The King County council unanimously passed a Motion of Support to develop a Major Cricket League (MLC) facility in Marymoor Park, the county’s oldest, largest, and most popular park.

“As our region grows, we see more interest in cricket, which is one of the most popular sports in the world. I can’t think of a better place for a world-class cricket pitch than East King County and especially Marymoor Park,” said Claudia Balducci, King County Council Chair. “I am excited to work with the community and our city partners to explore whether we can bring the joy of cricket to Marymoor.”

The Marymoor Cricket Community Park would be 20-acres and host professional cricket events, including MLC, the U.S. National Team, and potentially the World Cup. Additionally, the cricket pitch would host league and tournament games within the local community, such as youth and adult cricket matches.

“Cricket is one of the world’s most popular sports and establishing a facility here in King County is a great opportunity not only for professional events, but also for the local community and fans to play and engage,” said Dow Constantine, King County Executive. “I look forward to working with partners in support of this potential addition to the sports fabric of our region.”

King County and the greater Puget Sound region are home to three adult cricket leagues, with over 3,500 members. Youth cricket programs consist of more than 500 participants and 200 games per year. The upcoming cricket pitch would address the absence of a first-class cricket facility in the region.

The Marymoor cricket pitch would not only provide a space for players to engage in their craft, but it would also increase tourism and worldwide exposure for the county, thus increasing the economy.

The venue will have a lightweight grass berm design featuring a pavilion, a digital scoreboard, light and broadcast towers, and restrooms. The grassy lawn would create a communal and picnic-style setting where individuals can watch games.

The location’s spectator capacity ranges from 4,000 to 6,000, with the ability to hold over 10,000 individuals for larger events.

“Major League Cricket has been incredibly impressed by the passion for cricket shown by the community in King County and the broader Seattle region, which boasts one of the largest participation bases for the sport in the country,” said Sameer Mehta, co-founder of MLC. “We are grateful to all the council members of King County and the Cities of Bellevue and Redmond for their unanimous support for this project that will mean so much to the thousands of cricket fans in the area.”

MLC will work with the city of Bellevue and King County to go over site diligence and to develop a plan. Construction is expected to begin in 2023.