A view bar to replace three sections of upper-concourse seating and new arena-level suites will be part of the first $100-million phase of renovations at Lenovo Center.
The Centennial Authority's building and construction committee approved the plan Tuesday afternoon. The full board is expected to approve the plan at a Friday meeting.
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The Centennial Authority owns Lenovo Center, home to the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes and the NC State men's basketball team.
The arena, which opened in 1999, is set to undergo a $300-million renovation over the next three years, beginning this summer.
The decision comes as the Centennial Authority cut ties with CAA Icon, a firm that helped the board negotiate a lease extension with the Hurricanes and navigate the initial stages of the renovation project. The firm's contract expired at the end of the year. Its representatives had been a constant presence throughout the process, including when the board changed architects last year.
The board plans to hire someone in-house to handle many of those duties. Part of the motivation was financial, board chairman Philip Isley said, with the change potentially saving up to $5 million at a time when the board is seeking to stretch its available dollars.
"CAA got us exactly where we need to be," Isley said. "There is no love lost. We're not mad at them. They're not mad at us. It's been the natural progression of sort of what the next steps are, and we've been really fortunate that we've had such incredible expertise with CAA with the lease negotiation, where we got to phase one."
Board members often praised the work done by CAA Icon, an industry leader in the sports and entertainment arena space. But some members have complained about the firm's overall cost and the fact that it did not have a dedicated official in Raleigh.
The first phase does not include renovations to the outside service yard where tour buses and television production trucks park. Initial plans included an upgrade of that area to allow for ease of entry and exit, allowing quicker turnaround time for shows and acts.
The arena has already booked event through mid-July, including a comedy show by Nate Bargatze on July 18. The next event listed on its website is a Disney event on Aug. 31.
"We can live with this another year as a benefit of the better operation of the building," said Doyle Parrish, the chairman of the building and construction committee.
But he said the loading dock would be part of the second phase of the renovation project.
The view bar will replace Sections 317, 318 and 319, allowing ticket-holders to stand and view the game from the upper deck. The space is also likely to be sponsored.
"All of a sudden we have a destination point at the upper concourse," said Greg Brown of Raleigh-based Gensler, the lead architecture firm on the project. "We have a place to gather. We have a place with a little bit more room."
Among the other projects in the first phase: infill of stairwells in the northeast and southwest corners of the arena, excavation of small spaces to move the building's air handlers and open up additional storage, a large multi-purpose room for events, bunker suites at the arena level and major concession and bathroom changes on the third level.
The individual projects must still be put out to bid, but the committee was confident all the aspects could be done in the first stage for the money available, which is around $70 million after other costs, including designing and planning.
"I would be the most disappointed guy in this whole room if we came back and said, 'Oops,'" Parrish said. "I think we're well covered here. I'm not concerned as much about the money as I am, do we have a hiccup getting the right contract or the right job at the right time. That's a market risk."
The renovation is a separate project from the development of the 80-acre area around the building, which is being handled by the Hurricanes and their development partners.
The $300-million renovation is being paid for by a long-time tax collected by Wake County and Raleigh on prepared food and beverages and hotel stays. The hospitality tax is earmarked for projects supporting the arts, culture, sports and conventions.
The renovation project was part of a deal between the Hurricanes, the city and county and the authority that resulted in a long-term lease extension by the Hurricanes and the right to develop 80 acres around the arena.