Ready for a FIFA close-up
The Pacific Northwest is always evolving, so when I was asked to speak at Northwest Event Show, I jumped at the chance to see how Seattle is preparing to host six matches in the FIFA World Cup and thousands of meeting professionals who follow in the wake of the international sports fans.
The city’s unique position, a few hours from the Vancouver games, makes it a convenient home base for a month of sports tourism. And, if all those rooms don’t fill, possibly affiliated gatherings and definitely post-game events in the months and years after the television coverage ends at Lumen Field.
A New Front Door
The revitalized Seattle Waterfront was 20 years in planning and development. The Alaskan Way Viaduct has been removed and replaced with a 20-acre urban park that connects downtown and Pike Place Market to the water and includes Seattle Aquarium’s Ocean Pavilion and One Ocean Hall, an immersive digital tribute to the Salish Sea. Seattle Marriott Waterfront, under new ownership, is embarking on a $7 million refresh of the nautical-themed 369-room property. Nearby, Edgewater Hotel, a Noble House Hotel, added the finishing touches to the property-wide reset by unveiling a renovated Olympic Ballroom this year. The iconic 223-guest-room property built on a pier on top of Elliott Bay pairs modern lodge vibes with endless views.
Populus Seattle introduces an organic, carbon-positive option with 120 guest rooms, a stunning rooftop overlooking Pioneer Square and an adjoining RailSpur event space on two floors that offers comfortable views inside and out. Salt Harvest restaurant offers private dining room flexibility with locally inspired tastes along with a grounding history as the city’s first trade depot.
1 Hotel Seattle in South Lake Union is preparing to celebrate a year delivering sustainable luxury with 153 guest rooms and elevated wellness options, including Prime IV Hydration Therapy clinic and HigherDose in-room amenities such as sauna blankets and red-light face masks.
Luxury Redefined
For more world-class luxury, Lotte Hotel Seattle boasts 189 guest rooms in the angular F5 Tower designed by Philippe Starck in the downtown business district. But the adjoining Sanctuary ballroom in the reverential Beaux-Arts style former United Methodist Church brings gravitas to any gathering.
Another downtown landmark, Fairmont Olympic Hotel, celebrated 100 years of welcoming business and social gatherings with a renovated lobby bar and brasserie-inspired restaurant. The 450 guest rooms are next for a glow-up.
Sheraton Grand Seattle is a mainstay near Seattle Convention Center with 1,236 guest rooms, an expanded Club Lounge and a landmark Starbucks in the lobby. More than 77,000 sq. ft. of meeting space includes two major ballrooms on two floors with abundant natural light.
The newest convention center hotel across from the Summit building is Hyatt Regency Seattle. With 1,260 guest rooms and 103,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, it mirrors the design and sustainability goals of the convention center addition. In fact, it is LEED Gold certified.
This article appears in the May/June 2026 issue. You can subscribe to the magazine here.
