The council set standards for Kansas City-based architects Ellerbe Becket to make the arena memorable enough to capture the region's distinctive characteristics and to act as a catalyst for around-the-clock development, among other requirements.
Design work must proceed before the non-binding vote because if the motion passes, it will be too late to start on design work to complete the new arena before its proposed opening date of October 2003.
In addition to an arena, the vote will focus on six other center city cultural projects totaling $342 million. The total cost to taxpayers, including interest, could be more than $850 million. The money-losing Charlotte Hornets spurred the call for a new arena that they want to fill with luxury seating and other modern amenities.
But one growing controversial aspect of the proposed arena is that it will be several thousand seats smaller than the Charlotte Coliseum, which has a maximum capacity of 23,500. The maximum number of seats in the new facility would be about 20,000, or too small to host larger venues that might opt for venues such as the Greensboro Coliseum with a capacity of 23,500 seats, opponents of a new arena say.
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