Phase 1 of the arena's $150 million makeover is approved: bigger plazas, new pavers, landscaping and a reworked parking lot. The amphitheater comes later.

The first phase of a makeover of Bon Secours Wellness Arena has cleared the city’s Design Review Board. The work rebuilds the outdoor space around the downtown arena. A planned outdoor amphitheater is not part of this phase.

The city announced the approval in a release on Thursday.

What the board approved

Developers call this Phase 1. The city said it includes:

  • expanded and reconfigured plazas
  • new pavers and landscaping
  • minor changes to the parking lot layout

The city said better pedestrian connections and improved sightlines are meant to tie the arena property more closely to downtown.

Part of a $150 million plan

The site work is the first piece of a $150 million master plan for the arena, which is known locally as “The Well.” The plan would modernize the building and turn the whole 12-acre property into an entertainment destination and a gateway to downtown, the city said.

The amphitheater and the other larger pieces of the plan will be handled in a future phase. The city’s release did not give a start date or a cost for Phase 1, and it did not say when the later phases will come back to the board.

The arena by the numbers

The arena opened in 1998. Arena officials gave the city these figures:

Measure Figure
Fans since opening more than 12 million
Cumulative gross economic impact more than $2 billion
Ticketed events a year about 130
Community and nonprofit events a year 75 to 100
Full-time administrative staff 32

The economic impact figure is the arena’s own estimate. The city describes the arena as self-sustaining.

It is home to the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, the ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings. It regularly hosts the SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament and has been a venue for the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament. The city said the building also shelters residents and emergency workers during hurricanes and other disasters.

What it means for you

Nothing changes yet for people going to a game or a concert. The approval covers design, and no construction dates have been published. When work starts, expect changes to how you walk in from downtown and where you park on the arena lot.

The amphitheater and the rest of the plan will be addressed in a future phase, the city said. The city’s other big downtown project, the Falls Park Conference District, cleared the same board this week. City departments have also just moved out for a two-year renovation of City Hall.

For more on the area around the arena, see our downtown Greenville guide and what’s on this month.