“It’s super aggressive, but we think we can do it.” Tarbert acknowledged at a real estate conference in December that the schedule is tight but said he believes it’s realistic. The parking lot on the Hopkins Place side of the building will be turned into a pedestrian plaza that can support festivals and other outdoor events.Ĭity officials express optimism that the development team can stay on schedule. The number of seats will increase about 10-15%, from about 14,000 for concerts now to about 16,000 when work is complete. The main entrance will remain at the corner of Baltimore Street and Hopkins Place, with two additional entrances on Baltimore Street. The architects have suggested a maritime theme for the exterior, with sail-like shapes added to the north and east sides as a reminder that Baltimore is a port city. The scope of work entails major changes to the interior of the arena, the exterior and the area around it. 20, 2023, giving contractors less than 12 months to finish their work. Next year’s event is scheduled to begin on Feb. The team has a strict deadline to complete its improvements because the CIAA tournaments are scheduled to return to the arena next February and Oak View Group has promised it will be ready. Oak View Group has agreed to pay for all capital improvements, without funding assistance from the city. Durant is an All Star forward with the Brooklyn Nets who was born in Washington, D. An equity investor on Oak View’s team is Thirty Five Ventures, founded by Rich Kleiman and Kevin Durant. Oak View Group of Los Angeles was selected last year over two other bidders that sought the opportunity to renovate and operate the arena. The camera currently shows demolition work on the stage area. The general contractor, Clark Construction Group, has installed a 24-hour OxBlue construction camera inside the building to let anyone follow its progress. “Work has commenced on the project as planned,” said Colin Tarbert, president and CEO of the Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC), which led the search for a development team. Signs of activity are visible outside the arena, where a construction fence is up and a section of the exterior wall has been removed to help bring materials in and out. The work is expected to be completed by February of next year.The work includes adding seats and suites, refurbishing concourses, upgrading concessions areas and changing the building’s appearance – all part of a plan to book “top tier” events and draw more people downtown to see them. The renovations are designed to expand seating, upgrade lighting and redesign the exterior of the building with new glass materials and exterior sails. Over the years, there have been many proposals to raze the arena, which many consider outdated, and rebuild it. The developer has ties to basketball star and Maryland-native Kevin Durant. The area will be known as the Baltimore Arena for the time being.Ī private developer, Oak View Group, is paying at least $150 million to rebuild the arena, which originally opened in 1962. The name change was first reported by The Daily Record. The company had paid the $250,000 a year for the naming rights.ĪLSO READ | Inner Harbor Fourth of July fireworks to return after pandemic hiatus The arena has been known as the Royal Farms Arena since 2014. BALTIMORE (WBFF) - Baltimore's downtown arena - which is currently undergoing major renovations - will no longer be known as the Royal Farms Arena after the city terminated its deal with the Baltimore-based chain of convenience stores, Baltimore Development Corporation said Friday.īaltimore Development Corporation, the city's economic development agency, is currently looking for a new corporate suitor to sell the naming rights to.
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