WHAT’S NEW

    Story Suggestions for Seattle and the Pacific Northwest

Spring 2012

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Seattle Center Celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair
Seattle is commemorating its 50th anniversary of the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair from April 21 through Oct. 21 2012. This event is considered to be the cornerstone in the city’s modern development. 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. Each month focuses on key areas of regional leadership and development, including:

• Sustainable Futures, April 21 – May 31
• Science and Technology, June
• Global Health, July
• Learning, August
• Commerce and the Innovation Economy, September
• Civic Action, October

Additionally, surrounding cultural institutions and the Space Needle are also hosting 50th anniversary celebrations this spring and summer.

Media Contact: Deborah Daoust, Seattle Center, (206) 386-1974; www.thenextfifty.org.

Chihuly Garden & Glass Exhibition to Open May 21 on Seattle Center Campus
The Chihuly Garden & Glass exhibition will open May 21 on Seattle Center’s 74-acre campus. The exhibition will showcase the most comprehensive collection of Washington-native Dale Chihuly’s artwork ever assembled. It will include a collection of glass, sculpture and other media displayed in both interior and exterior exhibits. The interior exhibit will highlight the wide variety of Chihuly’s most popular works. The exterior will feature some of his large, signature works amid a lush garden. The exterior will also include a 40-foot Glass House structure with an expansive Chihuly installation flowing from the ceiling covering 4,500 square feet. The eight expansive galleries will be accompanied by a Chihuly bookstore and the Collections Café. Advance tickets are available on the website.

Media Contact: April Matson, Chihuly Garden & Glass, (206)753-4924;
www.chihulygardenandglass.com.

New King Tut Exhibition to Make West Coast Debut at Pacific Science Center
The Pacific Science Center will host a seven-month run 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 – more than twice the size of Seattle’s 1979 Tut exhibit – and features new objects never before seen in the U.S. The exhibit will feature 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, the exhibition will offer the opportunity to learn about King Tut’s life and death through recent CT scans of his mummy. Seattle is the last U.S. stop on the exhibition’s tour. Individual and group tickets for this exhibition are now on sale.

Media Contact: Wendy Malloy, Pacific Science Center, (206) 443-2879; www.pacificsciencecenter.org.

LeMay Car Museum to Open in Tacoma June 2, 2012
When complete, LeMay – America’s Car Museum will be a four-story, nine-acre auto museum, one of the world’s largest of its kind. The LeMay auto collection is recognized in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest privately-held car collection in the world. The new museum will provide visitors with a more hands-on approach in the technologically-advanced, interactive museum and educational center that will showcase the cultural impact of cars, motorcycles and trucks on our uniquely American way of life.

Media Contact: Bridget Baeth, Tacoma Regional Convention + Visitor Bureau, (253) 284-3267; www.traveltacoma.com.

5th Avenue Theatre Reveals New 2012-13 Season Schedule
The 5th Avenue Theatre 2012-13 season includes Broadway hits, timeless classics and contemporary musicals.  The Tony Award-winning Memphis opens the theatre’s season, Sept. 18 through Oct. 7.  The hit Broadway musical, The Addams Family, premieres in Seattle on Oct. 24 and runs through Nov. 11.  ELF- The Musical will ring in the holidays, Nov. 30 through Dec. 31.  The production, The Music Man will play from Feb. 7 through March 10, 2013.  Grey Gardens will again be running next spring from March 16 through May 26.  The highest attended show in The 5th Avenue Theatre’s history, Jersey Boys, returns to the theatre from April 4 through May 11, 2013.  Lastly, the musical comedy, The Pirates of Penzance will run from July 11 through Aug. 4, 2013. For more information about The 5th Avenue Theatre, visit www.5thavenue.org.

Media Contact: Bridget Summers, The 5th Avenue Theatre, (206) 260-2174; www.5thavenue.org.

Seattle Symphony Welcomes New Music Director, Announces Free Tickets
for Kids
The Seattle Symphony is now in its 109th season under the leadership of its new Music Director, Ludovic Morlot. A trained French violinist, Morlot studied conducting at the Royal Academy of Music in London and then at the Royal College of Music as a recipient of the Norman del Mar Conducting Fellowship. Morlot was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music in 2007 in recognition of his significant contribution to music. He is one of the leading conductors of his generation. The symphony is internationally recognized for its adventurous and innovative programming of contemporary works, its devotion to the classics and extensive recording history. Under former Music Director and now Conductor Laureate, Gerard Schwarz, the Seattle Symphony completed more than 140 recordings and received 12 Grammy nominations and two Emmys.

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: Mary Lanholz, (206) 215-4700; www.seattlesymphony.org.

New Innovation Center Planned for Museum of History & Industry
Amazon.com founder and CEO, Jeff Bezos, announced a $10 million donation to Seattle’s Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI) in August 2011. The funding will go toward the Center for Innovation at MOHAI’s new location in South Lake Union, opening in late 2012.

Media Contact: Jackie Durbin, (206) 324-1126 ext. 20, www.seattlehistory.org.

AC/DC:  Australia’s Family Jewels Exhibits at the EMP Museum
Developed and presented by the Arts Centre Melbourne and the Western Australian Museum in association with AC/DC, Albert Music, and Sony Music, AC/DC: Australia’s Family Jewels is the first and only fully-endorsed AC/DC exhibition to bring to life the history, creativity, and power of one of the world’s greatest rock bands. The exhibition will feature more than 400 artifacts including photos, instruments, letters, lyrics, costumes, and more than three decades of gig posters from shows staged around the world. The exhibit will be in Seattle from April 28 through Sept. 29, 2012 and the EMP Museum will be the only venue in North America to host this exhibit.

One of the highest-grossing bands of all time, AC/DC paved the way for heavy metal with blues-based riffs, power-driven performances, and tons of onstage antics. AC/DC has sold nearly 71 million albums in the U.S. alone, making them one of the top selling bands in American music history.

Media Contact: Anita Woo, Experience Music Project, (206) 770-2700; www.empmuseum.org.

New Exhibits Lands at Seattle’s Museum of Flight
To commemorate the 38th anniversary of the last manned mission to the moon, the Museum of Flight is now featuring new Apollo 17 mission models in its Space: Exploring the New Frontier exhibit. Highlights include 1/6-scale models of the lunar module Challenger and the lunar rover, as well as life-size models of astronauts Gene Cernan and Jack Schmitt, the last astronauts to set foot on the moon. Modeler Dave Gianakos logged more than 2,500 hours crafting these models and no element has been overlooked. The interior of the crew cabin is completely detailed with scale lights, switches and controls and authentic materials identical to those used on the real spacecraft.
In 2011, the Museum of Flight announced that it will house a full-fuselage space shuttle trainer in its new state-of-the-art, 15,500-square-foot Space Gallery. The space shuttle trainer is the only one of its kind in the world and is the simulator in which every space shuttle astronaut trained for space flight. The gallery will also house numerous other rare space artifacts that will be part of a one-of-a-kind exhibit about space and engaging the next generation of space explorers through hands-on learning.

Media Contact: Ted Huetter, (206) 768-7105; www.museumofflight.org.
 
The American Debut of Australian Aboriginal Art Works in a Fine Art Setting
The Seattle Art Museum presents Ancestral Modern: Australian Aboriginal Art from the Kaplan & Levi Collection, May 31 through Sept. 2, 2012.  With more than 100 works created from 1970 through 2009, the exhibit includes the artistic renaissance of the world’s oldest living culture. Indigenous art will include paintings on canvas, ochres on bark and sculptures in wood, fiber and bronze. Paintings and sculptures from Australia have expanded definitions of conventional ways of depicting landscapes, portraits, still lifes, narratives and law.

Media Contacts: Cara Egan and Calandra Childers, Seattle Art Museum, (206) 654-3158; www.seattleartmuseum.org.

Elles Survey Expects to Offer an Unforgettable Visual Experience
Elles: Women Artists from the Centre Pompidou, Paris is an international survey of painting, sculpture, drawing, photography, video and installation by pioneering women artists. The history of modern and contemporary art displayed in this survey is experimental and confrontational. The Seattle Art Museum (SAM) will host this installation from Oct. 11, 2012 through Jan. 13, 2013. To complement the discussion, SAM will re-install Elles: Seattle, a series of exhibitions highlighting the accomplishments of women artist with an American/Northwest perspective.

Media Contacts: Cara Egan and Calandra Childers, Seattle Art Museum, (206) 654-3158; www.seattleartmuseum.org.

ATTRACTIONS & TOURS

Seattle waterfront to Feature Ferris Wheel by June
Construction began on April 17, 2012 to build the 175-foot Ferris wheel at the end of Pier 57 on the Seattle waterfront. Cement foundation for the new landmark is being poured, after nearly 30 years in the works. The wheel will feature 42 Euro-designed gondolas, equipped with heating, air conditioning and glass see-through floors.  The structure will extend nearly 40 feet out from the pier, hovering over Elliott Bay.  The prices have not been finalized, yet are projected to range from $12 to $13 for adults and $7 to $8 for kids.  The Seattle wheel is planned to open by June.

Media Contact: Pier 57, (206) 623-8600; http://pier57seattle.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.

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; http://www.kitsaptours.com.

Explore Vampire Country with EverGreen Escapes
EverGreen Escapes offers two Twi-hard tours. The “Ultimate Olympics,” a full-day tour to Washington state’s famous Olympic Peninsula, inspired by the best-selling Twilight book series. The tour begins with a ferry ride across the Puget Sound followed by a scenic drive to the town of Forks, home of Twilight characters Edward and Bella. Visitors and Twilight fans are invited to traverse the old growth, moss-filled Hoh Rainforest during a guided walk through the Hall of Mosses Trail. Additional tour destinations include La Push, home of the Quileute Native American Tribe and Jacob Black and First Beach, a drive-to beach known for occasional whale spotting. Plus, the tour stops for lunch at La Bella Italia in Port Angeles where Edward and Bella had their first date.

The “Twilight Overnight Adventure,” offers an overnight adventure with everything from the full day tour, including a visit to Hurricane Ridge.

Media Contact: Jake Haupert, EverGreen Escapes, (206) 650-5795;
http://evergreenescapes.com.

New Progressive Dining through Dine & Dash in Downtown Seattle
In June, Savor Seattle Tours will launch a new event called Dine & Dash in downtown Seattle. The event includes four surprise restaurants, all in one night! A non-traditional tour, offers a casual and relaxed social environment that follows a progressive meal format. The event includes  two appetizer locations, one entrée location and one dessert location. Cocktail and drink specials are offered throughout the evening at an additional fee. Tickets are $39 each. 

Media Contact: Angela Shen, Savor Seattle Food Tours, (206) 898-4418; www.savorseattletours.com.

Discover and Explore Pike Place Market with Public Market Tours
Public Market Tours launched April 1, 2012 to offer a 1-hour historical tour of Pike Place Market. Tour participants are filled with tales of the Market’s fascinating stories – past and present. Adults and kids will get an inside look at fishmongers flying fish, seasonal produce stands, and hardworking flower growers that make the Pike Place Market famous.

Media Contact: Angela Shen, Public Market Tours, (206) 898-4418; www.PublicMarketTours.com.

Crystal Mountain – Mt. Rainier Gondola
The Mt. Rainier Gondola, which opened in 2011, takes visitors to the 6,872-foot summit that can be enjoyed Nov. through Sept. for skiing, snowshoeing, horseback riding, sightseeing, mountain-top dining, disc golfing, hiking and festivals. This is the first and only ski gondola in Washington state. With the new gondola anyone can travel to Crystal Mountain’s summit to enjoy the best view of Mt. Rainier found anywhere while dining at Washington’s highest restaurant.

Media Contact: Tiana Enger, (360) 663-3012; www.crystalmountainresort.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, EMP Museum and an option ticket with the choice of visiting Woodland Park Zoo or the Museum of Flight. Adult Seattle CityPasses are $69, while youth passes (ages 4-12) are $44. The collection of passes saves 45 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 www.citypass.com.

Media Contact: Deborah Wakefield, (888) 330-5008; www.citypass.com.

HOTELS

W Hotel’s March 2012 Multi-Million Dollar Renovation Revealed
W Seattle’s recent renovation of the hotel’s “living room” bar and restaurant is complete. The hotel’s first floor re-opening revealed TRACE, the new trend-setting, urban cocktail venue helmed by Chef de Cuisine Steven Ariel.  The restaurant bar and living room space redesign is all about what’s new and what’s next in hotel design. The 26-floor, 424-guestroom hotel is located in the heart of downtown near music venues, retail shops and Seattle’s famous Pike Place Market.

Media Contact: Lissa Gruman, (425) 445-5332, www.wseattle.com.

Seattle’s Red Lion Hotel Plans Major Renovation Improvements
The Red Lion Hotel on Fifth Avenue in downtown Seattle announced a $25 million renovation plan that will increase meeting space by 50 percent, add 22 additional guestrooms and remodel the dinning and outdoor entertainment venues. The hotel will remain open during the improvement projects and the full renovation is scheduled to be completed by 2014.

Media Contact: Red Lion Hotel Seattle, (206) 971-8000, www.seattleredlionfifthavenue.com.

Benchmark Hospitality to Manage New Property Opening in 2013
Benchmark Hospitality will manage the Bellevue Park Hotel, a new property in Bellevue, WA being developed by Hydra Developments, LLC. The 108-room, four-star hotel is expected to open in 2013 and will feature smart rooms designed to be modern, comfortable and intriguing, as well as a spa, a 90-seat restaurant and lounge and 5,000 square-feet of meeting and event space.

Media Contact: Kirsten Bell, GreenRubino, (206) 447-4747; www.bellevueparkhotel.com.

Four Points by Sheraton Opens in Seattle
Four Points Sheraton Seattle Center opened in August 2011 and is 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 access. The hotel also features breakfast and dinner service, full bar, secure parking, onsite parking center, valet dry cleaning and a coin-operated laundry.

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.

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.

GROUND TRANSPORTATION

Link Light Rail Connects Downtown Seattle to Sea-Tac 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.

King County Metro Bus Update
The Free Ride Area is scheduled to end on Sept. 29, 2012.  Beginning Sept. 30, bus riders will pay when entering the bus for all trips.

Media Contact: Linda Thielke, King County Department of Transportation, (206) 684-1414; http://metro.kingcounty.gov.

CONVENTION NEWS

Washington State Convention Center Refurbishment
The Washington State Convention Center (WSCC) has begun $20 million refurbishment of its downtown Seattle facility. The updates will be completed in multiple phases throughout 2012 and 2013, concluding with updates to ceilings, lighting public spaces and the facility’s exterior. The largest portion of work will be scheduled during times when there are few if any events to have the last possible impact on them. Color palettes, finishes and carpeting were chosen to create an inviting environment for visitors while establishing a strong sense of place that is tied to the Pacific Northwest. The upgrade will incorporate sustainable materials, from carpet with 35 percent pre-consumer recycled content by weight to fabric wall coverings with recycled material, long-life toxin-free porcelain tile, Greenguard and NFS-certified solid surfacing material, low VOC paints, paneling and trim.

Media Contact: Brian Baum, WSCC, (206) 694-5151; www.wscc.com.
   
Washington State Convention Center Garners LEED Silver Certification
The Washington State Convention Center (WSCC) received LEED Silver certification for its newest meeting and event space, The Conference Center (TCC) which opened in 2010. The Conference Center received the rating pursuant to the Commercial Interiors classification system promulgated by the U.S. Green Building Council. In addition to an eco-friendly design, TCC offers 71,000-square feet of high-end configurable space, award-winning catering services and a commitment to sustainability. A beautiful facility on its own, TCC connects seamlessly with the rest of the 344,000-square-foot WSCC.

The Washington State Convention Center was named Best Green Event Venue in Washington by Northwest Meetings + Events magazine and was listed as one of Washington’s Green 50 businesses by Seattle Business monthly.

Media Contact: Brian Baum, WSCC, (206) 694-5151; 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.

AIR TRANSPORTATION

Seattle-Tacoma International (Sea-Tac) Airport Update
A record 32.8 million passengers passed through Seattle-Tacoma International (Sea-Tac) Airport in 2011, a four percent increase from 2010. Included in that number were nearly 3 million international passengers, the most ever in the airport’s history.

Media Contact: Perry Cooper, Port of Seattle, (206) 787-4923; www.portseattle.org.

Emirates Airlines Add Flights to Seattle
The Dubai-based airline, Emirates Air now connects Seattle to a new region of the world. Daily, non-stop flights began 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.

All Nippon Airways (ANA) New Non-stop Service to Seattle
All Nippon Airways (ANA) announced the company’s intent to inaugurate nonstop service to Sea-Tac Airport from Narita International Airport in July 2012. ANA is one of nine airlines to offer international services to Sea-Tac since 2007.

Media Contact: Perry Cooper, Port of Seattle, (206) 787-4923; www.portseattle.org.

Iceland Air Offers Daily Flights from Seattle to Reykjavik
Iceland Air offers travelers nonstop flights between Seattle and Reykjavik daily from May through October 2012. Beginning in November, Iceland Air will offer flights six times a week. As 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.

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.

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.

CRUISE

Disney Cruise Line Enters into the Seattle Cruise Market
Disney Cruise Lines makes Seattle 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 previous cruise season. The other new ports are New York City and Galveston, TX. Disney’s 14 Seattle-to-Alaska cruises, starting May 2012, will be aboard the Disney Wonder, with stops in Tracy Arm, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, Alaska and Victoria, B.C.

Norwegian Cruise Line Increases Sailings from Port of Seattle
In 2012, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) will operate two ships from the Port of Seattle to Alaska. The NCL Jewel will replace the NCL Star in Seattle.

Oceana to Cruise from Seattle Next Year
Oceania Cruise Lines will offer Alaskan cruises May-June, 2013. For the first time, the Port of Seattle will serve as a point of departure. The 684-passenger Regatta will serve the route.

Celebrity’s Solstice will Cruise in 2013
Celebrity Cruises’ 2,850-passenger Solstice will make 19 calls on the Port of Seattle in 2013, offering mostly seven-day roundtrip Alaskan cruises. At 1,041 feet in length, the Solstice will be one of the largest ships to berth in Seattle.

Robust Cruise Season Anticipated in 2012
In 2012, the Port of Seattle expects 202 cruise ship visits and some 432,000 passengers. This translates to $416 million in annual business revenue, 4,319 jobs and $18 million in annual state and local taxes. There is an estimated $2.1 million economic benefit to the Seattle community each time a homeport ship docks at the Port of Seattle.

Media Contact: Peter McGraw, Port of Seattle, (206) 787-3446; www.portseattle.org/.


Media contacts:
David Blandford; (206) 461-5806, dblandford@visitseattle.org
Kauilani Robinson; (206) 461-5839, krobinson@visitseattle.org

(Updated: 5/12)