Monumental Sports & Entertainment has revealed details of a raft of major renovations at Capital One Arena, with the upgrades set to enhance the fan experience at the venue.
The arena serves as the home of NHL ice hockey team the Washington Capitals and NBA basketball franchise the Washington Wizards, as well as Georgetown University’s men’s basketball team, WNBA women’s basketball outfit the Washington Mystics and Arena Football League team Washington Valor.
The upgrades to the arena form part of a wide-ranging $40m renovation investment. The renovation will be entirely privately funded, MSE said.
The renovations are slated to commence at the end of the 2017-18 NBA and NHL seasons, and it is hoped work will be completed by the autumn.
Brand new padded seats, complete with cup-holders, are set to be fitted throughout the arena, while a new state-of-the-art sound system will improve the experience for fans attending sports fixtures or music events.
Concourses on the 100 and 400 levels will also be given a makeover and will receive new flooring, lighting and decoration. Two new premium lounges will be introduced – a main concourse area and a new premium club for floor and glass row seat members.
Other features of the renovation will include newly modernised concessions; an enhanced culinary experience; a transformation of the PwC Club area; new digital displays and wayfinding signage; and an upgrading of the arena’s retail store, which will now be open all year.
In addition, The Connected Fan program will provide the arena with data to ascertain fans’ preferences and interests while in the arena, allowing spectators to be given a more personalised experience. Multiple fully-immersed zones will also be fitted throughout the arena, allowing existing partners to become integrated into the fan experience.
“Capital One Arena is part of the heartbeat of Washington, DC,” Ted Leonsis, founder, chairman, majority owner and chief executive of MSE, said. “We are incredibly proud to be making this investment in a building that has played a key role in shaping our city, and that has been home to so many great memories for people across the DMV. These upgrades will ensure that the fan experience at Capital One Arena remains second to none.”
Capital One Arena opened in 1997. It is operated by MSE, which also owns the Capitals, Wizards, Mystics and Valor. The arena used to be called the Verizon Center and was renamed in August.
Image: Daniel Lobo
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