Memorial Stadium in way of Seattle Center redesign

Proponents of a $676 million proposal to redesign Seattle Center have a tricky task ahead: persuading the Seattle School Board to approve plans to replace Memorial Stadium with an outdoor amphitheater and sports field and move a World War II memorial.

The district holds the deed to the nine-acre property, which is used for games and graduations of Seattle's public schools. It is also rented out for other events.

In a presentation to the School Board on Wednesday, Seattle Center Director Robert Nellams struck a conciliatory tone, outlining proposals for the stadium while emphasizing that "there's a lot of give-and-take that would happen" before anything was set in motion.

A plan released Tuesday by center officials envisions the sports field rotated to a north-south orientation, with covered seating on one side and a terraced hillside on the other. The district would use the artificial turf field for sports events during the school year, and the space could be used as an outdoor amphitheater in the summer.

The memorial wall listing names of Seattle high school students who died in World War II would be moved to a more prominent spot nearby. Plans also call for an underground parking and transit center.

While acknowledging that plans are in the early stages, several School Board members raised questions about the sports field design, potential loss of revenue and scheduling issues.

"We're very concerned that we continue to have a very high-quality facility for high school and middle school athletics," said board Vice President Michael DeBell.

They also asked for more details about moving the war memorial.

Nellams said the goal would be to put it in a more visible, accessible spot. "I think we could do a better job of honoring those students," he said.