Renovations to Capital One Arena include the addition of the “Pour Your Own Beer” wallCAPITAL ONE ARENA
With the completion of the $40M renovation of Capital One Arena, the venue's "concourses are sleeker and feature 300 new digital signs, menu boards, LED walls and monitors, as well as four new displays paying tribute to the arena's teams and history," according to Scott Allen of the WASHINGTON POST. A storage room along the 100-level concourse was "turned into a Stella Artois-branded bar with high-top tables," and the PwC Club was "redesigned and now features an additional third row of seating." Any fan with a ticket in the arena can now "enjoy the various concessions in the PwC Club," including Mediterranean-themed restaurant Olilo. All of the "old purple seats in the seating bowl were replaced with sleeker black models featuring the Capital One logo and, at last, functioning cupholders." MS&E President of Venues David Touhey said that the new seats are the "same size as the old ones." The Wizards' former practice court, which was "no longer needed" with the opening of a new facility, has been "transformed into the MGM National Harbor VIP Lounge." Fans with courtside seats to Wizards games and on-the-glass seats for Capitals games will "have access to the redesigned space, which features full-service food stations, a full bar and wait service, before the game, during halftime and between periods" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 10/9).
COOL UPGRADES: In Nashville, David Ammenheuser noted the Predators have spent more than $12M in enhancements to Bridgestone Arena, with a "majority of that cost" -- $8.5M -- dedicated to "installing new LED ribbon scoreboards inside the arena bowl and a new audio system." The cost also "includes a new control room" and 11 "point-of-view and robotic cameras installed around the arena." These changes will "allow more video to be shown on the ribbon boards." Predators Dir of Technical Operations David Graham said, "We're going to keep some things in our back pocket for the playoffs, but the show our fans will see on a nightly basis will be top notch" (TENNESSEAN.com, 10/9).
