Yahoo Sports PNC Arena Renamed to the Lenovo Center
For the fourth time in its history, the venue at 1400 Edwards Mill Rd in Raleigh, NC (formerly known as PNC Arena) has a new name.
The name has been officially changed to the Lenovo Center following a vote by the Centennial Authority, a NC General Assembly created board who owns the venue, on Thursday.
Carolina Hurricanes
“This is an exciting day for Raleigh, Wake County, and the whole state of North Carolina,” said Centennial Authority Chairman Philip Isley in a press release. “This partnership is about more than just re-naming the arena. Lenovo will play a vital role integrating technology into our upcoming arena renovations and enhancements. Lenovo has deep roots in North Carolina, and we’re thrilled that they are strengthening those roots with this naming rights agreement.”
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“Lenovo has been a valued partner of ours for many years,” said Carolina Hurricanes CEO Brian Fork. “We’re thrilled to elevate that partnership now by renaming the arena Lenovo Center. Lenovo has both strong local ties and a worldwide footprint, and we’re proud to have the Hurricanes’ name associated with a true leader in global technology. As we transition to this new era, we are grateful for our longtime naming rights collaborator, PNC, who will continue to be a major partner of our organization.”
The new naming rights are part of a 10-year, $60 million agreement, so start practicing calling it by its new name.
This is the fourth name for the venue, having been called the Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena upon its initial construction until 2002 when the arena gained its first major sponsor: RBC Bank.
It went by the RBC Center from 2002 until 2011 and then when RBC Bank was acquired by PNC Bank, the name transitioned to PNC Arena from 2011 until 2024.
PNC Bank has agreed though to continue being a major sponsor for the arena with the club level being sponsored by them.
Related: Hurricanes Announce New Sponsorship Deal With PNC Bank
It's the end of an era for sure, but I'm sure many people will keep the old PNC Arena memory alive simply because they forget that the name has changed.
Per the Hurricanes, a public unveiling of the new signage at the Lenovo Center is scheduled to take place on September 19.
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