Spectrum Center: A Practical Venue Guide for Charlotte Events

What Spectrum Center is and where to find it

Spectrum Center is an arena at 333 East Trade Street, Charlotte, NC 28202, in the heart of Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina.

The building is bordered by Trade Street, Fifth Street, Caldwell Street, and Charlotte's Lynx Light Rail Transit line. The arena sits directly across Trade Street from the Charlotte Transportation Center, the main access point for bus services operated by CATS, and next to the CTC/Arena Station on the LYNX Blue Line.

The general phone number is (704) 688-9000. Ticket sales can be reached at (704) 688-8901.

You can browse events on SeatCommons before you sort the logistics below.

Getting there: light rail, streetcar and bus

The arena's directions page lays out the transit options plainly. Spectrum Center is accessible by light rail, streetcar, and bus, and it is adjacent to the CTC/Arena Station on the LYNX Blue Line.

Trade Street stops on the CityLYNX Gold Line place riders within a short walk of the Arena. The arena also has stops for both the Charlotte and Gold Rush street trolleys.

For bus riders, the Charlotte Transportation Center sits directly across Trade Street from Spectrum Center and is described as the main access point for CATS bus services, with many routes connecting through it.

The official pages checked do not state a walking distance or journey time from the transit stops, so plan your own connection times.

• LYNX Blue Line: CTC/Arena Station is adjacent to the arena.
• CityLYNX Gold Line: Trade Street stops are within a short walk of the Arena.
• Street trolleys: the arena has stops for both the Charlotte and Gold Rush street trolleys.
• Bus: the Charlotte Transportation Center across Trade Street is the main access point for CATS bus services.

Entrances, gates and levels

Unless otherwise directed, general-admission guests may use the 5th Street Entrance, the Trade Street Entrance, or the Belk Light Rail Entrance. Premium tickets and hospitality packages may provide access to a designated entrance.

Credentialed media should use the Rick Bonnell Media & Employee Entrance on the 5th Street side of Spectrum Center, and valid event credentials are required.

Inside, the levels are named. The Honeywell Event Level is the Arena's ground-level concourse and provides access to designated premium seating, hospitality, operational, and event areas. It may include access points for the Bank of America Hardwood Club, HondaJet Courtside Club, Inner Circle Club, and hardwood or courtside seating. Access to the Honeywell Event Level requires the appropriate ticket, credential, or authorization, and does not by itself grant access to any club or other restricted area.

The Bank of America Hardwood Club, HondaJet Courtside Club, and Lexus Lounge are each premium hospitality spaces on the Honeywell Event Level, limited to guests with an eligible ticket or credential. The Novant Health Suite Level includes Standard Suites, Mini Suites, Party Suites, the Super Suite, and the First Horizon Bank Theater Box.

Flight Deck is a social dining space on the Founders Level and is open to guests at most events.

Sections are numbered, and the arena's own wayfinding references specific section numbers for services, so your ticket's section number is the simplest way to orient yourself once inside. The official pages checked do not include a full seat map or describe sightlines.

• 5th Street Entrance, Trade Street Entrance, and Belk Light Rail Entrance: general admission, unless otherwise directed.
• Rick Bonnell Media & Employee Entrance on the 5th Street side: credentialed media only.
• Honeywell Event Level: ground-level concourse with access to designated premium seating and hospitality.
• Novant Health Suite Level: Standard Suites, Mini Suites, Party Suites, Super Suite, and the First Horizon Bank Theater Box.
• Founders Level: home of the Flight Deck social dining space.

Food and drink inside the arena

Spectrum Center and Levy Restaurants offer concessions, premium dining, local and chef-inspired items, grab-and-go options, and beverage service throughout the Arena. In partnership with Levy, the arena describes its dining program as redefined for Hornets games and arena events. Gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian options may be available.

Some locations are named by concourse and section: 704 Kitchen on the Belk Concourse at section 108, the Lunazul North District Bar on the Belk Concourse at section 105, Chick-Fil-A on the Belk Concourse at section 114, and Chick-Fil-A Express on the Uptown Concourse at section 215.

Outside food and beverages, including alcohol, coolers, bottles, cans, glass containers, and other beverage containers, are prohibited. Reasonable exceptions may apply for medical, dietary, disability-related, or infant-care needs, including formula and baby food. Guests seeking an exception are encouraged to contact Guest Experience before arrival, and approved items remain subject to security inspection.

Spectrum Center is cashless. Concession stands, bars, and retail locations accept major credit cards, debit cards, and mobile payments. Guests may convert cash to a prepaid debit card at Cash-to-Card kiosks located throughout the Arena.

To purchase or consume alcohol, guests must be at least 21 years old and present valid, government-issued identification. Unless otherwise announced, alcohol sales at Charlotte Hornets games end after the third quarter. Spectrum Center may limit the number or frequency of purchases and may refuse, suspend, or discontinue alcohol service at any time.

• 704 Kitchen: Belk Concourse, section 108.
• Lunazul North District Bar: Belk Concourse, section 105.
• Chick-Fil-A: Belk Concourse, section 114.
• Chick-Fil-A Express: Uptown Concourse, section 215.
• Flight Deck: Founders Level social dining space, open to guests at most events. Reservations may be available by calling 704.688.8250; walk-ups are welcome, subject to availability.

Accessibility services

For accessibility questions, contact Guest Experience before your visit at 704.688.8128 or [email protected]. During most events, Guest Experience booths are located outside Sections 102 and 208.

Complimentary wheelchair assistance may be available to transport guests between Arena entrances, seating locations, and designated exits. Arena wheelchairs are for transportation only and may not be used as event seating or as a substitute for a personal mobility device.

Guests who bring their own headset and receiver may access the assistive listening system on a standard FM broadcast.

Service animals and service animals in training are permitted in accordance with applicable law. A service animal does not require a special seat; guests may purchase accessible or aisle seating if preferred, subject to availability. Animals are not allowed in Spectrum Center, with an exception made for guests with guide dogs or service animals.

A Sensory Room is located on the Belk Concourse outside Section 108, and sensory kits are available for checkout at the Guest Experience booths outside Sections 102 and 208.

Large strollers may be checked at the Guest Experience booths outside Sections 102 and 208, subject to space and event operations. Strollers are permitted but may not be stored in aisles, walkways, stairwells, seating areas, exits, or other locations where they could obstruct movement or create a safety hazard.

Family restrooms are available on several levels: Main Level outside Sections 102 and 111, Upper Level outside Sections 212 and 228, Novant Health Suite Level near Mini Suite 11, and Founders Level outside Suite 17 and behind Section 107.

Spectrum Center reserves the right to take appropriate action, including cancellation of tickets and other legal remedies, against individuals who fraudulently obtain wheelchair-accessible or companion seating.

Last checked October 28, 2026. The official pages do not describe every accessibility feature, so contact Guest Experience for anything not listed here.

Parking and getting dropped off

Nearly 30,000 off-street parking spaces are located within a 15-minute walking distance of Spectrum Center. Public and private garages, decks, and surface lots are available within walking distance of the venue.

Using the website SpotHero, Spectrum Center guests can find and reserve parking at different lots around the venue, and users can filter the available parking lots for specific needs, including tailgating, room for oversized vehicles, and more.

If parking is included with your ticket, premium package, or credential, follow the location and instructions shown on the parking pass. For current options, the guide directs guests to the Parking and Traffic Information page or SpotHero.

The official pages checked do not publish a dedicated rideshare pickup or drop-off zone, and no parking prices are confirmed in the sources checked.

Bag policy, prohibited items and reentry

Only small bags, clutches, crossbody bags, and wristlets measuring no more than 5 inches by 7 inches by 1.5 inches are permitted. This limit applies to all bags, whether clear or opaque, and clear bags larger than the permitted size are not allowed.

Prohibited bags include backpacks; purses, fanny packs, or belt bags larger than the permitted size; totes and shopping bags; briefcases and luggage; camera bags; and cinch or drawstring bags.

Exceptions to the bag policy may be made for diaper bags accompanying an infant or young child, bags required for medical or disability-related needs, and breast pumps and related supplies. All permitted bags, including exception bags, are subject to visual inspection, x-ray screening, and additional security screening.

Spectrum Center does not provide general bag storage and is not responsible for bags or other property left behind, discarded, abandoned, surrendered, or otherwise not admitted. Bag requirements may change for a specific event, so review the event page before arrival.

Firearms, ammunition, explosives, incendiary devices, knives, chemical agents, and weapons of any kind are prohibited on Spectrum Center property, regardless of any permit, license, or other authorization to carry them. Other prohibited items include unlawful drugs, controlled substances, and drug paraphernalia; selfie sticks, tripods, monopods, drones, laser pointers, whistles, air horns, and other disruptive devices; fireworks, flammable materials, hazardous substances, and aerosol weapons; noncompliant signs, banners, flags, poles, and sticks; and merchandise, promotional materials, samples, or flyers intended for unauthorized sale, solicitation, or distribution.

All guests and personal belongings are subject to security screening and inspection as a condition of entry. Guests may generally keep permitted small personal items, such as phones, keys, and wallets, while passing through frictionless screening, but security personnel may require additional screening or inspection.

Storage is not assured, and guests with prohibited items may be denied entry unless the item is removed, surrendered, or discarded. Spectrum Center does not provide assured storage and is not responsible for surrendered, discarded, lost, stolen, or abandoned property.

Guests who leave Spectrum Center during an event may not reenter using the same ticket unless Arena personnel approve an exception before the guest exits. Limited exceptions may be considered for medical, accessibility, emergency, or other appropriate circumstances and may require additional screening. No refund or other compensation will be provided for a voluntary exit followed by denied reentry. Guests who leave to smoke are subject to the Reentry Policy, and violations may result in removal without refund and denial of future admission.

All ticket sales are final unless a refund, exchange, credit, cancellation, or transfer is authorized by the applicable ticket provider, event organizer, promoter, artist, league, or applicable law. Refunds are not provided for late arrival, missed performances, traffic or parking issues, weather, personal scheduling conflicts, voluntary departure, denial of reentry, seating preferences, or removal for violating law, Arena policy, or event rules. Spectrum Center is not responsible for tickets purchased from unauthorized sellers or third-party sources.

Unless the event page states otherwise, children under age 2 may enter without a ticket if they sit on the lap of a ticketed adult and do not occupy a separate seat, and children age 2 and older must have a valid ticket.

Doors, start times and tickets on the day

The official pages checked do not list door times or start times for individual events. Those are posted on the official event page for each show, so check that page rather than a general venue page.

The Ticket Office is open on ticketed non-Hornets event days, generally beginning approximately four hours before the scheduled event time, and is closed during Hornets games. On non-event days, the Box Office is open every Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for walk-up sales, and on event days opening hours vary based on show time and event.

All tickets purchased at the Box Office will be delivered via mobile delivery. Most Spectrum Center events use mobile tickets, and screenshots, recordings, printed copies, or other ticket formats may not be accepted. Before arriving, access your tickets through the Hornets + Spectrum Center App, Ticketmaster, or the event's authorized ticketing platform, and add them to your phone's digital wallet when available.

Spectrum Center and the Charlotte Hornets do not provide public Will Call or printed ticket pickup for Hornets events, and Hornets tickets are digital.

Unless otherwise announced for a specific event, the Arena's standard policy is that General Admission line-up will begin at 8:00 a.m. on the day of the event.

Novant Health First Aid stations are located on the Main Level outside Section 111 and the Upper Level outside Section 222.

Check tickets

Browse events on SeatCommons to see what is coming up at Spectrum Center in Charlotte.

Frequently asked questions

What is the address of Spectrum Center?

Spectrum Center is at 333 East Trade Street, Charlotte, NC 28202, in Uptown Charlotte.

Which light rail station is closest to Spectrum Center?

Spectrum Center is adjacent to the CTC/Arena Station on the LYNX Blue Line. Trade Street stops on the CityLYNX Gold Line also place riders within a short walk of the Arena.

What bag size is allowed at Spectrum Center?

Only small bags, clutches, crossbody bags, and wristlets measuring no more than 5 inches by 7 inches by 1.5 inches are permitted. The limit applies to clear and opaque bags alike, and clear bags larger than that are not allowed. Backpacks, totes, briefcases, luggage, and camera bags are prohibited.

Can I leave Spectrum Center and come back in during an event?

Not on the same ticket unless Arena personnel approve an exception before you exit. Limited exceptions may be considered for medical, accessibility, emergency, or other appropriate circumstances and may require additional screening. No refund is provided for a voluntary exit followed by denied reentry.

Is Spectrum Center cashless?

Yes. Concession stands, bars, and retail locations accept major credit cards, debit cards, and mobile payments. Guests may convert cash to a prepaid debit card at Cash-to-Card kiosks located throughout the Arena.

How do I contact Guest Experience at Spectrum Center?

Call 704.688.8128 or email [email protected]. During most events, Guest Experience booths are located outside Sections 102 and 208.