The XL Center has started giving exclusive tours to showcase its ongoing $32 million in renovations, which aim to enhance the fan experience and keep the arena relevant for another decade in an increasingly competitive entertainment market.
“Annually there needs to be some upkeep and that hasn’t been done for the past several years,” said Chris Lawrence, XL Center general manager. “This was an opportunity to really modernize and upgrade the XL Center to give it a fresh cosmetic feel.”
Construction began last summer and is marked for completion in time for an Oct. 8 NBA preseason game between the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks.
“The focus of the project is to enhance the fan experience with upgrades and fully renovated amenities,” said Robert Saint, director of construction services at the Capital Region Development Authority.
The XL Center, first opened in 1975, competes for entertainment acts with the Comcast Theater in Hartford, the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, the venues at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket and even Wallingford’s Oakdale Theatre.
XL Center upgrades include expansions to the arena, where the wall behind a section of lower-level seats is being torn down. The arena will add a fan club in the space, open to anyone with a general admission ticket.
The building is expected to feel more modern and new with upgraded concessions, restrooms, and ceilings. Upgrades are also occurring to the arena’s handicapped seating area.
The accessible seating area was built long ago and not much attention was given to its layout, Saint said.
With the current arrangement, fans seated right in front of the accessible seating section block the view of those behind them when they stand up.
To address this issue, the top two rows of seating in all four corners of the arena are being removed.
Video boards are being replaced with upgraded high-definition screens.
A full renovation of the XL Center’s restrooms began in May, including replacement of floors and ceilings throughout the building. That portion of the project is nearly complete.
Lawrence said the XL Center wanted to make the most of its budget once the necessary renovations for the building were taken care of. The work for this project is mostly focused on short-term goals for the XL Center, such as making the building more enjoyable for fans and keeping it up and running for the next few years.
In the long-run, however, XL Center’s useful life is running out and CRDA currently has a consultant studying its future options, which could include a major $200 million-plus renovation, or construction of a new arena.
“We have a very aggressive schedule in place to try to have the project completed by the exhibition NBA game,” said Saint.
Construction workers have been working two shifts Monday through Friday and one shift on Saturday to complete the work in time for the Celtics-Knicks game.
The XL Center has two scheduled concerts in September that will take place before construction is complete. Musicians Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (Sept. 13) and Cher (Sept. 27) highlight those events.
Saint said the concerts may be problematic because they create interruptions in completing the project in time for the NBA game, and life safety systems will have to be in place during the concerts to ensure fan safety. The concessions will not be completed for the concerts.
The XL Center upgrades also try to cater to athletes and performers with renovations to locker rooms.
“We had to work within our budget,” said Lawrence. “We started with the necessities of what had to be upgraded, and then looked to what new elements we could add to really enhance the fans experience.”g
