Offseason upgrades to the Jazz' Vivint Smart Home Arena are still ongoing, but team President Steve Starks believes work will be finished "with days to spare" before it opens with a Faith Hill-Tim McGraw concert on Sept. 27, according to Tony Jones of the SALT LAKE TRIBUNE. Seats at the arena "are now cushioned -- even in the upper bowl," and the court itself "will be the same, but the seat colors have changed from green to blue." The lighting will "center more on the court and be slightly dimmed in the crowd," similar to Staples Center. The club level also has been "moved to the second floor, and will be the largest such space for club seating in the NBA." The arena will have WiFi "for the first time, and the sixth floor will feature a fan zone, where fans can converse with each other while watching the game on the floor -- or on one of the big screen televisions." The concourse level where fans will spend "much of their time features several new restaurants and food options." The Jazz locker room has been "redone and has doubled in size." A special "J Note statue goes up next week outside, and will be one of the final major pieces." The renovation will extend the arena’s lifespan "at least 25 years." A celebratory concert featuring Rachel Platten "awaits employees and workers Thursday as a way to say thank-you" as a "dry run for the end of the month" (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 9/17).
