Photos: Phoenix Suns unveil renderings for arena renovations

Next season, enter the reformed Talking Stick Resort Arena into the open floor plan of the lobby. Glance up at the giant TVs measuring 8,500 square feet mounted above.

In the middle of the pavilion is a 60-foot-bar. The pregame, halftime and postgame show will also be moved into this area.

“This place will be activated, it will be alive, it will have energy, and it will be a great place for every single fan to be able to congregate,” Suns managing partner Robert Sarver said during a presentation on Thursday night to introduce renderings for Project 201 PHX Reimagined, the arena renovation project.

The proposal, a $230 million project, is expected to be 60% completed by the beginning of next season and the remainder by the end of it, Sarver said.

Proceed straight and look forward, down into the arena bowl.

Take stock of what’s in front of you on the court before heading to your seat.

You might notice the lighting is different. More theater-like lighting, similar to Madison Square Garden. Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker asked for those personally, Sarver said.

Keep looking around. The new scoreboard is expected to be much larger. Much larger. The screen to see the game and replays is six times the size of the current one.

Hungry? Go explore the restaurant options. Concessions will be upgraded, Sarver said, and there will be two food courts in open concourses, on in the lower bowl and one in the upper. Sarver said there will be more local vendors in the stadium.

The organization is also working to decrease wait time for food by using technology to help it go quicker. Sarver didn’t go into details but said the entire building will be digital.

There will be multiple bars and clubs around the stadium, some of which the court can be viewed from or are in the bowl itself. A club on the north side is going to be country-themed, and there are others on the east and west sides.

In all, the floor plan will be more open to allow more places for socializing with friends and fans around the arena. There will be more places to hang out. There will be more activities beyond basketball on the court.

“One of the things people are more interested in is being able to socialize with each other. Not just necessarily sit in one seat for the entire game,” Sarver said. “Having the ability to be able move around and enjoy different food and entertainment venues and get more connectivity with other people in the arena is a real key.”

Some of this new space will be available because the organization is moving team activities including the practice court and training rooms to a separate facility on 44th Street and Camelback Road.

“As Downtown Phoenix continues to grow, continues to develop, that we now transform our building so that it can continue to be that beating heart of Downtown Phoenix that it has been for so many years with the Suns, the Mercury, all the great shows that we bring,” President and CEO Jason Rowley said. “All of these components that really make Downtown Phoenix the entertainment capital of our state and the southwest.”

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