Ted Leonsis, CEO of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, and other city officials helped MSE reveal renderings and details of what Capital One Arena will look like after massive renovations, which are scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2027. The press conference took place inside the atrium of the neighboring Gallery Place, now called the Grand Pavilion.
Capital One Arena, home of the NHL’s Washington Capitals and NBA’s Washington Wizards, will undergo six phases of modernization to its exterior and interior. The updates will come after the DC Council officially approved legislation earlier this week that will contribute $515 million of city funds to the facility’s refresh over the next three years and keep the two teams in the city through 2050.
“The arena will be a marvel of modern design and technology, the intersection of style and comfort and a futuristic and first-class fan experience from street to seat,” Leonsis stated in an MSE press release. “In this greatest city in the world with its extraordinary and historic monuments, we believe this building will be a monument but built on momentum – something bold and bright for now and the future.”
Where Monuments Meet Momentum. Thrilled to share the new @CapitalOneArena! pic.twitter.com/w0awWKQrcy
— Ted Leonsis (@TedLeonsis) December 19, 2024
Major components of the transformation include rethinking the arena’s exterior, including the formation of a “People’s Plaza,” which will create a large outdoor area for fans to congregate throughout the year. All of the arena’s entrances will also be upgraded, and a highly anticipated statue of Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin appears planned to be placed outside one of them.
The interior of Cap One is also getting an overhaul, with expansions to the main concourse level, premium club level and suite areas, concession spaces, food and beverage experiences, locker rooms for the Capitals and Wizards, training rooms, a player’s lounge, and a family lounge. MSE provided more renderings and a full explainer of their plans.
Capitals-specific enhancements include newly designed lockers with “integrated drying systems,” personal storage areas, lounge spaces, and a new weight/training room. They’ll also get new cold and hot tubs and a “compression therapy area” for recovery-related purposes. Both the Caps and Wizards will have dedicated new “hype zones” that will bring the players to the ice or court.
MSE laid out the plans for the six phases of construction, with the first phase set to begin as soon as possible and last through the conclusion of the current 2024-25 season.
- Phase 1 (now – the conclusion of the 2024-25 season): Preparatory work
- Phase 2 (summer 2025): Focus on new athlete spaces and completion of premium-level club and suite access.
- Phase 3 (during the 2025-26 season): Preparation for exterior work and expansion of concessions.
- Phase 4 (summer 2026): Major exterior and interior renovations.
- Phase 5 (during the 2026-27 season): Interior remodeling and premium amenities.
- Phase 6 (summer 2027): Final interior improvements and Grand Pavilion completed.
Digital renderings
