New reimagined main atrium and box office, American Express® Card Member entry and lounge, and major contemporary art installations continue Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment’s multi-year investment to elevate the fan experience at Barclays Center
BROOKLYN, NY – Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment today announced the next phase of its transformation of Barclays Center, highlighted by a reimagined main atrium and box office, new American Express Card Member Entrance and Lounge, and contemporary art integrated throughout the arena. The upgrades are part of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment’s $150 million five-year investment to enhance the fan experience through improved arrival, hospitality, technology, and design. The new spaces will debut in Fall 2026 and build on previously announced enhancements, including the reimagined Event Level premium experience featuring a design-forward club spanning more than 9,000 square feet, elevated culinary offerings with interactive show kitchens, and unique behind-the-scenes access that brings fans closer to the game, alongside new fan spaces on the arena’s west end.
“This next phase of our arena transformation continues our commitment to elevate the experience for every guest who walks through our doors,” said Shanon Ferguson, Chief Hospitality Officer, Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment. “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.”
The renovation will transform Barclays Center’s main atrium, the entry point for more than 70 percent of arena guests. The redesigned space will be anchored by a suspended installation by artist Sarah Sze, creating a dramatic focal point above the arena’s primary entrance that transforms the entry experience through projected imagery and sculptural elements reflecting the motion and the collective energy of the arena. Below the installation, a sweeping 180-degree LED wall will wrap the atrium interior, creating an immersive visual environment that enhances the arrival experience. The LED displays in the atrium and the arena’s new Event Level Club will be produced by SNA Displays.
As part of the atrium renovation, the Barclays Center interior box office will be redesigned with dedicated ticket resolution and guest services areas to create a more welcoming and efficient experience. During construction this summer, temporary scaffolding will be installed in the atrium, and a satellite box office will operate on the Ticketmaster Plaza to ensure continued access to ticketing services.
Barclays Center will introduce a new dedicated American Express Card Member Entrance along Flatbush Avenue, featuring exterior LEDs and providing direct access to the arena’s main concourse and suite level via a grand staircase. The entry will incorporate Evolv technology to enable fast, seamless security screening. Adjacent to the entrance, separate doors will provide access to a new VIP entry serving the suite level and Gallagher Terrace.
The project will also introduce The AmEx® Lounge, an exclusive suite level club accommodating more than 200 guests. Platinum Card® Members with event tickets will be able to relax in the space before and during events (capacity limitations apply). The lounge will feature American Express-inspired artwork, comfortable seating, a full private bar with specialty cocktails for purchase, including the Brooklyn Signature, special Card Member perks, and panoramic views overlooking Flatbush Avenue, 5th Avenue and the main atrium.
Renovation work will be led by architects at Populous and construction management by Shawmut Design and Construction.
Barclays Center is also undertaking the first major upgrade of its control room since the arena opened in 2012, modernizing the facility to support the next generation of live event production. The project transitions the arena’s video infrastructure from baseband 1080i to the SMPTE 2110 IP-based standard powered by Evertz, significantly enhancing flexibility, scalability, and signal management. The upgrade includes a new Ross Video Tessera platform to refresh the arena’s LED content management system, along with new broadcast cameras, video switcher, router, instant replay, graphics, intercom, KVM, and other core production systems. Alpha Video is serving as the lead systems integrator in partnership with Unity Systems Integration, with design consultation from Anthony James Partners (AJP).
The new arrival spaces also align with Brooklyn Art Encounters, Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment’s multi-year initiative bringing major contemporary artworks into the arena’s public spaces, architecture, and surrounding community. Among the first to launch is Art on the Hour is a digital art series, presented in partnership with Barclays Bank, featuring 60-second works on the Oculus screen at the top of every hour by a single artist each month. In addition to Sarah Sze’s installation in the main atrium, Brooklyn Art Encounters will include the presentation of works by Mark Bradford and Rashid Johnson in the new American Express Entry, as well as additional commissions, including a major public sculpture by Brooklyn-born artist Kambui Olujimi on Ticketmaster Plaza, to follow in 2027.
For more information on Club memberships and availability, visit www.barclayscenter.com.