A $200 million project to overhaul the aging Baltimore Arena is officially underway, with an ambitious timeline and the musician Pharrell Williams as a new financial backer.
Construction work on the 60-year-old arena has already begun, but leaders from venue developer Oak View Group joined with Mayor Brandon M. Scott, officials from the Baltimore Development Corp. and representatives of the project’s investors for a groundbreaking Thursday to give the renovation its ceremonial kickoff.
The project is on track to be complete by the first quarter of 2023, Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke said. The Los Angeles-based developer has committed to having the renovations ready in time for next year’s Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, scheduled for Feb. 20-26, 2023.
