North Carolina Construction News staff writer
New renderings were released last week, showing the next phase of enhancements to the Lenovo Center, aimed at transforming the venue inside and out.
The project is being delivered through a partnership between the Centennial Authority, the Carolina Hurricanes and NC State University, with a joint venture of The T. A. Loving Company, Blum Construction and Metcon Triventure serving as the contractor team.
Planned upgrades include refreshed seating, expanded concourses, new grab-and-go concessions, upgraded restrooms and enhanced premium areas, alongside a complete exterior redesign featuring new grand entrances.
“Lenovo Center hosts hundreds of events every year, from NC State men’s basketball to Hurricanes hockey to world-class touring acts and family shows,” said Centennial Authority chairman Philip Isley. “These enhancements will help us continue to bring top entertainment and events to Raleigh.”
The latest phase of work will begin this summer, focusing on improvements throughout the lower bowl seating and reconfiguring aisles in the 100-level. Upgrades to the third-level concourse will also be completed, including a second grab-and-go concession area, all-new bathrooms and expanded family amenities.
“When this project is complete, Lenovo Center is going to look and feel like an entirely different building, inside and out,” he said. “Every person who comes to this building is going to have a first-class experience to match the top venues in the NHL,” said Brian Fork, CEO of Hurricanes Holdings.
Key elements of the redevelopment include a fully redesigned exterior with expanded façades and new primary entrances on the east and west sides of the arena. A new beer hall and restaurant on the south side will operate year-round, serving both event attendees and the broader community.
A new team store, nearly triple the size of the current retail space, will be built on the southwest side of the building, while the Arena Club on the PNC Club Level will be overhauled to create a more cohesive premium experience.
Additional improvements include a full refresh of the main concourse to align with previous upper-level upgrades, including renovated washrooms, an upgraded VIP entrance and new escalators to improve circulation throughout the facility. The PNC Club Level will also see enhancements to suites, loges and priority lounges.
Boo Corrigan, athletics director at NC State, said the upgrades will benefit both sports fans and eventgoers.
“The experience of attending an NC State basketball game or any event in the Lenovo Center is going to be even better following these updates,” he said. “Every aspect of the building has been thoughtfully designed to elevate the experience for Wolfpack fans.”
Once complete, the project is expected to position Lenovo Center as a premier destination for sports and entertainment in the region, supporting continued growth in events and visitor activity in Raleigh.