With a little less than two months to go before the doors officially reopen, Phase II of Spectrum Center’s Re!magine renovation project is heading into its final stages.

“We wanted this [project] to elevate our guest experience for all our fans coming into Spectrum Center,” said Donna Julian, the Executive VP & Spectrum Center General Manager for Hornets Sports & Entertainment. “Everybody is impacted by this and that’s why I’m so excited to open on October 19^th. We know as an organization that we need to have world-class facilities to be a world-class and premier franchise. I think this project is going to get us where we need to go.”

Right away, guests arriving to Spectrum Center will notice major differences in the Main Lobby and Belk Concourse, which has been completely redone with cleaner, more modern finishes, new signage, wayfinding, lighting and flooring. The biggest ‘wow’ factor in the Main Lobby will be the recently installed, brand-new 225-foot-long LED board.

Added Julian, “I think people knew we had done the renovations [last year], but if you were coming in on the Belk Concourse, you might not have experienced them if you weren’t upstairs or on the event level. That’s why everybody’s going to see it. The LED board as you’re coming in the Trade Street Plaza entrance is going to impactful and I think this entryway is also going to be really impactful. Everybody’s going to feel it.”

Other Phase II upgrades include adding 1,400 lower-level seats, bringing fans closer to the action, and replacing every seat in the arena. A pair of 48-foot-by-19-foot 360-degree bars are also being installed on the Belk Concourse and will be open to everyone. Stretching between sections 104 and 106, the Lunazul North District embraces a modern sophisticated feel with lighter and brighter tones. Directly across from it on the opposite side of the arena between sections 113 and 115 is The South District with its darker-toned whiskey bar vibes that provide a warm and cozy ambiance.

Additionally, there is a new gathering space on the east side of the arena between sections 109 and 110 called the Baseline Bar, allowing guests direct visibility into the lower bowl while grabbing something to eat or drink. Throughout the Belk Concourse, there will be more restrooms and Grab-N-Go markets with a wide variety of hot and cold food options, plus an entirely new menu being introduced with Levy, the arena’s food and beverage partner.

The first of two back-to-back Billie Eilish shows will be the opening event at Spectrum Center on Sunday, Oct. 19, once Phase II renovations are completed. It’s an extremely busy opening week after that, with seven events in the first eight nights, including Stevie Nicks performing on the arena’s 20^th anniversary on Tuesday, Oct. 21 and the Charlotte Hornets’ season opener on Wednesday, Oct. 22.

“Between the city of Charlotte, the CRVA, Turner, D.A. Everett, CAA Icon and Perkins + Will, this is a collaborative group that is all getting together and figuring it out,” said Julian. “We’re in really good shape. This [project] is really what we hoped it would be. There’s going to be something for everybody who comes through this door and that was our intent.”