Charlotte Bobcats Arena
From Hoopedia
Charlotte Bobcats Arena opened on October 21, 2005 with a highly anticipated Rolling Stones concert. Located in the heart of Uptown Charlotte, Charlotte Bobcats Arena is home to the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats, WNBA’s Charlotte Sting and ECHL’s Charlotte Checkers.
The state-of-the-art arena will host more than 125 events this year, including sports, concerts, ice shows and family entertainment. Charlotte Bobcats Arena was designed to represent the Charlotte area’s diverse urban culture as well as the strength, stability and foundation of the city’s heritage. Contemporary design elements highlight Charlotte’s focus on, and anticipation of, an exciting future for the city, team and arena.
Fans and visitors will find familiar reflections of the community illustrated through public art and unique displays which pay tribute to the region’s rich sports and commercial history.
The Charlotte Bobcats organization, which operates the city-owned building, set out to “wow” the community by providing a unique experience for guests while treating them to a superior level of amenities.
“An emotionally-engaging experience is accomplished by delivering a total event experience. We have paid special attention to what our guests view, what they hear, taste, smell and touch in the arena to provide the ultimate sensory experience,” said Barry Silberman, Charlotte Bobcats Arena chief operating officer.
The most distinctive element of Charlotte Bobcats Arena is the scoreboard. The 38-foot high and 36-foot wide, 80,000-pound scoreboard, created by Spurgeon Design Group and manufactured by Daktronics, features the largest scoreboard video screen and most advanced video display in the country.
The scoreboard’s most unique element is its three-dimensional, back-lit Charlotte city skyline that sits atop the center-hung display. The skyline “comes to life” through a 360-degree projection system that allows the sky to change at the touch of a button.
Ticket holder comfort is the hallmark of the Charlotte Bobcats Arena experience. The arena features 60 percent of its seating from baseline to baseline, providing guests with a unique feeling of closeness to the court, stage or ice. Generous seating and legroom is standard at every seat.
Seating configurations for Charlotte Bobcats Arena were developed by incorporating the best elements from other NBA and NHL facilities. The result is a wide variety of seating options that provide something for everyone. The arena includes upper and lower bowl seats closer to the action as well as 10 Founders Suites, 50 Uptown Suites, 37 Royal Boxes and 22 Terrace Tables.
A large portion of providing an emotionally engaging experience to guests includes food. Charlotte Bobcats Arena partnered with Charlotte food consultant John Sergi and industry-leading Levy Restaurants to provide all the food offerings in the arena. The result is a convergence of food with sports and entertainment unlike anything the Charlotte community has experienced before in breadth, detail and quality. Guests will enjoy an incredibly diverse menu with something for everyone; including the addition of unexpected items to fan favorites at general concessions and everything from 333, the fine-dining restaurant, to pre-planned catering for business and social entertaining for luxury seat holders.
Charlotte Bobcats Arena provides its guests incredible amenities, regardless of where they are located in the building.
The outdoor Trade Street plaza features a large video screen to see coming attractions, a sizable entertainment stage and access to the fully appointed Team Store where fans can purchase team apparel and gifts.
As guests enter the four-story atrium located off the plaza, they are greeted by one part of the arena’s public art project; a large colored-tile mural by artist Mike Mandel depicting the history of basketball in the Piedmont.
Additional pieces of public art are located both in and outside the building including the four lighted entry columns on Trade Street by artist Andrew Leicester, the main lobby’s colorful terrazzo floor created by Thomas Sayre; photographic murals by local artist Tommie Robinson and three outdoor carved granite benches by Paul J. Sires located on the 5th Street side near the street-level, glass-enclosed practice court facility.
Charlotte Bobcats Arena also commissioned artwork from local artist Paul Rousso, which is showcased throughout the building. Throughout the arena concourse, “streets” offer visually-interesting stylized galleries which serve as destinations for dining and interactive entertainment. These galleries incorporate different geographical themes of the Carolinas such as the Gold Rush, Carolina’s Marketplace and Hoop Traditions.
One of most unique amenities in the arena is Rock the Rooftop, a fan zone located in the Uptown Concourse. The area is open to the seating bowl for the ultimate in indoor tailgating. Complete with concessions, interactive kid’s area and a 35-foot water tower that features a theatrically lit stage, Rock the Rooftop attracts guests from all seating areas.
“We have built an arena unmatched by any in the country, featuring the latest technology, a multitude of seating options and a superior level of amenities offered to arena guests,” said Silberman. “Charlotte Bobcats Arena will long be a community gathering place where people can see their friends, neighbors and relatives to enjoy shared experiences.”
