CINCINNATI — Xavier University's Cintas Center is getting a face lift.
Upcoming improvements announced Tuesday will focus on fan experience, including new seating options, expanded hospitality and other gathering areas, according to a press release from the university.
The 23-year-old building will go under the knife in the summer, as construction begins on a refresh of the suites.
“We have prioritized modernizing Cintas Center over the past several years to ensure that our home court is one of the premier on-campus facilities in the country,” said Greg Christopher, vice president for administration and director of athletics, in a press release. “With the upcoming changes over the next two summers, we will completely transform a great facility into a state-of-the-art arena that’s well positioned for the future.”
Additional renovations are planned for the summer of 2024:
- New Center Court Club — positioned at mid-court, the Center Court Club is intended to offer "the best vantage point" to watch a game from a plush seat with access to all-inclusive food, private restaurants and a full bar, according to the press release.
- The Brew House — An open-air bar on the main concourse, it will feature seating and standing room views of the court.
- Changes to The Lookout — Originally built in 2017, The Lookout will be renovated to improve sight lines and comfort. Row A will remain the same, but Row B will be given a new seating style similar to a desk chair, "with comfort and conversation as the primary goal," the university said. Row C will be raised into a high bar top seat featuring a drink rail.
- Additional ADA seating — Updates will provide more accommodations for fans with accessibility needs.
Because of the changes, fewer fans will be able to pack into the Cintas Center, the press release said. Seating will decrease from its current capacity of 10,224.
Because of that, Xavier said season ticket holders will participate in a new seat selection process during the summer of 2024. Full details of that process will be mailed to season ticket holders later in February, according to the press release.
"With the fundamental changes that will occur with our seating manifest – the new Center Court Club and Lookout changes will result in some existing seating being lost – it’s clear that a fair selection process was needed," said Christopher. "The process used in 2017 was well thought out and went smoothly, so we are taking that framework and improving the online portion of the process."
