D.C. arenas are getting VIP upgrades
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A rendering of The Vaults' interior. Courtesy of Monumental Sports & Entertainment
A wave of new VIP lounges is arriving at Washington's sports arenas.
The big picture: This comes as arenas across the country are upping their luxe seating game as a way to appeal to fans hungry for "experiences" and to bring in more revenue.
State of play: Capital One Arena is undergoing a renovation anticipated to total $800 million-plus, and while the Commanders might be moving back to RFK Stadium, the planned $75 million upgrades to their current home, Northwest Stadium, will still be carried out, a spokesperson tells Axios.
Here are some high-end additions, new and coming to our sporting venues:
Capital One Arena
The Vaults
Vault owners will have access to the bougiest of the arena's suite options in time for the upcoming season — each box comes with lounge seating for 20, its own bar, private restrooms and D.C.-inspired interior design, as well as access to all of the arena's events.
- Plus: VIP parking, entrance through a private lobby (where a mixologist awaits with cocktails), a tasting room that'll feature celebrity chefs and access to a concierge program arranging hotel stays and dining reservations surrounding games.
United Globe Club and Lounge
Monumental Sports & Entertainment is teaming up with United Airlines to launch the new club and lounge spaces this fall. There'll be a members-only entrance, plus amenities like a welcome lobby, concierge offerings and show kitchens where big-name chefs can do demos.
- The spaces will be open to VIP NBA, NHL, and concert ticket holders.
The club will be larger than any of the arena's suites, with space for up to 800 people across two levels, plus dining options.
- Meanwhile, the lounge will be smaller and more exclusive, with space for only 150 — those with Wizards courtside Row AAA seats and Capitals Row A seats.
Plus: Three new tiers of suites are coming to the arena in time for the 2026-2027 season, per a release from Monumental:
- The Founder Suites, the largest of the standard suites, the Signature Suites, the mid-level option with design inspired by D.C. landmarks like the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, and the Executive Suites, aka the "entry-level" suites with decor nodding to the Supreme Court.
Audi Field
AV Lounge
The VIP area is now open, with space for 300 people, all-inclusive food and drink, personalized wine lockers, a VIP entrance, private restrooms, and access to a concierge.
- Tickets start at $2,000 a seat for this season, and will be $5,000 a seat for the 2026 season.