The Suns on Thursday "unveiled renderings and provided more details" surrounding the team's $230M renovation project of Talking Stick Resort Arena, with the 27-year-old venue seeing an "entire transformation," according to Jabari Young of CNBC.com. Among the upgrades is a "new video scoreboard centerpiece that's six times larger than the current scoreboard." The team also partnered with Verizon to "upgrade the building to 5G coverage and enhance suites as the Suns are hoping to improve the fan experience at the arena." Suns Owner Robert Sarver said, "The sound system, the lighting system; we're putting all new seats in the bowls. We reimagined the whole entrance to the arena ... that's going to turn into a sports bar with an 8,500-square-foot video wall, and that'll be the hub of activity in the building." Young noted the city of Phoenix will contribute $150M to the renovations while the Suns will add $80M. The Suns also are "privately funding a new state-of-the-art practice facility in Phoenix, which will cost in the range" of $45-50M. Additional features of the renovations "include a 15,000-square-foot kitchen and a corner bar located in the bowl section of the arena." Sarver said that the bar is something that will "attract the Suns' younger fanbase." Sarver said that the transformation "should be 60% completed" before the '20-21 NBA season, with the "second phase completed before the start" of the '21-22 season (CNBC.com, 11/21).
GETTING THE GREEN LIGHT: In Phoenix, Boehm & Hunter noted the Phoenix City Council "gave final approval for a massive project" that will house the Suns' and Mercury's practice facility and a "highly anticipated hotel concept." The $300M development also will "include three office buildings, a parking garage and a self-storage facility." The project was "initially opposed by nearby neighbors who scoffed at the 75-foot height planned for the hotel and one of the office buildings." But "hours before the council's Wednesday vote, a compromise was reached: The developer agreed to decrease the height to a maximum of 59 feet and the neighborhood groups agreed to support the project" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 11/21).
Talking Stick Resort Arena Renovations
1/7
2/7
3/7
4/7
5/7
6/7
7/7
PREVIOUS
NEXT
