Built in 1990, there was no question the time had come for a Times Union Center update.
Yet what really spearheaded the project was the Albany Capital Center convention center, which broke ground three years ago and is attached to the Times Union Center by a new 1,500¬sq.¬ft. walkway. >
Times Union Center, Albany, N.Y. s first renovation is underway.
“With 135 events presented since it opened last March 1, the Albany Capital Center has been deemed one of the most successful convention centers to open in years,” said Bob Belber regional general manager — Times Union Center & Albany Capital Center/SMG Northeast director of booking.
The fully¬enclosed heated walkway also connects the Times Union Center to its park¬ing garage and Empire State Plaza, a complex of state government buildings.
It has expanded the venues’ usable space to 165,000 square feet and allows all three ven¬ues to be used collectively for one event.
“This walkway connectivity was envi¬sioned by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Albany county executive Dan McCoy,” said Belber. “The investment from the state and county has created development in our market with businesses, condominiums, restaurants and bars opening up as well as pro¬duced a tremendous amount of new jobs downtown.”
A TOTAL REFRESH
The close to 40¬month, $30¬million Times Union Center project is being completed in two phases, while the arena remains open and fully operational. Phase 1, which was complet¬ed December 1, concentrated on the exterior, while Phase 2 will focus on interior renova¬tions.
Synthesis Architects in Schenectady, N.Y., is the designer on this project and Murnane Building Contractors, Whitesboro, N.Y., serves as the general contractor. Albany County passed bonds to cover renova¬
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AFL RETURNS TO ALBANY
With the renovation of the Times Union Center, the Arena Football League (AFL) returns to Albany in April 2018. Albany becomes the first secondary market to have a team in the league.
The city’s former AFL team, the Firebirds, averaged over 10,000 in attendance per game when it played in the 90s.
The venue will host eight home games between April and July. The name of the team will be determined following a compe¬tition that was still taking place at press time. There was 3,000 initial team name submissions and 10,000 votes to pick from four names.
“We found a group of guys in Albany interested in bringing an arena football team to the market,” said John Adams, president of the Philadelphia Soul.
The Philadelphia Soul's ownership group is joining with local business owners to run the team. This includes George Hearst III, publisher and CEO of the Times Union of Albany; former Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski; and ex¬National Football League head coach Dick Vermeil.
“This was a creative deal,” said Bob Belber regional general manager ¬Times Union Center & Albany Capital Center/SMG Northeast director of booking. “The great thing about this arrangement is the owners of the new team also own an existing cham¬pionship team in Philly.”
At press time, more than 800 season tickets had been sold for the Times Union Center’s AFL games.
“We’ve had a phenomenal initial response from the community,” said Adams. “I think [the team] will be real successful there.”
DECEMBER 2017 VENUES TODAY 25
A FOODSERVICE OVERHAUL
Part of Times Union Center’s extensive renovation will be the reinvention of its five concession stands and Lia Lounge full¬service sports bar.
According to Sean Fallon, concessions general manager for Aramark, the venue’s foodservice provider, the stands will shut down one at a time, with each renovation taking between three and four weeks. This will start in March and be completed by the end of the summer.
The menu was still being finalized at press time, but the classic concessions offer¬ings are expected to be expanded to include healthier and local fare.
“Between new foodservice equipment and logistics, we’ll be able to expand our offerings with menu innovations that add to the fan experience, while also improving efficiency and speed of service,” said Fallon.
Additional points of sale will allow customers to belly up to the stands at a number of registers, versus the existing one point of sale.
Ventilation and exhaust systems will be added to all stands, increasing cooking capabilities, along with combi ovens that offer smoking and steaming capabilities. Attractive enclosures will be built around the stands while work is being done.
“We’re adding exterior elements, including awnings, along with stainless steel back walls,” said Bob Belber regional general manager ¬Times Union Center & Albany Capital Center/SMG Northeast director of booking. “[With the staggered construction schedule,] we can host events and service patrons while the concession stands are completed in about seven months.”
C&S Companies, based in Syracuse, N.Y., is upgrading and modernizing the arena’s Lia Lounge to be more functional. This will occur in early April and take roughly one month to complete. A second sports bar will continue to operate.
“We’ll be able to increase capacity to serve a larger volume of customers, yet this will serve as multifunction space,” said Doug Obrist, C&S’ project manager.
Lounge work will include a newly¬configured open concept area with a larger bar and multiple points of sale served by newly¬furnished equipment. Various forms of decorative lighting/accents, feature walls, high¬end finishes and screens for broad¬casting events also will be added. — Lisa White
The Lounge, one of the new concession areas at Times Union Center, Albany, N.Y.
26 VENUES TODAY DECEMBER 2017
TIMES UNION CENTER... CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25 tion costs, which will be paid by hotel taxes. The county handled the walkway cost from the street to the arena parking garage, which was included in the atrium renovation total. The state spent about $3.5 million for the walkway portion from the garage to the convention cen¬ter and Empire State Plaza.
“Albany County has been an outstanding partner for many years, as we have worked together to freshen, upgrade and evolve the venue given the dynamics in the industry, advances in technology and changing expecta¬tions,” said Harry Cann, SMG regional vice president. “The County’s commitment to and investment in the Times Union Center over the years is the backbone of the venue’s success.”
A major aspect of the arena overhaul was redesigning and enclosing the open¬air atrium, a $20¬million project. This entailed tearing out steel and adding a glass elevator and escalator to access the atrium.
“The update to enclose the Times Union Center’s entrance was a 10¬year¬old project that took hold when the convention center broke ground,” said Doug McClaine, Time Union Center’s assistant general manager/booking.
The new front enclosure includes a pre¬function space and new media work room for hosting events.
Two new 15¬foot¬high¬by¬70¬foot¬wide LED video screens with audio systems were added to the arena’s exterior at a cost of $1.2 million.
“We’ve been playing music videos and putting up commercials; it brings a cool factor like none I’ve seen,” said Belber.
Phase two, currently underway, concen¬trates on interior updates. This includes all concession stands and Lia Lounge, the full¬ser¬vice bar, along with 20 of the arena’s 25 suites.
“Like the concession stands, the suites will be renovated one at a time over the course of about seven months,” said Belber.
Doug Obrist, project manager for C&S Companies, based in Syracuse, N.Y., is working with SMG on the suite and lounge layouts.
“The key thing is, when we do construc¬tion, we’ll work with suite owners so they can have construction be timely and not disruptive,” said Obrist.
Suite holders were provided with a choice of designs, colors and materials to choose from, with the selection process taking about three months to complete.
The work includes replacement of fixed stadium¬style seating, newly¬reconfigured kitchenettes and built¬in furniture. Other built¬in elements include high top and uphol-stered seating and finishes and decorative accent walls for suite holder branding.
“All of our suites have been sold out for the last 13 years, and we currently have a waiting list of 20 companies,” said Belber.
The goal for the last two years has been to keep high¬profile events on Times Union Center’s calendar throughout the atrium overhaul.
“It was challenging to stay open and oper¬ating, but by doing so, if projects take longer to complete, we don’t have to delay the work,” said McClaine. “It was the ingress and egress that are most impacted, so we close one area off and direct people to another area. It’s not the traditional foot traffic, so we concentrate on keeping visitors up to speed on entrances and emergency exits.”
While the main entrance was under con¬struction, the arena held a number of concerts, including three sold out Garth Brooks per¬formances and shows with Twenty One Pilots, Maroon 5 and Tim McGraw and Faith Hill.
“It was all about planning the schedule and coordinating the work to be done so sound checks were not disrupted,” said Belber. “This still allowed our bottom line to see positive profits as work was being done.”
He credits the renovations for the arena being awarded the first and second rounds of the National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball championship in 2020.
“That wouldn’t have happened without creating a new working media center in the atrium,” said Belber. “With the building updates and new convention center, we’re not just a secondary market anymore.”
TIMES UNION CENTER BY THE NUMBERS
1988–1990 Original construction Opened with Frank Sinatra JAN. 30, 1990
2015 Renovation began Atrium completed DEC. 1, 2017
Renovation cost for the atrium $20 MILLION $10 MILLION Cost of upgrades to suites, concessions and bathrooms, sports bar and concourse
Saved by renovating versus replacing the arena $170 MILLION
187,315 Square feet in the arena
Square feet added during renovation 36,000 500,000-700,000 Annual attendance
Years added to arena’s life from renovation 25¬30 YEARS