The Port of Seattle Commission will unveil next week, plans for $348 million in order to develop a fourth cruise ship terminal and invest in other waterfront improvements.
According to local reports, the port has been in conversation with Seattle’s mayor about renovating its existing cruise terminals, adding one more, and making improvements to the waterfront, a plan that it calls Waterfront 2040.
In order for the improvements to be realized, the port commission is expected to approve a 3% property tax increase.
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Furthermore, the capital improvement will probably include upgrades to Fishermen’s Terminal and the conference center at Bell Harbor, as well as new light industrial space in Interbay near Terminal 91.
Port Commission President Courtney Gregoire stated that the continued growth points to a bright future for cruise in Seattle and each homeported cruise vessel brings approximately $2.7 million for the local economy.
The Port of Seattle welcomed 1,114,888 revenue passengers through its cruise terminals in 2018, the second year in a row the Port exceeded the one-million passenger mark.
More growth is expected next year with the arrival of the Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas, a 4,180 passenger vessel that will be the largest on the west coast in 2019, and the addition of the Norwegian Joy, sister ship of the Norwegian Bliss, a 4,000-passenger vessel.
Each cruise vessel is expected to supply $2.7 million for the local economy, increasing the total revenue for the region to more than $500 million each cruise season.
