More tax dollars teased for Lenovo Center revamp

Catch up quick: Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon struck a deal in 2023 that keeps the team in Raleigh long-term.

• He estimated the Canes will spend $800 million on upgrades and new construction.
• In exchange, Raleigh and Wake County are contributing up to $21.3 million annually until the early 2050s. The money — totaling over half a billion — comes from hotel, food and beverage taxes.

Between the lines: The goal of creating an entertainment district is to give people more things to do (and more places to spend their money) on game days, plus eventually make the complex less reliant on events.

Zoom out: Between NHL games, N.C. State basketball and large concerts, the center says 1.5 million people visit each year.

• The Centennial Authority, the governing body that owns the arena, estimates its own economic impact at over $200 million a year.

State of play: This money was written into a small spending package that passed the Senate on Monday and House on Tuesday.

• It's not a comprehensive budget, because negotiations on big-ticket items like teacher raises and healthcare spending are still underway.

Zoom in: The $35 million is marked for "public infrastructure improvements" and would come from a reserve fund designated for inflation and economic stabilization.

• It may be spent on roads, which the authority wants improved, WRAL reports.

What's next: Gov. Josh Stein has 10 days to decide whether he'll sign.