Lenovo Center's busy week is also a glimpse at its future
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It's so busy at the Lenovo Center this week that Doug Warf, president of the Carolina Hurricanes' parent organization, said it feels like he's living at the arena.
- Over the next five days, the arena could host more than 90,000 people between two playoff hockey games, a Shane Gillis comedy show and two nights of Pearl Jam — all sold out.
Why it matters: As the Canes look to transform the Lenovo Center into one of the region's largest entertainment districts, expect more stretches like this one, Warf told Axios from his office in the arena.
- "Last year was a record year for us — from a show standpoint — and we're going to break that record again this year," Warf said. "Our goal is to continue breaking that record every year."
Driving the news: This week, the 250 full-time staff at the Lenovo Center and the more than 1,000 part-time staff members, from ushers to concessions, will turnover the arena from ice rink to rock show and back again.
- After seven straight years of making the playoffs, the Lenovo Center team is better at handling the last-minute nature of NHL scheduling coupled with the rise in shows happening on off-nights, Warf said.
State of play: The sheer number of bodies coming to and from the Lenovo Center points to the opportunity that exists around the arena.
- That is one of the major reasons that Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon hopes to invest $1 billion into turning the area's vast parking lots into a district with hotels, restaurants, apartments and another live-music venue.
What they're saying: "When you leave here on a Friday night, there's a great chance you're going to North Hills or to Glenwood South or downtown," Warf said.
- "You have to go to another district, and we're somewhat forcing you to do that now," he added. "It'll be nice when this is an option for you to stick around."
What's next: Warf said Dundon has invested heavily into the Hurricanes' ability to host more events, with an eye toward making the scheduling at the Lenovo Center look more like Madison Square Garden.
- The goal is to go from 160 to 180 nights per year to between 200 and 250, Warf said.
This summer, however, phase one of the $300 million renovations to the arena will be at full bore.
- For two weeks, at least, the arena will host no events while part of the stadium's seating bowl is cut out to make way for a new viewing bar on the 300 level.