CEO Perspective: Tacoma Dome at 40
Following the Mount St. Helens eruption on May 18, 1980, more than 200 million board feet of timber was salvaged from the blown down or dead trees left standing by the eruption. (Nearly 10 million trees have been replanted to reforest the region since then.)
As chance would have it, earlier in the spring of 1980, Tacoma residents had voted to go ahead with the construction of “A Dome of Our Own” for the South Sound, and some of that timber became a part of the construction of the massive dome that began to take shape on the building site off Interstate 5, just south of downtown Tacoma.
When it opened in April 1983, the Tacoma Dome was the largest arena with a wooden dome in the world by volume. It has a diameter of 530 feet and a height of 152 feet. The roof weighs 1.44 million pounds, and it has nearly 2,000 wooden beams!
This summer is the Dome’s 40th anniversary. It is a cherished destination and landmark in the South Sound that has hosted more than 31 million people at thousands of events over the last 40 years. It is a gathering place for our community — the site of celebrations, graduations, community events, concerts and sporting events.
As part of the 40th anniversary celebration, a documentary has been prepared* that tells the history of the Dome through the stories and experiences of Tacoma residents. The history is wonderfully illustrated by archival video and photographs of the way the Tacoma Dome has been a part of our community for 40 years.
MultiCare is proud to be a part of that history. The only woman who was on the initial planning committee for the Dome is Jacki Skaught, a longstanding MultiCare volunteer (thank you!). Fred Pritchard, the chair of the committee, was also the president of MultiCare Health System.
Healthy communities need access to great health care. Health care organizations thrive when they are engaged in their community. I’m proud that MultiCare — in every place where we are privileged to serve — is deeply connected to our communities and engaged in creating healthy futures for our neighbors and our own families.
*Information about the screening of the documentary — at the Tacoma Dome — can be found at tacomadome.org.
