Toyota Center Gets Approval for $180 Million Renovation

Rendering courtesy of the Houston Rockets

On April 8, the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority approved a $180 million renovation to Toyota Center. Located in downtown Space City, Toyota Center is home to the NBA’s Houston Rockets, and will be the home of the returning Houston Comets of the WNBA in time for the 2027-28 season.

According to the Sports Business Journal, the renovations will include the addition of a 20,000-square-foot glass atrium designed to give the arena’s main entrance an “aesthetic oomph.” This atrium will offer up to 3,000 square feet of covered gathering space, and will have an overlook inside that is exclusive to season ticket holders.

“[Toyota Center has had] plenty of what I would call ‘projects,’ particularly maintenance and keeping the building up to date over the years,” said Rockets’ President of Business Operations Gretchen Sheirr, “But the building has never had the big, multiyear renovation it’s now undertaking. There is no hiding that it’s 23 years old.”

The project will begin once the Rockets complete the 2025-26 season, and will be aim to be completed in time for the Comets’ re-debut in H-Town.

Accordingly, the renovation includes a revamped Rockets and Comets team store that will more than double the footprint of the current team store. Fertitta also plans to invest in Comets-specific facilities at the facility (that investment was included in the $180M figure), with more information coming later this year.

The Houston Chronicle reported that Houston Mayor John Whitmire said during the March 8th meeting that $95 million of the project’s costs would be covered by the state of Texas, while Houston Rockets and team owner Tilman Fertitta will pay for the rest.

The Rockets’ lease to play at Toyota Center runs through the 2032-33 NBA season.