Spectrum Center reopens this week after first round of renovations

State of play: Maxwell's "The Serenade" tour stop at Spectrum Center on Thursday, Oct. 3, will be the first event at the arena since it closed in May for renovations.

• All new hospitality spaces are expected to be up and running in time for the Hornets regular season home opener on Oct. 26, per Hornets Sports & Entertainment.
• Go deeper: Live music: 10 concerts coming to Charlotte in October, including Usher and Post Malone

What to expect: The first round of renovations focused on improving arena traffic flow, with redesigned entrances and wider concourse corridors.

• The Trade Street entrance has been renovated and there's a new Light Rail entrance. The latter includes five new exterior doors facing the Light Rail, which will help get fans into the arena faster.
• There's also a new fourth tunnel between the concourse and the arena on the lower level called a vomitory, and it'll allow fans to get into and out of the bowl faster.
• The Dr. Pepper Pavilion and The Nest fan section in the Uptown concourse (upper level) were redesigned and now include new concession locations, signage and lighting.
• Fans can expect three clubs: the new Courtside Club, as well as the Hardwood Club and Inner Circle Club, which were relocated and upgraded.

There are five different suite options:

• 28 standard suites will accommodate up to 24 people.
• Four-party suites hold up to 72 people.
• 13 mini-suites accommodating up to 12 people each.
• One super suite, which will accommodate up to 76 people.
• A theater box for up to 130 people.

By the numbers: The Oct. 3 concert kicks off 45 events in 90 days at Spectrum Center, Donna Julian, HSE executive vice president & Spectrum Center general manager told reporters Thursday.

• The project has included 680 workers, who have put in 250,000 hours over the last four months. It's the longest the arena has been closed since the pandemic, Julian said.
• Around 200-300 people will continue to work on the arena leading up to the Hornets home opener later this month, which HSE considers its grand reopening.

Between the lines: The city of Charlotte is contributing $245 million to arena renovations and the team will call the arena home through 2045 as part of the deal.

• The team also plans to build a standalone practice facility across from Spectrum Center by the 2026-2027 season.

Zoom in: The arena has a new bag policy. Bags must be 4in x 6in x 1.5in or smaller. There are medical and diaper bag exceptions and you'll need to enter through the Hornets Fan Shop or the Hornets Box Office entrance near Trade Street.

• The arena will also use Evolv Express to screen attendees at its entrances.
• The security screening system was tested during the NCAA tournament at Spectrum Center earlier this year, allowing fans to get into the arena faster, according to a Hornets Sports & Entertainment press release.

What's next: The Hornets play two preseason home games — Oct. 6 vs. the New York Knicks at 5pm (tickets start at $17) and Oct. 8 vs. the Miami Heat at 7pm (tickets start at $17).

• The Hornets play Miami in their regular season home opener on Oct. 26 at 7pm. Tickets start at $18.

Editor's note: This story was originally published on Oct. 2 and was updated on Oct. 3 to include quotes from HSE.