Rendering of one of the new main concourses at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., which will undergo a $40 million renovation. (Photo courtesy Monumental Sports & Entertainment)
Details of Capital One Arena’s $40 million renovation plans have emerged.
The project is privately financed by the owner of the Washington, D.C., venue, Monumental Sports & Entertainment, and was first announced, with no details, in August, at the same time as a new naming-rights deal with Capital One, worth a reported $100 million over 10 years. The arena had been known as Verizon Center since 2006.
Improvements to the 20-year-old facility will include new upgraded seats including the end-zone risers, new clubs, a state-of-the-art sound system, new floors and lighting, renovated concourses, redesigned concession stands and a new menu designed by celebrity chefs.
The architect is Gensler. Ryan Sickman, director of sports, is the principal architect.
“The arena is a great venue, but it’s due for a refresh,” said Sickman. “We’re looking at bringing the arena into today’s standards and making it viable for the foreseeable future.”
“We also want to make the premium clubs something that is desirable for today’s fan base,” he said. “The idea isn’t around doing anything significantly different, or outlandish in its thought process. It’s about modernizing the arena.”
We’ve been talking with Capital One about the potential for long-term improvements since late last year, said Sickman, adding that he started on the design in earnest in January.
“The design is still evolving,” he said. “We’re involved in all the public-facing amenity improvements, some of which are still being worked out.”
Sickman said one of the challenges was “opening up one of the corners of the concourse and renovating an old underutilized storage room.”
Revamping the PwC Club and creating the new clubs were a priority. “The bar is being reimagined,” he said. “We’re going to modify the seating to increase the number of seats as well as open up the sight lines. We’re modernizing the experience with plush chairs and an elevated barstool situation.”
“We’re also looking at how the food service is utilized,” Sickman said. “There was a pass-through window that is boarded up and not being used that we plan to reopen and we’re going to create another kitchen to service the club.”
Anyone can walk through the club to get from one side of the facility to another, he said, so designers are working on creating a new pass-through without having to enter the club.
Monumental is adding two new clubs, one on the main concourse. In addition, the concourses on the 100 and 400 levels will be completely renovated with new wall treatments, new flooring, lighting and modern decor, and new digital displays will be added throughout the concourses to make the arena easier to navigate.
“The project will begin as soon as [the NHL Capitals and NBA Wizards are] out of the playoffs, which could be in May or June depending upon how the teams do this year,” said David Touhey, Monumental Sports & Entertainment president of venues.
The arena’s purple seats will be replaced by black seats with cupholders, Touhey said.
The facility’s concessionaire, Aramark, has been advising on the improvements.
“We’re redoing all the concession stands and bringing in celebrity chefs Alex McCoy and Cat Cora to redesign our menus, both in the clubs and in the general public stands,” Touhey said. “The new food offerings will be upscale.”
Rendering of the reimagined team store at Capital One Arena. (Courtesy Monumental Sports & Entertainment)
Capital One Arena is home to the Capitals, Wizards, WNBA Mystics, Georgetown University basketball and the Valor, one of two Arena Football League franchises owned by Monumental owner Ted Leonsis.
The team store inside the arena’s F Street entrance will be updated and will be open year-round once the renovations are complete.
The face-lift is expected to be completed by October. The construction team is KDR, based in Virginia.
The building will remain open throughout most of the reconstruction with two multi-week dark windows, one at the beginning of August and the other closer to September. During the renovations, U2, Hall & Oates, Sam Smith, Shania Twain, Harry Styles and Elton John are expected to play the facility.
The plans also call for further development of the Monumental360 program, which analyzes fan preferences and aims to deliver a more personalized experience.
“Everything is aimed at improving the guest experience,” Touhey said. “Whether it be the sound, the look, the feel or the taste, the improvements will touch it all. This will enhance the experience for everyone who comes to the building.”