Capital One Arena will soon have a new look when your coming to Washington Capitals games. Thanks to a big renovation project annouced by Ted Leonsis earlier this season, work is now underway.
Phase one which is starting now will primarily focus on the event level so players will be the first to see these new changes with a different locker room and surrounding facilities.
For the Caps they will have a new space that features ergonomic lockers with drying systems, personalized storage, dressing areas, lounge spaces plus new training areas, recovery facilities, hot and cold tubs plus compression therapy areas.
For fans Monumental Sports and Entertainment will launch their new Vault Suites, which is described as an event level luxury suite with unlimited food and drink, five star catering plus tunnels that connect to a collection of center, and lower bowl level tikets.
Those will be the two big changes that will come when the 2025-26 season arrives. Then over the next few years MSE will transform Capital One Arena from the interior to the exterior.
Part of the plan is expanded concourses inluding more retail space. There will also be a 40 percent increase in the number of restrooms and a 60 percent increase in concession points of sale with more variety of food choices.
Seats will also go from black to blue featuring cupholders on the armrests and there will be a bigger jumbotron with additional screens.
The big change in the exterior is the Grand Pavilion which is the new state of the art facility and hub that will connect to the arena. It'll be a new meetup spot before every game.
This entire project is expected to be completed around 2028. It is all expected to cost around $800 million. It'll be funded partially by D.C. taxpayers and it's part of the plan of keeping the Capitals in the District for generations to come.
Overall the arena is going from having three levels of suites to eight. Another big change is more entrances around the building to move people in and out quicker. There's also going to be a new main entrance closer to the metro.
Depending on the event whether it's a Capitals game, a Wizards game or a concert there will be a lighting veil that will wrap around the arena and will be illuminated depending on the event going on that night.