Atlanta’s Philips Arena in for $192.5mn facelift; contractor selected

The Atlanta Hawks announced on November 28 that the NBA team has awarded the $192.5 million renovation contract for Philips Arena to Atlanta Joint Venture, a Turner Construction-led consortium of four contractors that also include AECOM Hunt, SG Contracting, and Bryson Constructors.

The renovation to Phillips Arena will be broad in scope, coming with a price tag of $192.5 million – a cost that will be jointly funded by the Hawks and the City of Atlanta.

Renovations to Phillips Arena were first announced in early November with the City committing to fund $142.5 million of construction costs as part of a deal to get the Hawks to stay at Philips Arena until at least 2046. The team will foot the bill for the $50 million balance. If the team reneges on the agreement, it could face up to $200 million in penalties.

The upgrades are expected to address several aspects of the arena, including technology, seating options, improved social spaces, and refreshed concession options. The new arena will include new amenities on every level of the building, 360-degree connected concourses at all levels, improved sightlines and state-of-the-art video throughout the building.

The Hawks will begin renovations of Philips Arena during the summer of 2017, and the transformation will be completed by the start of 2018-2019 season, coinciding with the Hawks’ 50th Anniversary in Atlanta. The Hawks will continue to play in the Philips Arena during construction, as most work will be done during the offseason. The Hawks will play next season at Philips.

Originally constructed as a multi-purpose facility and opened in 1999, Philips Arena annually ranks among the most-programmed venues in the country, after Madison Square Garden and Barclays Center in New York City and Staples Center in Los Angeles, according to Pollstar’s rankings.

Philips Arena hosts approximately 170 events per year, including most of the biggest musical acts, family shows including the circus and ice shows, and Hawks home games. Philips employs approximately 1,500 staff per event, including 300 full-time employees and 1,200 part-time employees.

More than 1.6 million fans and customers attend events at Philips Arena every year, with those numbers expected to increase significantly in the next 2-5 years.

Just ahead of its official launch, a detailed overview of the Philips Arena will be presented at Coliseum Summit AMERICAS, February 22-23, 2017 at Las Vegas, Nevada.

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