Microsoft has officially canceled its high-profile Build conference in Seattle, announcing plans to relocate the event starting in 2026. The decision comes after complaints from attendees regarding the city’s increasing problems with homelessness, open-air drug use, and overall safety concerns in the downtown area.
An internal email obtained by “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH highlighted that Microsoft’s choice to move was significantly influenced by the unfavorable experiences reported by both leadership and attendees navigating the convention core between the Hyatt Regency and the Arch building on 8th street.
Concerns were specifically raised about the visible presence of drug use, unhoused individuals, and the ongoing encampment in the Arch Tunnel, which detracted from the overall attendee experience.
The email stated, “Microsoft has previously addressed these concerns and Visit Seattle has been working actively with the SPD, DSA, Care team, and others on trying to solve for them. Unfortunately for Build, it was a contributing factor to their final decision to move out of Seattle.”
Microsoft confirmed the cancellation in a brief statement, expressing gratitude to the city and the community for their previous support. However, they suggested that it would be inaccurate to attribute the decision for the 2026 conference exclusively to the current environment encountered at this year’s event.
This assertion contrasts sharply with the details provided in the internal memo, which underscores years of mounting dissatisfaction expressed by business owners, residents, and now, major event organizers.
In response to the cancellation, Visit Seattle attempted to shift the narrative. In a statement to “The Jason Rantz Show,” they refrained from directly addressing the content of the email but emphasized the organization’s pride in having hosted numerous prestigious events.
A spokesperson for Visit Seattle declined to acknowledge the homelessness issue as a significant factor in Microsoft’s decision, suggesting instead that shifts in the event landscape post-pandemic played a more crucial role. “Seattle remains a top-tier destination for ideas, collaboration, and innovation,” they remarked, maintaining that efforts were ongoing to deliver exceptional experiences for future attendees and partners.
The fallout from Microsoft’s decision represents a significant setback for the city. The email described the move as “a huge loss for the city,” noting that the planned 2026 conference was expected to attract approximately 4,500 attendees, generate 2,000 peak room nights, and create over 9,300 total hotel room nights.
This translates to thousands of visitors and millions in economic benefits, alongside a vital opportunity for Seattle to showcase itself to global influencers.
The implications of Microsoft’s withdrawal extend beyond just the Build conference; the release of holds for all future years signals a departure that is unlikely to be temporary. This move reflects a systematic failure to address the city’s challenges, particularly regarding homelessness, an issue that residents have increasingly associated with Mayor Bruce Harrell’s leadership.
For years, the city of Seattle has grappled with complaints from downtown businesses and event organizers about the deteriorating conditions in the area. Many believe that the city leadership has leaned too heavily into ineffective “harm reduction” approaches that fail to treat drug addiction and homelessness as a crisis, given out tools that often lead to further decline rather than resolution.
The situation has been compounded by tolerating open-air drug markets and weakened police presence, ultimately driving away events that could have boosted the local economy.
As tourists and attendees seek safer environments, the reality is clear: avoiding places with rampant crime and drug use is a priority. Visitors do not wish to navigate through scenes of open drug use, nor do tech leaders want to jeopardize the safety of their teams in unstable urban environments.
Visit Seattle has claimed to be actively collaborating with various organizations to resolve these ongoing issues. However, the continued visibility of encampments and rampant drug use suggests that their efforts have not yet yielded the desired results, as Microsoft has firmly decided to pull its events away from Seattle.
The cancellation of the Build conference raises the question: which major event will be the next to reconsider its presence in the city? As Seattle grapples with these challenges, the economic and reputational stakes are high, bringing urgency to calls for action.
Listeners can tune into The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3) for further analysis on this development.
image source from：https://mynorthwest.com/ktth/rantz-opinion/microsoft-seattle-homeless/4097380
