During a meeting this week, new Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon pitched potential upgrades to PNC Arena, the team’s home facility.
As part of Dundon’s vision–which he detailed during a meeting on Thursday with the authority that oversees the venue–PNC Arena would see upgrades in multiple areas. Among the changes that could take place include adding a new team entrance to the ice, as well as the addition of software that would capture data from Wi-Fi users.
Perhaps the biggest addition, however, would be that of a new center-hung scoreboard in time for the 2018-19 NHL season. While the new scoreboard has been discussed for a later season, officials at Thursday’s Centennial Authority meeting expressed a willingness to consider completing the project on an earlier schedule. More from The News & Observer:
For Dundon and the Hurricanes, there were items of importance on the agenda, the most pressing being installing a new center-hung scoreboard at PNC Arena for the 2018-19 season.
Dundon wants a scoreboard that extends blue line to blue line, one that could cost about $7 million. The authority had a scoreboard in the projected budget for 2019-20 but agreed to consider fast-tracking and having it in place next season for Hurricanes games and N.C. State basketball games.
“Some of these things are pretty spectacular and would a great asset,” [authority chairman Tom] McCormick said. “Again, can we afford it? … I think everybody agrees it’s a good thing to have in this building.”
Dundon recently purchased the controlling interest in the team from long-time owner Peter Karmanos Jr. PNC Arena has been home to the Hurricanes since 1999, when it opened as the Raleigh Entertainment & Sports Arena.
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