RALEIGH \u2014 The multi-phase development to include parking decks, retail and office space as well as a hotel and housing around the Lenovo Center won\u2019t impact parking for NC State football games in 2025.<\/p>\n
Originally, work on the potential $1-billion development<\/a> was scheduled to begin at the end of 2025 football season with one parking deck built in time for the 2026 season at the adjacent Carter-Finley Stadium.<\/p>\n Lenovo Center is home to NC State\u2019s men\u2019s basketball program and the NHL\u2019s Carolina Hurricanes as well as concerts and other arena programming. Carter-Finley Stadium is the Wolfpack\u2019s football home.<\/p>\n NC State fans were sent two slightly different versions of a letter alerting them to the construction. One said that \u201credevelopment plans will not start before the end of the 2026 football season.\u201d The other, more accurate version, said \u201cdistrict development construction will not impact parking for the 2026 football season.\u201d<\/p>\n The Hurricanes said Thursday that construction on the Lenovo Center District development is set to begin in 2026 and it will be staged in a way as to not impact parking for the 2026 football season.\u00a0<\/p>\n The City of Raleigh approved a rezoning of the property, but individual projects on the site still must receive permits.<\/p>\n The Hurricanes have development rights to the 80 acres around the arena, which they obtained as part of a deal that extended their lease and secured $300 million for renovations inside the arena.\u00a0<\/p>\n The first phase of those renovations \u2014 including a view bar and concourse upgrades on the 300 level, new suites at the arena level and a multi-purpose room for events \u2014 are ongoing and could be ready by January or February during the basketball and hockey season.<\/p>\n But a longtime member of the Centennial Authority board, which was created by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1995 and owns the arena, expressed frustration at the pace of progress.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s somewhat difficult \u2026 we\u2019re not able to show our larger community,\u201d said Doyle Parrish, the chairman of the board\u2019s building committee. \u201cBingo, this is the view bar. It\u2019s delivered. Bingo, this is the bunker suites. They\u2019re delivered now. Or this is our fifth level and we\u2019ve gotten these concourses redone. We are a year-plus into the project and $100 million into the project and we really haven\u2019t had much to show off.\u201d<\/p>\n Construction began on July 1 after final contracts were signed. The board has been discussing renovations to the arena for more than a decade.<\/p>\n Parking around the Lenovo Center and Carter-Finley Stadium has been one of the most discussed aspects of the development project. Plans for the first phase call for two three-story parking decks with a combined 1,800 spots that overlook a new tailgate area.<\/p>\n Sections 317-319 at Lenovo Center remains a work in progress. Will be view bar and have seats above it when finished. pic.twitter.com\/FbXIo33FJH<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Brian Murphy (@murphsturph) December 13, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n \u201cWe have unbelievable parking and anything that changes is going to change that,\u201d NC State athletics director Boo Corrigan said in late July<\/a>. \u201cI think that is the single biggest issue: people are worried about the parking.\u201d<\/p>\n