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It is an iconic building for many reasons: The look, the legends, the stories and more. The Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center turned 35 on Oct. 28, and one man has been responsible for pretty much everything since its inception.
“This has been one of those great locations that has brought us together. At the helm during that time was always Mike Dunwiddie who always did it right. On behalf of all the 103,000 people who call Federal Way home, a big hearty thank you, Mike,” Federal Way Mayor Jim Farrell said.
Mike Dunwiddie was honored Wednesday afternoon as elected officials from all over King County attended the Oc.t 28 ceremony to discuss the impact that the aquatic center has had at the county level, but also the city level.
“We were so fortunate it ended up here. The Weyerhaeuser family made it happen,” Dunwiddie said. “It’s been an incredible ride.”
King County Council Member Pete von Reichbauer is about as active as anyone in the King County athletics scene and with his connection to the Weyerhaeuser family, von Reichbauer was the host and emcee for the event.
Other attendees from King County council were executive Girmay Zahilay, who spoke about the impact that the aquatic center has.
“It is an absolute honor to have a place to bring our kids to not only bond I a space but teach them a life or death skill,” Zahilay said. “Not only is it an asset for Federal Way, King County or even Washington state. But really at the national level this is a world class aquatics center.”
Zahialy also said that under the King County Parks levy, there will be continued support with some modernization and improvements.
Every person in attendance had some story or experience about coming to the aquatics center. From attending the Goodwill Games back in 1990, which was one of the reasons for opening, to teaching their kids how to swim, King County Councilmember Steffanie Fain’s husband Joe, has coached swim at the aquatics center.
“We heard a lot about the huge events that are held here for swimmers, all the big trials and diving competitions. But it is also home to some pretty great competitive swimming for kids seven and up,” Fain said. “It’s a tremendous facility that gives kids hope and desire to do more.”
Having support from local politics helped build the facility that the event took place in. Throughout his 35-year career, Dunwiddie still feels and sees support from those who are elected to serve his community.
“It’s critical and I enjoyed that for 35 years. The facility owner, King County Parks department, the county executive and council support is critical because these facilities are expensive to maintain and this one is kept in top form,” Dunwiddie said. “This is a county facility but the city has taken us up like it was their own facility.”
The aquatic center is a gem of Federal Way and King County, where literal Olympic gold medalists have walked through the doors, down the exact stairs where high school swimmers walk today.
The aquatic center from the time it was built, had the future in mind. Dunwiddie worked in lock step with television legend Ted Turner for the Goodwill Games. This led to windows under the pool, broadcast cameras wells, and a catwalk that led to really high broadcast production quality.
“Ted Turner was intricately involved in making sure the facility is set up for broadcasting,” Dunwiddie said. “To this day, when TV crews come they just pull up to the facility and plug in.”
In terms of his favorite memory over 35 years, Dunwiddie recalls a unique movement. Not a Michael Phelps swim, or a NCAA national championship, but a balloon drop for the US National synchronized swimming team.
“We inflated balloons forever, it felt like two weeks. We borrowed the back up flag from the Kingdome. When the team was announced on the last day nobody knew what we were going to do. As the balloons dropped the flag rose, it was quite a dramatic moment,” Dunwiddie said.
In its 35 years of existence, the aquatic center has held numerous high level swim events. It all started with the Goodwill Games and has exploded since. In 2000 and 2012 the United States Olympic Team dive trials were held here, while 2002 saw the National Disability Championships come to Federal Way and 2018 the Special Olympics USA Games were held at the aquatic center.
Just last year alone, KCAC hosted the Big 12 Championships and the NCAA Women’s and Men’s National Championships as well.
But it’s not just about the top end of athletics, that make the aquatic center special. Every day there is a child learning how to swim, lifeguards getting trained to save lives. Over a million swim lessons have been taught throughout the center’s history. WIAA hosts state swim every year at KCAC and all the Federal Way high schools compete in both boys and girls swim every year at the aquatic center.
“It’s one thing to win an event, but you want it to come back. The staff’s customer service here is unmatched at the national level. Pete Von Reichbauer in particular coming down, makes it personal,” Dunwiddie said.
Since opening, the aquatic center has annually generated $7.5 million in sales revenue.
Project developer Dave Sabey was also in attendance at the celebration. His involvement from the start was monumental from a financial, local and developmental standpoint.
“David Sabey and his family took a financial haircut to make sure this facility would have adequate seats and meet the NCAA standards,” von Reichbauer said.
“It would not have been this elite facility without Dave Sabey,” Dunwiddie said.
Dunwiddie also teased a major event coming to the aquatics center in the near future but did not say what that event was.
“Chris (Jordan) was telling me, and I am very excited that there is an international event for next year that is coming. That is great,” Dunwiddie said. “You guys will want to mark the calendar and come.”
