.org.
Team-Building Takes on a Whole New Adventure
EverGreen Escapes, is now offering private team-building retreats throughout the Seattle region for corporate groups. Programs are customized in order to meet the needs and objectives of each group. Sustainability, wilderness and adventure are the basis for these hands-on challenges that encourage leadership, communication and problem-solving skills. Some activities include scavenger hunts using GPS and/or maps and compasses, team survival or rescue, kayaking, rock climbing, wine tasting and much more. Each group is led by a professional naturalist who is dedicated to educating people on sustainable travel.
Media contact: Jake Haupert, EverGreen Escapes, (206) 650-5795;
www.evergreenescapes.com.
AIR TRANSPORTATION
Emirates Airlines to Add Flights to Seattle
The Dubai-based airline, Emirates Air will connect Seattle to a new region of the world. Daily, non-stop flights will be offered beginning March 1, 2012 between Sea-Tac International Airport and Dubai International Airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Media contact: Perry Cooper, Port of Seattle, (206) 787-4923; www.portseattle.org.
Iceland Air to Begin Daily Flights from Seattle to Reykjavik
Iceland Air will offer travelers nonstop flights between Seattle and Reykjavik daily beginning mid-May 2012. Currently, Iceland Air offers flights six times a week and is the only Nordic airline to serve the West Coast. The carrier serves as a gateway to Scandinavian countries, including connections through Reykjavik to Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, as well as other European destinations. Icelandair is one of six airlines to fly nonstop from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) to a European destination.
Media contact: Perry Cooper, Port of Seattle, (206) 787-4923; www.portseattle.org.
Condor Airlines Adds New International Flights from Seattle
On June 23, 2011, Condor Airlines began offering round-trip flights twice weekly between Frankfurt and Seattle. The new flights provide another option for direct travel between Germany and Washington State, complimenting Lufthansa’s service between Frankfurt and Seattle that began in 2008. Condor Airlines is part of the Thomas Cook Group and offers service and connections throughout Europe and the Caribbean.
New Flights from Asia to Seattle Take Flight
Delta Air Lines inaugurated two new nonstop flights to Asia from Seattle during June 2010. Service to Beijing, China began service five times weekly on June 4, 2010 and a new Osaka, Japan route began daily service on June 7, 2010. Each of the new routes uses Boeing 767-300 aircraft.
Delta Air Lines Offers Increased Air Service between Seattle and Europe
Delta Air Lines, in partnership with Air France KLM, began expanded service to Amsterdam on June 1, 2010. Service increased from seven to 10 flights weekly aboard a combination of Airbus A330-300 and Boeing 767-300 aircraft.
Hainan Airlines Chooses Seattle as First United States Destination
Hainan Airlines, China’s largest privately-owned air carrier, began offering nonstop service between Beijing, China and Seattle, four times weekly, on June 9, 2008. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is the first United States destination served by Hainan Airlines. Hainan Airlines inaugurated service with an Airbus A330-200 but has ordered Boeing 787s for future use.
Media contact: Nyhus Public Relations, (206) 323-3733; http://global.hnair.com.
Lufthansa Now Offering Direct Flights from Germany
Lufthansa Airlines began daily nonstop service between Frankfurt, Germany and Seattle beginning on March 30, 2008. Lufthansa is the largest carrier of international passengers in the world and Frankfurt Airport is the eighth largest airport in the world. The route is served by a 221-seat Airbus A330-300 aircraft.
Media contact: Jennifer Urbaniak, Media Communications Manager, North America, (516) 296-967; www.lufthansa.com.
Air France Sets up Shop at Sea-Tac
Air France inaugurated the first daily, nonstop service between Paris and Seattle in June 2007. The more than 50,000 people who make the journey between Paris and Seattle annually will no longer need to connect through another city.
Media contact: Kristen Loughman, Air France U.S., (212) 830-4356; www.airfrance.com.
CRUISE
Disney Cruise Line to Enter Seattle Cruise Market in 2012
In April, Disney Cruise Lines announced that Seattle will be its home port for Alaska cruises in 2012. Disney chose Seattle as one of three new ports for its 2012 itineraries, replacing Vancouver, B.C. which has served as Disney’s home port for Alaskan cruises during the two previous cruise seasons. The other new ports are New York City and Galveston, TX. Disney’s 14 Seattle-to-Alaska cruises, starting May 2012, will be aboard its Wonder ship, with stops in Tracy Arm, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, Alaska and Victoria, B.C.
Media contacts:
Kauilani Robinson; (206) 461-5839, krobinson@visitseattle.org
David Blandford; (206) 461-5806, dblandford@visitseattle.org
(Updated: 11/11)