This case explores the redevelopment of Seattle’s historic KeyArena into Climate Pledge Arena, the world’s first net-zero certified sports and entertainment venue. Led by Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke, and funded in part by Amazon, the arena showcases sustainability in action—running entirely on electricity, eliminating all natural gas, operating a zero-waste system, and implementing innovations like rain-to-rink water recycling and electric Zambonis. But the process was hard-won.

Renovating the arena beneath a preserved 44-million-pound landmark roof required unprecedented feats of engineering, while investor skepticism, contractor turnover, community negotiations, and shifting sustainability mandates (driven by Amazon and ILFI Zero Carbon certification) tested leadership resilience. The case captures the bold leadership decisions, stakeholder tensions, and cultural storytelling that helped the arena succeed—financially, environmentally, and socially.

From Coldplay's demands for waste-free venues to Seattle rooted sustainability culture, Climate Pledge Arena became a symbolic and operational blueprint for how large-scale infrastructure can drive sustainability without compromise. The Teaching Note explores how business leaders can convert friction into innovation, and how sports and entertainment can serve as a cultural catalyst for climate leadership.