Bojangles Coliseum gets $25M in upgrades. What will it mean for your next concert?
Charlotte City Council unanimously approved a $25 million investment in Bojangles Coliseum and Ovens Auditorium on Monday.
Sports fans and concert-goers won’t notice obvious changes at the entertainment complex, however. The bulk of the money will go toward upgrading the venues’ HVAC systems.
“They’re really operating on electrical tape and some soldering,” said Councilwoman Dante Anderson, whose district includes the venues. “I think it’s a wise investment.”
Both the coliseum and the auditorium are 70 years old and rely on outdated mechanical systems, with some equipment more than 50 years old, according to the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. The tourism authority maintains the buildings for the city.
The upcoming renovation will replace chillers, boilers and air handler units to efficiently regulate the indoor climate. City staff previously told council they planned to complete the upgrades in July.
About $2 million of the city’s investment will also pay for a study looking at future plumbing, electrical and structural needs.
Charlotte will pull from its hospitality and tourism tax fund to cover the costs. That fund must be spent on tourism-related projects and cannot be used for needs like housing, safety or street repairs.
The city already invested about $34.5 million between 2015 and 2020 into customer-facing improvements at the complex such as scoreboards, the Red Line Club restaurant and new seating. Those aren’t the types of changes coming under the latest round of funding.
The money won’t address recent roof leaks, either, which canceled multiple events this year. A spokesperson with the tourism authority previously told The Charlotte Observer those problems were already resolved as part of a planned roof sealing.
The venues host regular Charlotte Checkers games, concerts, annual graduation ceremonies and, at times, political rallies. This year, the coliseum will also become home to The Charlotte Crown, a professional women’s basketball team.
Councilman Malcolm Graham said he anticipates the complex will need to request more money in the next couple of years to make additional renovations, specifically to improve back-of-house operations.
This story was originally published March 23, 2026 at 8:22 PM.
