$282 million Bon Secours Wellness Arena transformation receives approval

The almost three-decade arena that stands at the mouth of downtown Greenville as drivers rush in from all points South along Interstate 385 is officially getting a face list.

Bon Secours Wellness Arena is officially set to undergo a major, $282 million transformation after the City’s Design Review Board (DRB) approved a renovation and addition project.

The Greenville Arena District will modernize the arena’s entrances, elevate the visitor experience, expand the building’s footprint, and prepare the campus for future amenities including a new amphitheater.

The renovation keeps the arena’s iconic rounded volume, but introduces new architectural form such as a reimagined west lobby, a new two‑story terrace on the northwest side, and improved secondary entrances that will better guide foot traffic.

While much of the building’s ground floor must remain solid for functional reasons — including concessions, restrooms, and operational spaces — the design incorporates new strategies to reduce blank walls along major pedestrian routes.

City planners have required a follow‑up review of creative treatments such as public art, vegetation, or other façade activations — particularly along Beattie Place, a key gateway and cultural corridor.

The approved renovation represents just one piece of a larger reimagining of the arena campus. A new amphitheater, extensive site work, and plaza enhancements are planned as separate Certificate of Appropriateness applications in August.

With DRB approval in hand, the project secures a two‑year window to begin work, along with the opportunity for up to five one‑year vested rights extensions. Construction can begin once building permits are issued.