47°23′18″N 122°14′24″W / 47.38833°N 122.24000°W / 47.38833; -122.24000

Accesso ShoWare Center
The Show
Arena bowl during a Thunderbirds game (c.2012)
Accesso ShoWare Center is located in Washington (state)
Accesso ShoWare Center
Accesso ShoWare Center
Location within Washington State
Accesso ShoWare Center is located in the United States
Accesso ShoWare Center
Accesso ShoWare Center
Location within the United States
Former namesKent Events Center (planning/construction)
Amiga Center (planning/construction)
ShoWare Center (2009-17)
Address625 W James St
Kent, WA 98032-4406
LocationGreater Seattle
OwnerCity of Kent
OperatorASM Global
Capacity7,141
Construction
Broke groundSeptember 25, 2007 (2007-09-25)
OpenedJanuary 2, 2009 (2009-01-02)
Construction cost$84.5 million
Architect
Project managerShiels Obletz Johnsen, Inc.
Structural engineerMagnusson Klemencic Associates
Services engineerWood Harbinger, Inc.
General contractorMortenson Construction
Tenants
Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) (2009–present)
Seattle Mist (LFL) (2009–2019)
Seattle Thunder (X League) (2022–present)
Rat City Rollergirls (WFTDA) (2009–2021)
Kent Predators/Seattle Timberwolves (IFL) (2010–2011)
Seattle Impact (MASL) (2014–2015)
Tacoma Stars (MASL) (2015–present)
Website
Venue Website

The Accesso ShoWare Center is a multi-purpose arena in Kent, Washington, United States.

About the venue

The construction of the arena began September 2005,[1] with the venue opening in January 2009.[2] The principal tenants are the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League and the Tacoma Stars of the Major Arena Soccer League.

Naming rights to the arena were initially sold to Amiga, Inc. and the arena was to be called the "Amiga Center".[3] However, Amiga failed to make a promised down payment, and lost the naming rights as of August 2007.[4] In November 2008, the Kent City Council announced that the city had sold the naming rights to the Fresno-based VisionOne, Inc., an e-business software developer which in turn named the arena after ShoWare, its flagship box office operations program.[5] In 2014, tech company Accesso purchased VisionOne, Inc.; with the venue changing its name to the accesso ShoWare Center in the fall of 2017.[6]

The design architect is LMN Architects of Seattle, in association with PBK Architects of Vancouver, British Columbia.[7] The arena is managed and operated by Philadelphia-based SMG.

Among other events, it has hosted the 2012 edition of the Hilton HHonors Skate America.[8]

In 2021, the ShoWare Center began a $5 million renovation to the arena, including a $800,000 scoreboard, which was completed early in the 2021-22 season. More additions to this renovation include a new cover for the ice while not in use, concession stand rebrands, the improving of the outdoor marquee, replacement of folding chairs, kitchens and other concession equipment, new stage and blackout curtains, and ice making equipment. Smaller improvements include new carpets in administrative offices, a stronger transformer to be used during concerts, motors for the curtains, the refinishing and repairing of the basketball court, repairing of fences and gates, and 40 new televisions for the suites. [9]

Facts about the venue

Miscellaneous
  • The approximate square footage of the arena is 150,000 sq ft (14,000 m2)
  • The new scoreboard built in 2021 includes two ribbon boards, the top board measuring 21'4" x 3'3", the bottom measuring 18'10" x 2'6". The four main replay screens measure 18'10" x 10'8".[10]
  • The venue opened on January 3, 2009 with a hockey game by (Seattle Thunderbirds vs. Everett Silvertips)
  • The arena has a capacity of 5,887 seats. Retractable seating to provide additional space for concerts, basketball, shows and other events, expanding the capacity to 7,141.
  • The venue typically hosts 110 to 117 events annually, including about 40 Thunderbird games.
  • Country duo Florida Georgia Line drew an audience 7,129 people on December 14, 2013.[11]
  • The 2 millionth guest celebration was held on November 11, 2014.[12]
Sports
  • Brenden Silvester of the Seattle Thunderbirds scored the first goal in the history of the arena, in the 2nd period on January 3, 2009 against the Everett Silvertips in a 4-3 Seattle win.
  • Greg Scott of the Seattle Thunderbirds scored the first hat trick in the arena on February 6, 2009
  • The 2015-2016 hockey season reached an all time attendance record with an average of 4,792 people per game.[13]
  • Hockey single game attendance record of 6,223 set on May 12, 2017 during the WHL finals against the Regina Pats.[14]
  • Hosted first professional basketball games during the 2018 JBA season.
  • In Professional Wrestling, the arena has hosted three house shows for the TNA Wrestling promotion (2009, 2011, 2012) and one taped event for Ring of Honor wrestling's weekly television program (2019).
  • The arena hosted a National Hockey League preseason game between the Seattle Kraken and Calgary Flames on October 2, 2021.[15]

Selected events

List of selected events held at the accesso ShoWare Center
Date Artist Event Opening act(s) Attendance Revenue
November 19, 2016 Amy Grant
Michael W. Smith		 Christmas with Amy Grant & Michael W. Smith Jordan Smith 5,986 / 5,986 $329,078[16]
December 7, 2016 Hunter Hayes
Josh Turner		 Hometown Holiday Tyler Farr
Maddie & Tae
Seth Ennis		 3,481 / 3,498 $150,520[16]
April 12, 2017 Banda MS Gira Es Tuyo Mi Amor Pancho Barraza
Beatriz Solís		 6,521 / 6,521 $390,210[17]
June 18, 2017 El Fantasma Rancheando En La Ciudad Tour Voz de Mando
Kanales		 1,890 / 6,439 $121,350[18]
July 13, 2017 Logic Everybody's Tour Joey Badass
Big Lenbo		 4,612 / 4,937 $204,643[19]
October 15, 2017 Los Inquietos del Norte Gira Locos y Entumecidos Chuy Lizárraga
Jesús Ojeda
El Filly		 2,796 / 6,614 $142,955[20]
October 29, 2017 Skillet Unleashed Tour Britt Nicole
Colton Dixon
Tauren Wells		 1,891 / 4,432 $55,162[20]
March 3, 2018 G-Eazy The Beautiful & Damned Tour Trippie Redd
Phora
Anthony Russo		 6,656 / 6,820 $264,543[21]

References

  1. ↑ "Events Center Ceremony Wins National Award". Kent Reporter. Sound Publishing, Inc. November 28, 2008. Archived from the original on April 6, 2016. Retrieved March 10, 2012.
  2. ↑ Hunter, Steve (January 2, 2009). "Big Plans for ShoWare Center Grand Opening". Kent Reporter. Sound Publishing, Inc. Archived from the original on April 8, 2016. Retrieved March 10, 2012.
  3. ↑ Gaschk, Matthew (April 17, 2007). "T-Birds' proposed arena gets a name". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Hearst Corporation. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2009.
  4. ↑ Brunner, Jim (July 31, 2007). "Amiga fails to deliver cash, loses naming rights to Kent arena". The Seattle Times. The Seattle Times Company. Archived from the original on October 18, 2007. Retrieved January 5, 2009.
  5. ↑ Hunter, Steve (November 19, 2008). "New name for the Kent Events Center". Kent Reporter. Sound Publishing, Inc. Archived from the original on May 22, 2011. Retrieved January 5, 2009.
  6. ↑ Hunter, Steve (June 15, 2017). "Kent's ShoWare Center to get longer name". Kent Reporter. Sound Publishing, Inc. Archived from the original on February 25, 2019. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
  7. ↑ "ShoWare Center Press Kit" (PDF). LMN Architects. December 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 15, 2013. Retrieved March 10, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Kent, Wash., chosen to host 2012 Skate America". The Denver Post. Digital First Media. May 4, 2012. Archived from the original on February 25, 2019. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
  9. ↑ Hunter, Steve (2021-08-31). "Kent's ShoWare Center to get $3 million in upgrades, repairs". Kent Reporter. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
  10. ↑ "Accesso ShoWare Scoreboard Replacement RFP – Addendum #1". City of Kent. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  11. ↑ "ShoWare Center 5th Anniversary Celebration". Official Website of the Seattle Thunderbirds. Canadian Hockey League. January 16, 2014. Archived from the original on February 25, 2019. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Welcome to our Two Millionth Guest!". Official Website of the ShoWare Center. November 2014. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Seattle Thunderbirds Yearly Attendance Graph". hockeyDB.com. August 2015. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
  14. ↑ "T-Birds Fly Past Pats For 3-2 Championship Series Lead". ISN. May 13, 2017. Archived from the original on February 26, 2019. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
  15. ↑ "On the Road to Season Start Kraken announce preseason 'home'". NHL. July 9, 2021.
  16. 1 2 "Current Boxscore". Billboard. Nashville, Tennessee: Eldridge Industries. 128. December 24, 2016. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original on November 15, 2017. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
  17. ↑ "Current Boxscore". Billboard. Nashville, Tennessee: Eldridge Industries. 129 (12). May 27, 2017. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original on November 15, 2017. Retrieved May 20, 2017.
  18. ↑ "Current Boxscore". Billboard. Nashville, Tennessee: Eldridge Industries. 129 (21). September 23, 2017. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original on November 15, 2017. Retrieved September 13, 2017.
  19. ↑ "Billboard Boxscore". Billboard. Nashville, Tennessee: Eldridge Industries. 129. November 25, 2017. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original on November 15, 2017. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
  20. 1 2 "Billboard Boxscore". Billboard. Nashville, Tennessee: Eldridge Industries. 129 (29). December 23, 2017. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original on May 9, 2018. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  21. ↑ "Billboard Boxscore". Billboard. Nashville, Tennessee: Eldridge Industries. 130 (13). May 19, 2018. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original on May 9, 2018. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
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