Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment Unveils Next Phase of Barclays Center Premium Transformation
The latest phase of the arena’s $150 million renovation plan will add a reimagined main atrium, new American Express entry and lounge, upgraded VIP access, and a major control-room overhaul as the venue continues to expand its hospitality, design, and technology platform.
Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment (BSE Global) has announced the next phase of its Barclays Center transformation, with new fan-facing spaces scheduled to debut in fall 2026 as part of a $150 million, five-year investment in the arena. The latest work includes a redesigned main atrium and box office, a new American Express Card Member Entrance and Lounge, contemporary art installations, and the first major upgrade of the arena’s control room since the building opened in 2012.
Barclays Center’s main atrium, which serves as the entry point for more than 70 percent of arena guests, will be rebuilt around a suspended installation by artist Sarah Sze and a sweeping 180-degree LED wall wrapping the interior. BSE said the goal is to create a more immersive and visually layered front door, pairing art, digital media, and a more functional guest-services layout within the arena’s busiest arrival zone.
“This next phase of our arena transformation continues our commitment to elevate the experience for every guest who walks through our doors. From a completely reimagined arrival experience in the main atrium to the new American Express Card Member Entrance and Lounge, we are creating spaces that feel welcoming, seamless and distinctly Brooklyn. By approaching best-in-class hospitality through thoughtful design, new technology and world-class art integrated throughout the building, we are redefining how fans experience Barclays Center from the moment they arrive to the moment they depart.” – Shanon Ferguson, Chief Hospitality Officer, Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment
The premium hospitality piece is also expanding. Barclays Center will add a dedicated American Express Card Member Entrance along Flatbush Avenue with exterior LEDs and direct access to the main concourse and suite level via a grand staircase. Evolv screening technology will be used at the entrance, and separate doors next to it will serve a new VIP entry for the suite level and Gallagher Terrace.
Inside, the project will introduce The AmEx Lounge, a new suite-level club built for more than 200 guests. The lounge will be available to Platinum Card Members with event tickets, subject to capacity, and will include a private bar, specialty cocktails for purchase, lounge seating, card-member perks, and views overlooking Flatbush Avenue, Fifth Avenue, and the main atrium. The venue’s official description places the space squarely in the arena’s premium hospitality mix rather than as a general-access concession or waiting area.
This phase builds on upgrades already announced elsewhere in the arena, including the reimagined Event Level premium experience, which BSE previously described as a more than 9,000-square-foot club with elevated culinary offerings, interactive show kitchens, and behind-the-scenes access. The new work extends that strategy upward into arrival, suite-level hospitality, and guest circulation.
The transformation also has a significant production and technology component. Barclays Center is overhauling its control room and shifting its video infrastructure from baseband 1080i to the SMPTE 2110 IP-based standard powered by Evertz. The upgrade also includes a new Ross Video Tessera platform for LED content management, along with new broadcast cameras, video switcher, router, replay, graphics, intercom, KVM, and other core production systems. Alpha Video is serving as lead systems integrator in partnership with Unity Systems Integration, with Anthony James Partners providing design consultation.
Design and construction partners on the renovation include Populous as architect and Shawmut Design and Construction as construction manager. SNA Displays will produce the LED elements for both the atrium and the arena’s new Event Level Club.
Art is being positioned as a permanent part of the guest experience as well. The new arrival spaces are tied to Brooklyn Art Encounters, a multi-year initiative that will bring major contemporary works into the arena’s public spaces and surrounding campus. In addition to Sarah Sze’s atrium installation, the American Express entry will feature works by Mark Bradford and Rashid Johnson, and a public sculpture by Brooklyn-born artist Kambui Olujimi is planned for Ticketmaster Plaza in 2027.
