SEATTLE — Seattle Elks Lodge 92 had its grand reopening Sunday for a Super Bowl watch party, three years after a devastating arson fire.
The lodge, located in Queen Anne near the Fremont Bridge, was destroyed by arson in 2018 and has spent the years since rebuilding. The lodge also battled vandals during its reconstruction.
Nathan Belo, the group's president, said he hopes for better days ahead.
"We got a lot of positive compliments and people are excited to come home so we can do our fundraising activities for children, children's hospital elks as well as scholarships," said Belo.
According to the lodge's website, it received its temporary certificate of occupancy from the city on Dec. 14, 2021. The certificate allowed for the finishing touches to be added before the grand reopening.
The lodge had its formal dedication ceremony on Dec. 18 and welcomed Grand Lodge and Washington State Elks Association dignitaries. The lodge had its soft reopening on Saturday ahead of the Super Bowl Sunday grand reopening.
Seattle Elks 92 was founded in 1888 and originally had eight members. The lodge was first located at the Frye Opera House in downtown Seattle before the city's "Great Fire" in 1889. The lodge moved around between downtown and Belltown before eventually settling in North Queen Anne in 2016. The lodge has grown to 270 members.
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