Spectrum Center - Charlotte Hornets Arena Guide

The Spectrum was built as a replacement facility to the original Charlotte Coliseum; the arena didn’t officially break ground until July of 2003 and wasn’t finished until October of 2005. The arena initially saw some push back from the community after the mayor vetoed a living wage ordinance but allowed for the arena to be built. After an organization supporting a living wage launched a campaign to oppose the arena, the city opened up a vote, and it was countered with 57% of the vote.

City leaders then came up with a way to build a new arena that did not require voter support but needed ownership to sell the team. The team was sold and moved to New Orleans, but the league promised they would get a new team shortly, and they did with the Charlotte Bobcats. The new arena’s total cost is not available to the public, but it was estimated at around $260 million.

The arena opened in October 2005 as Charlotte Bobcats Arena and was changed in 2008 to Time Warner Cable Arena when they had purchased the naming rights. When Charter Communications purchased Time Warner Cable in 2016, the name changed to what it currently stands at today.

The first renovation came when the Charlotte city council agreed to give the Hornets $34 million for arena renovations to get ready for the 2017 NBA All-Star Game. In January of 2015, the team announced a new scoreboard that would be put in during the 2016 summer that cost around $7 million.

It was also announced that four alternated scoreboards would be installed in the corners of the upper level, and 360-degree boards were scheduled to be implemented. Construction was completed by the start of the 2016–17 season. Finally, they announced plans for the renovation of the visitor’s locker room, suites, and various other rooms in the arena.

Interior view of Spectrum Center

Below is a seating plan of Charlotte Hornets's Spectrum Center:

Uptown Charlotte is a trendy area; they have many bars one can stop at before a Hornets game. A few of the area’s favorites include Essex Bar and Bistro, Nuvole Rooftop TwentyTwo, and The Cellar at Duckworth’s. They are decked out with a very speakeasy vibe, this Uptown spot in the Omni Hotel pairs specialty and classic cocktails with great dishes to go with a drink. A fantastic patio complements the spectacular interior.

While several of the bars and pubs in the area offer several food options, a few other food options are a favorite of the locals and are right around the arena that you can stop at before tip-off. Some of the local favorites include Rooster’s Wood-fired Kitchen, BLT Steak, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, and Sea Level NC. Sea Level NC offers fantastic seafood with freshly shucked oysters headlining their selection. Sea Level has a great atmosphere with its patio, bar, and specialty menu that changes daily.

Spectrum Center offers guided public tours based on overall availability and event schedule for the day and the week. If there is an event scheduled for that specific day, there will not be a tour. If you are looking to plan a future tour, you can call 704-688-8128.

Typically, Nets tickets vary on who they are playing on the given night, but tickets can be found for as low as $6, with an average price of $74

The Charlotte Hornets are cutting some lower-level ticket prices by 41% next season to bring in a larger crowd and liven up the overall atmosphere of the arena.

Luxury suites cost between $3,000-$6,000 per game, depending on team performance, opponent, day of the week, and location in the arena.

Since the Spectrum is located in Uptown Charlotte, there are several travel options you can choose from. The most popular transportation methods would include the Charlotte Area Transit System, which operates bus and rail transit services, various forms of care services, and thousands of parking spots if you chose to bring your vehicle.

The address for Spectrum Center is as follows:
• 333 E Trade St, Charlotte, NC 28202

While traffic during game nights will drive larger crowds than usual down to Charlotte, you should be in the clear of heavy traffic if you leave a few hours before tip-off. If you are coming from surrounding suburbs, you will most likely be coming into the city on one of the two major highways (I-85 and I-77).

Guests of the Spectrum can find parking at seven different lots around the venue using spectrumcenter.parkmobile.io. Also, with close to 30,000 off-street parking spaces within a 15-minute walk of the arena, finding parking should be a smooth process on game night.

For public transportation, you are most likely looking to be on the Charlotte Area Transit System. This system operates with a light rail system and busses that include Park-And-Ride lots scattered throughout the surrounding area. If you use the Park-And-Ride system, you will park in one of seven lots and take the Lynx Train to Trade Street Station at Spectrum Center.

If you are coming from out of state and flying, you will most likely fly into Charlotte Douglas International Airport. The drive from the airport to the arena is 6miles and will roughly take 25-40 minutes to reach the arena. The most popular transportation methods to the Spectrum Center are bus ($3), taxi ($20-$40), or car.