SeaTac Civic Campus

To date, the City Council has not discussed an approach to paying for the Civic Campus that would directly result in an increase to taxes.  Assuming the City Council decides to proceed with land acquisition, the City Council will continue to discuss how to finance development of the Civic Campus infrastructure after purchasing the land.  If the City Council proceeds with a public bond for purchasing the land, the bond would be available for anyone to purchase and would have a competitive interest rate – so people want to buy the bond. If the City Council proceeds with a private bond, the bond would be designed to be attractive for a single purchase; commonly private bonds are purchased by a bank.

On Tuesday, July 8, the City Council indicated that the City should explore community uses on the site that may also generate additional revenue for the City. This could include revenue from leases, grants, or funding from state or federal sources, and may also include various kinds of public-private partnerships. City staff anticipate that the City Council will continue to discuss – and provide direction around – the financial strategy throughout the entire project.

Thank you for your question! Earlier this year – and following the conversation started in January - the City Council adopted by Resolution (25-001 and 25-008) two sets of criteria to identify possible sites for the civic campus. Both Resolutions authorized the City to evaluate and negotiate with up to four different properties, that could be used for the civic campus. The civic campus project team used both sets of criteria to identify several possible sites and has entered into negotiations. On July 22, staff anticipates that the City Council will review a feasibility report for the “top” location out of the sites identified using the adopted criteria. Presuming the City Council is satisfied with the feasibility report and proposed financing approach, staff anticipate that the City Council will direct the City staff to enter into an agreement to purchase the civic campus site.  

Thank you for your question. The City Council is considering different ways to pay for the entire SeaTac Civic Campus and has not made any final decisions yet.  To date, the City Council has not discussed an approach to paying for the Civic Campus that would directly result in an increase to taxes. It is possible that the City Council will decide to adopt a Business and Occupation (B&O) Tax to address a structural imbalance in the City of SeaTac’s revenues. The City Council is considering a bond to support the purchase of the land for the Civic Campus; a final decision is anticipated in October of 2025.

We will continue to share updates about this and other topics here on the Civic Campus Speak Up page.

Thank you for question. The current City Hall is in a building that was not designed to be a City Hall. Consequently, the building is not well designed to accommodate the operations and services that the City provides. The challenge is not the amount of floor area – it’s the design of the building and our ability to use it to serve the SeaTac community efficiently and effectively. We have heard from the community that a City Hall as part of a “civic campus” is more desirable.  A civic campus would have better access to public transportation, amenities, and other community-focused features that are highly desirable, making services easier and safer to access. At the January 28 city council meeting, potential site evaluation criteria will be described. These criteria will inform the location of the new civic campus.

The geographical mid-point of the City is located near the intersection of S. 178^th Street and International Boulevard. However, when selecting a “central location" we should consider additional things such as accessibility, where people live, access to public transit, services, and other similar purposes of the civic campus. If the City moves forward with constructing a civic campus, the new campus could also serve as a catalyst for development, encouraging growth, and an investment in the surrounding area.

Other key considerations include space for secondary programs, gathering areas, green spaces, and nearby amenities. The future of the current City Hall site remains undecided.

Thank you for sharing your concern. The city is currently exploring the option of building a new city hall, but no decisions have been made yet as to if the project will proceed or how it could be financed. If this project moves forward, the City will carefully consider various financing options. The city is in the process of hiring a financial specialist to assist in understanding and evaluating these options. We appreciate your input and will keep the community informed as the process progresses.

Thank you for your question. Given that the civic campus discussion is still in its very early exploratory stages, no decisions have been made regarding the current City Hall property at this time. However, the current vision for the civic campus is to establish it in a new location that is more accessible to the entire SeaTac community, particularly with improved access to public transit.

The consultant will work with City staff to develop strategies for outreach to residents who the City does not regularly hear from via online surveys and public meetings.