The Charlotte Hornets and city leaders are floating a big swing for Uptown: turning the blocks around Spectrum Center into a walkable sports and entertainment corridor, with the team’s new practice facility serving as the anchor. The idea is to layer in retail, restaurants and outdoor programming along Brevard Street while the Novant Health Performance Center rises across from the arena.
As first reported by the Charlotte Business Journal today, Hornets executives are studying a revamped entertainment district tied to Spectrum Center and nearby blocks. According to that reporting, team leaders see the Novant Health Performance Center as the spark for broader Uptown development and new year-round programming.
What the Novant Health Performance Center Will Include
The Novant Health Performance Center is rising adjacent to Spectrum Center and will house training, administration and public-facing sports medicine care, the team says. As detailed by the Charlotte Hornets, the roughly 160,000-square-foot facility will include more than 100,000 square feet dedicated to practice and recovery space and two full-size courts.
Axios also reported that the project will cost more than $150 million and that the city has pledged about $30 million toward the development. Those dollars, if everything holds, would help turn what is now largely support space into a high-profile, fan-facing destination.
How Brevard Street Could Change
Under concepts discussed by city officials and developers, Brevard Street would act as the spine of the sports and entertainment district. Portions of the street could be closed for events, street-level retail could be added, and the Charlotte Transportation Center could be reworked to free up developable land.
Per the Charlotte Business Journal, private developers and city staff are sketching a phased plan that could stretch along Brevard and tie together the arena, the practice facility and nearby retail hubs into a more seamless corridor.
Officials Pitch the Economic Upside
Hornets owners and city officials are framing the effort as a way to turn occasional arena nights into a year-round Uptown draw, with more jobs and ground-floor businesses aimed at both residents and fans. Team co-owner Rick Schnall told WSOC-TV that “it’s taking a lot of commitment from us,” while the team’s website labels the performance center “a transformative project” for Uptown.
Next Steps and Timeline
Construction kicked off with a groundbreaking in 2025, and the Hornets and project partners expect the performance center to open during the 2026–27 NBA season, according to project listings. The Novant Health Performance Center page on Charlotte Center City Partners lists the development at 501 E Trade St and notes that completion is set for the 2026–2027 season. Rezoning, design review and public meetings for the broader Brevard Street concept are still ahead.
If those pieces fall into place, Uptown could feel very different on game nights and on quiet weekdays, as the Hornets attempt to trade parking lots and empty storefronts for a livelier, mixed-use district. Watch for rezoning applications and public meetings in the coming months, since those often wonky steps will decide whether this stays a glossy rendering or turns into a real neighborhood shift.
