When Samantha Holloway's One Roof Sports and Entertainment oversaw the reconstruction of Seattle Center's KeyArena into Climate Pledge Arena, they didn't just build an NHL venue. They built an NBA venue too.

Front Office Sports reported on July 9, 2026 that Climate Pledge Arena currently has multiple rooms designated as "NBA Locker Room" — physical evidence of how long Holloway's group has been preparing to bring the NBA back to Seattle.

Built for Two Leagues

The designation of NBA-specific locker rooms is not a cosmetic detail. NBA locker rooms have specific requirements around size, layout, training facilities, and media access that differ from NHL specifications. Building them into the original construction — rather than retrofitting later — represents a significant upfront investment and a clear statement of intent.

The arena opened in October 2021, meaning these NBA locker rooms have been sitting ready for nearly five years. The planning for them would have begun years before that, during the design and construction phase.

Holloway's Long Game

Samantha Holloway, who chairs One Roof Sports and Entertainment, is the daughter of the late billionaire David Bonderman, who previously held a minority stake in the Boston Celtics. She has been working toward an NBA bid for years — hiring JPMorgan Chase and Moelis & Co. in May 2026 to structure the formal bid, and retaining the support of Melinda French Gates, who joined the Kraken ownership group in June.

The NBA locker rooms are the most tangible evidence yet of how long and how seriously Holloway has been planning. This is not a group that decided to pursue an NBA franchise when Silver announced expansion in March 2026. This is a group that has been building toward this moment for the better part of a decade.

The Structural Advantage

Commissioner Silver has said that "where they would play" is one of the NBA's primary considerations in evaluating expansion bids. Climate Pledge Arena's NBA-ready infrastructure — including the locker rooms, the 17,100-seat basketball configuration, and the world's first net-zero arena certification — gives Holloway's group an advantage that no competing Seattle bidder can easily replicate.

Any rival group would need to either negotiate arena access with One Roof or propose an entirely new venue — a prospect that would add years and billions of dollars to their total cost.