Creative Council for Capital One Arena

Article posted by Coliseum, September 4^th, 2025

Image: Capital One Arena

Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) has formed a “Creative Council” to help lift the redevelopment of the Capital One Arena to new heights.

MSE said the Council’s aim is to elevate the holistic storytelling through the eyes of the fan at MSE’s brand-new arena in downtown Washington, D.C.

The 20,356-capacity Capital One Arena is an indoor arena in Washington, D.C. (US). Located in the Chinatown section of the larger Penn Quarter neighborhood the arena sits atop the Gallery Place Rapid Transit Station of the Washington Metro.

Construction got underway earlier this year on the new Capital One Arena’s three-year, $800+ million transformation.

MSE is taking a 360-degree approach to planning a high-tech, high-touch building that will serve millions of annual visitors for the next 25 years and set a new standard for fan experience and technological innovation.

The newly-formed council includes representatives across MSE’s leadership and partner organizations Elevate, Gensler, CAA ICON, Sports & The Arts, cllct, Clark Construction, Aramark, and Élan Arc, a collaborative approach that ensures all voices are heard.

Jim Van Stone, President of Business Operations and Chief Commercial Officer at MSE, said, “The ‘Creative Council’ will serve as an innovative think tank that represents the heartbeat of our vision for the new Sports and Entertainment District.

“The council is composed of visionary minds from across the industry that are entrusted with crafting an arena that draws upon community inspiration through artistic storytelling.”

Every element of the new arena—from its architecture and interior design to new sponsorships and partnerships, concessions, and curated art—has been thoughtfully crafted to honor D.C.’s rich history, as seen through the eyes of its fans.

The council empowers each partner on the project to lead within their expertise while remaining accountable to the collective vision: setting new boundaries of what’s possible in sport and entertainment.

MSE is creating a timeless, immersive fan journey that begins the moment guests step through the doors and continues through every touchpoint.

Creative Council members include:

MSE
Jim Van Stone – President, Business Operations and Chief Commercial Officer
Jordan Silberman – President, Venues
Hunter Lochmann – Chief Marketing Officer
Adam Gotts – Vice President, Project & Revenue Management
Erin Mitchell Martin – Vice President, Venue Marketing
Laurence McMillon – Director, Hospitality

Elevate
Drew Bryant – Chief Creative Officer
Megan Adgate – Creative Director
Ashley Hughes – Senior Project Manager
Christopher Knowles – Creative Director

Gensler
Andrew Jacobs – Lead Design Director
Greg Tanski – Senior Designer
Brandon Mermelstein – Senior Designer
Jonny Peterson – Brand Design Director

CAA ICON
Michael Schwan – Senior Vice President

Sports & The Arts
Tracie Speca-Ventura – Founder and President
Camille Speca – Creative Director

cllct
Darren Rovell – Founder
Steve Ziff – Chief Executive Officer

Clark Construction
Jeff King – Vice President

Aramark
Vincent Vazquez – District Manager
Anthony Kleinman – Resident District Manager

Élan Arc
Jackie Keller – Founder and CEO

Earlier this year, MSE unveiled plans for the “District Arts Collection,” a groundbreaking, multi-million-dollar curated art and commemorative memorabilia collection that will be displayed at the new arena created in partnership with Sports & The Arts and cllct.

Launching this upcoming season, the brand-new immersive art experience will span the event level spaces including the new United Globe and The Vaults, transforming the venue into a vibrant living gallery. Local artists and original piece selections will be announced in the coming weeks.

The announcement comes as construction is underway on the brand-new arena in Phase 1.

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