Spectrum Center Renovations
We engaged with the city of Charlotte, North Carolina, home of the Charlotte Hornets, to assist with substantial upgrades at the 19,000-seat, city-owned arena. Lease terms between the city and the team call for periodic improvements to keep the building competitive with the rest of the NBA.
The re-imaging of Spectrum Center will elevate its local, league, and national event status by reflecting the diverse essence of Charlotte and its
people. The design will honor the community’s heritage and position SpectrumCenter as the Heartbeat of Charlotte fusing regional and cosmopolitan attitudes with a richness of spirit and soul.
Among the planned arena changes: adding more fan entrances and additional security; replacing all 19,000 seats; updating heating and cooling systems; and upgrading load-in areas to provide faster changeovers for staging concerts and other events, along with revenue-friendly enhancements such as grab-and-go concession markets.
An additional 2,500 lower-level seats will be added in 2025, allowing many more fans to be closer to the action. All seats throughout the bowl will also be replaced at that time.
More than 19 million people have attended 1,900 events at Spectrum Center since 2005. Highlights include the 2012 Democratic National Convention and the 2019 NBA All-Star Game weekend. The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association’s men’s and women’s basketball tournaments were played at the uptown arena every year from 2006 through 2020. The NCAA men’s basketball tournament has been held at Spectrum five times, most recently in 2024.
Steve Bagwell, Chief Executive Officer of the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
Project Team
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