Charlotte Hornets
Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC
- Capacity
- 19,077
- Roof
- Indoor
- Surface
- Hardwood (Maple)
- Opened
- 2005
- Tickets
- $10+
- Parking
- $10+
- Beer
- $10+
- Food
- $6+
- Est. total
- $36+
Against the other 29 NBA arenas, Spectrum Center is the 2nd cheapest game day: 2nd for tickets, joint 3rd for parking and joint 4th for food and drink, compared on market ticket medians and published lot and menu prices in US dollars. See the full ranking.
Prices are estimates. See our methodology.
What to Expect
Spectrum Center sits in the heart of Uptown Charlotte, surrounded by restaurants, breweries, and entertainment venues. Charlotte's compact Uptown district makes everything walkable, the arena is blocks from dozens of restaurants and the LYNX light rail. The Hornets game-day experience has a community feel with Southern hospitality and one of the best price-to-value ratios in the NBA. Plan to arrive 60-90 minutes early to explore the Uptown restaurant scene and watch warm-ups.
View Seating GuideTips & Fan Reports
Game Day
After the game walk right past the Hornets Fam shop to catch the post-game show with Dell Curry and company. Great way to end the night especially after a win.
The Lynx Light Rail runs along the arena, so the train drops you at the door.
A 4 by 6 by 1.5 inch clutch is the entire allowance: anything else is refused unless it is a diaper or medical bag.
Parking & Directions
LYNX connects seven park-and-ride lots to Trade Street Station at the arena.
Nearly 30,000 spaces are within a 15-minute walk, so parking further out costs little.
Both the Charlotte and Gold Rush trolleys stop at the arena.
Food & Drinks
The Flight Deck has probably the best food in the arena at $40 per person plus tip. Validate your parking at the BOA parking deck and the price is about the same as a regular garage.
Carolina BBQ (vinegar-based, not tomato-based) is the must-try regional food at the arena.
NoDa Brewing and Olde Mecklenburg craft beers are available throughout. Try a Charlotte-brewed beer.
Seating
First row of the upper level is closer to the court than you think since there is no hockey configuration to push you back. Good budget-friendly option with a solid view.
The Bank of America Hardwood Club is waitlist-only. It is the one premium space here that money alone will not open.
A Mini Suites Bar sits alongside the smallest suites for pregame drinks.
Know Before You Go
- Bag policy
Only small bags, clutches, crossbody bags, and wristlets no larger than 5 x 7 x 1.5 inches are permitted; the limit applies to clear and opaque bags alike.
Diaper bags accompanying an infant or young child, bags needed for medical or disability-related reasons, and breast pumps with their supplies are exceptions. All permitted bags, exceptions included, are subject to visual inspection, X-ray screening, and additional security screening.
- Gate opening
Spectrum Center door times vary by event; the arena publishes no standing opening time for Hornets games, so check the listing for the game you are attending.
- Venue payments
Spectrum Center concession stands and retail locations are cashless.
Reverse ATM kiosks around the arena convert cash to a prepaid debit card that can be used inside or outside the venue.
- Re-entry
Spectrum Center does not permit re-entry during an event.
Guides for Spectrum Center
- Game Day Guide
7 steps from arrival to tip-off, and 21 venue rules checked against official sources. 3 bars, patios and plazas to fill the hours before doors, and what to bring.
- Parking & Directions
2 lots and garages with distances and entry routes, from $10. Or leave the car: the cheapest way in is LYNX Blue Line (Charlotte Transportation Center), $2.20.
- Food & Drinks
32 concession stands and 34 items researched from the venue's own menus, cheapest food $6 and drink $5.
- Seating Guide
11 seating areas at Spectrum Center, with the level names printed on the ticket.
- Cost Calculator
Build a total for your own party using Spectrum Center's stored figures.
How We Checked This Page
Every section below names the source it was read from and the day it was read. Where we could not reach a published figure, the page says so rather than presenting an estimate as a checked fact.
- Venue facts
Wikipedia / Official Venue Page
- Venue policies
Current Spectrum Center A-Z and dining guidance plus official Charlotte Hornets visitor, sensory, concessions, and parking pages reviewed for Hornets game-day policies; the bag policy re-read on 2026-09-23 from the Spectrum Center A-Z Guide after the Hornets' visiting page was retired.
Not yet checked against a published source
These figures are estimates. Most venues no longer publish the numbers behind them (concession and ticket pricing moved to dynamic marketplaces), so we hold them as estimates rather than dating them as verified.
- Ticket prices: Secondary market averages (SeatGeek/StubHub)
- Parking prices: Never checked against a published rate: the venue's parking page, read 2026-09-05, publishes none. The page sends readers to SpotHero and prices nothing. The 2026-07-27 figures were compiled from third-party listings (was: "Spectrum Center 2026: $10-$30 by type and location; Center City Green Deck from $6").
- Food prices: Team Marketing Report Fan Cost Index + venue research
- Drink prices: Team Marketing Report Fan Cost Index + venue research