An NBA arena upgrade will get into full swing in the coming months, as the Phoenix Suns prepare for major renovation work at Talking Stick Resort Arena.
The Suns and City of Phoenix are partnering on the $230-million overhaul, which will be completed over multiple phases of construction. Through the renovation project, Talking Stick Resort Arena will receive a redesigned Casino Arizona Pavilion, along with a broad series of improvements to areas such as seating, technology, premium areas, and concessions.
There is currently some related work taking place, but the Suns anticipate getting construction into full swing once their 2019-20 season concludes. Although the full renovation is not scheduled to be complete until 2021, the Suns expect that 70% of overall renovation work will be finished by October, making the coming months an important period for the project. More from Arizona Sports:
Already, the team is getting ahead on demo work and outside upgrades to their home with the expectation that 70% of the arena will be upgraded by the 2020-21 season that starts this October.
“Hopefully we’re able to fight our way in the playoffs here — if that happens then whenever that last game of the season is, the very next day the crews roll in and we are are shut down and we’re rolling 24/7 a day for the next five months until we open up,” Suns president and CEO Jason Rowley told Doug & Wolf on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station.
“I would call it 70% of the overall renovation work will be done by October of 2020. What will be left the following summer is some work on the roof, the suite-level reconstruction. We’re going to be redoing all of our suites, putting up clubs in the suite level. We have to phase those into the second summer.”
To accommodate construction work at Talking Stick Resort Arena, the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury will shift their 2020 home schedule to Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum. As part of the renovation agreement with the city, the Suns are privately financing the cost of a new training facility to replace existing practice space at Talking Stick Resort Arena. A groundbreaking ceremony for the new facility, to be located on 44th Street, just north of Camelback Road, was held in November and it is expected to open this summer.
Rendering courtesy HOK.
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