New District Construction at NC State Delayed, Won’t Affect Football Parking

The $1 billion multi-purpose development project around the Lenovo Center and Carter-Finley Stadium won't break ground until 2026. Parking for NC State football games stays untouched during the coming season, though the original timeline had construction kicking off after the 2025 football schedule wrapped up.

This massive undertaking will roll out across several phases. Parking decks will rise first, followed by shops and offices. A hotel is planned. Housing units, too. All of this surrounds the venue where NC State's basketball program and the Carolina Hurricanes play their home games.

The Hurricanes clarified Thursday that crews will schedule work to keep parking available throughout the 2026 football season. The team controls development rights across 80 acres surrounding the building.

Inside the arena, renovation work started on the first phase and might finish by January or February while basketball and hockey games continue. Changes include a view bar plus better walkways on the 300 level. New suites will sit at floor level, and a multi-purpose space will host events.

Doyle Parrish chairs the Centennial Authority board's building committee, and he's grown frustrated with how things are moving. "It's somewhat difficult … we're not able to show our larger community," Parrish said, per WRAL News. "We are a year-plus into the project and $100 million into the project, and we really haven't had much to show off."

Initial blueprints show two three-story parking decks holding 1,800 spots combined, overlooking a fresh tailgate zone. "We have unbelievable parking and anything that changes is going to change that," NC State athletics director Boo Corrigan said in late July. "I think that is the single biggest issue: people are worried about the parking."