Precisely one year ago, Tod Leiweke was racing against time as the finishing touches were being put on Climate Pledge Arena. Its carefully formulated construction schedule torn asunder by COVID-19 disruptions, the goal was to have the $1.2 billion building ready for the Kraken’s home opener Oct. 23, 2021 — after five strategically scheduled games on the road to kick off the fledgling franchise.
Leiweke — the Kraken’s chief executive officer and with brother Tim the driving force behind bringing an NHL franchise to Seattle — remembers giving a friend a tour of the place in those frantic final days.
“Man, I don’t know how you’re going to get all this done,” the friend told Leiweke.
