Hurricanes Nearing $300M for PNC Arena Upgrades

The Carolina Hurricanes are set to receive continued investment from their local government — nearly $300 million — to pay for more renovations at PNC Arena.

A special meeting has been scheduled on Tuesday to discuss potential projects that would include a long-term lease for the team at the 24-year-old venue in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes averaged the second-highest attendance in the NHL last season, drawing just over 19,500 fans across 41 home games.

Also on the table is a plan for Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon to build a multi-use development on 80 acres of what is mostly parking lots and undeveloped land. That project could include offices, shops, bars and restaurants, a sportsbook — sports betting will be fully legal in North Carolina in 2024 — and a music venue.

PNC Arena is adjacent to N.C. State’s football stadium, so any further development would serve both pro hockey and college football fans alike.

Specifics for the facility renovations are yet to be determined, as the process has been delayed several times reaching back to before the pandemic began in 2020. PNC Arena’s last significant upgrade was a new $4.2 million video board in 2019.

Next week, the Wake County Commission could officially approve the renovation funding, greenlighting more moves.