Venue News: San Antonio Spurs Unveil Arena Upgrades; Target Center Announces Renovation Timeline

Sunday wasn’t just the debut of LaMarcus Aldridge and David West in a Spurs uniform at home, writes the San Antonio Spurs. It was also a chance for Spurs fans to see the AT&T Center’s extreme home makeover. Spurs fans looked in awe around the renovated AT&T Center as the renovated arena opened its doors for the first time. It was a soft opening for the Spurs’ preseason home opener, and fans’ first chance to see new paint, new lighting, and a state-of the-art new scoreboard that made their home brighter. In just a little more than four months, the AT&T Center has made upgrades in every corner of the arena as part of a $110 million renovations…

…The Minnesota Timberwolves have firmed up a timeline for the long-planned renovation of Target Center, according to the Associated Press. The team said that the project will begin in the summer of 2016 and be completed in time for the NBA season starting in 2017. It has a budget of $129 million and plans to redo the exterior of the 25-year-old building. It will also add new locker rooms and suites, upgrade the bathrooms, and bring a new scoreboard…

…The defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors are one step closer to calling a new city home in time for the 2018-19 season, writes Forbes. The team recently announced that it has formally purchased a 12-acre lot of land in San Francisco’s Mission Bay district. It’s the latest positive step for the organization as it looks to overcome all the political hurdles that come with erecting a professional sports venue in the state of California…

…The Minnesota Vikings are close to completing their new home, writes Fox Sports. Over the weekend, the team announced that the construction of U.S. Bank Stadium, which is slated to host home games starting next season, is 75 percent complete. The Vikings, who currently play home games at the University of Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium, will be spoiled by one of the NFL’s most advanced venues when this project is complete. Among the many state-of-the-art amenities, U.S. Bank Stadium recently announced that it will feature one-of-a-kind LED lighting designed to improve fan experience…

…Last week, the St. Louis stadium task force and National Car Rental announced a 20-year, $158 million naming rights deal for the proposed north riverfront project. Naturally, writes ESPN, the news stirred some optimism among those hoping the stadium is built and the Rams stay in St. Louis. Over the weekend, Forbes contributor Patrick Rishe offered a closer look at the deal and what St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke would be able to achieve in terms of a naming rights deal in Los Angeles.