The renovated Philips Arena, Atlanta, pictured here in an artist’s rendering, will feature 360-degree concourses that will allow visitors to walk all the way around the building. (Image courtesy of the Atlanta Hawks)
An agreement reached this month between the Atlanta Hawks Basketball Club and the City of Atlanta paves the way for a $192.5-million renovation of Philips Arena, Atlanta, securing the NBA team’s presence in the city for the next three decades.
“The city today is committing $142.5 million in funding for this project for a major redesign of Philips Arena that will assure that it’s one of the best arenas in North America,” Mayor Kasim Reed said in a Nov. 1 press conference. He added that, for its part, the Atlanta Hawks will invest about $50 million to cover the remainder of the cost, “which will secure the status of Philips Arena as a state-of-the-art venue.”
The Hawks also committed to an 18-year lease extension to remain in downtown Atlanta through 2046, said Thad Sheely, Philips Arena chief operating officer.
The renovations will provide much-needed updates to the arena, which was originally designed as a multipurpose venue to house basketball and hockey events. A main feature of the renovation will be new, 360-degree concourses that will allow visitors to walk all the way around the building, Sheely said.
In the existing design, all premium spaces are grouped together on the west side of the arena, while all club seats are located on the lower level, beneath four levels of suites. Originally, the design was intended to group all premium seating and amenities together in one area. However, this layout blocks visitors’ access at the main and upper concourses.
Fans are not able "to walk around the building and to see friends on the other side, which is an important part of that live-event fan experience,” Sheely said.
Other improvements are designed to improve sightlines from within the bowl itself. Some upper bowl seating sections will be removed to eliminate overhangs. This grants viewers a better view of the court and the scoreboard, he said.
The renovated arena will also include updated video components. These include a wide range of improvements, “from digital mini-boards at the concession stands to digital advertising opportunities on the concourse to upgraded LED experiences in the bowl as well,” said Brett Stefansson, Philips Arena executive vice president and general manager.
Philips Arena, Atlanta. (Photo by Luke Armstrong)
The estimated cost breakdown for each renovation component isn’t available yet. “Right now, we’re still working through finalizing scope and costs,” Stefansson said.
Renovations will start in summer 2017, after the end of the 2016-17 basketball season. Work should be completed by the start of the 2018-19 basketball season, coinciding with the Hawks’s 50th anniversary in Atlanta, Sheely said.
He said he believes the renovated venue will likely draw more visitors. “One of the primary drivers of this project is the overall fan experience,” Sheely said. “And we’re hoping that, of course, the City of Atlanta embraces that and drives more folks to Philips Arena.”
Currently, the arena hosts 170 events annually and attracts an estimated 1.6- million visitors per year, Stefansson said. Sheely added that Philips Arena annually ranks among the most programmed venues in the country.
He hopes the renovation will also boost attendance for the venue’s concert offerings.
“Concerts are a primary focus of our business as well, and we’d hope to see an increase in our show count, which would, in turn, boost the overall attendance numbers,” he said.
With funding secured, venue officials are ready to proceed to the next steps of the process.
“We’ve been working on research and on early concept studies,” Sheely said. “But now that we have our deal with the city and have a path to renovation, [we have to] put our heads down and get the architects to start designing and working on the project.”
Interviewed for this story: Brett Stefansson, (404) 878-3005; Thad Sheely, (404) 878-3000