North Charleston Plans Venue Upgrades

The city is preparing to modernize its Coliseum, Performing Arts Center, and Convention Center in the Bourne-Summey City Center Complex.

Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Casino

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North Charleston has begun planning upgrades to its Coliseum, Performing Arts Center, and Convention Center, with architecture and engineering bids due November 5. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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North Charleston has begun planning upgrades to the Coliseum, Performing Arts Center, and Convention Center, which together make up the city-owned Bourne-Summey City Center Complex. The city issued a contract to Legends Global, which manages the complex, to guide planning, design, and implementation of the renovations.

Why it matters

The projects aim to modernize and future-proof the venues for years to come. The complex hosts around 800 events annually, so the upgrades could shape the city's entertainment and convention offerings for residents across North Charleston.

The Coliseum seats 13,000 and the Performing Arts Center seats 2,300, while the 77,000-square-foot Convention Center hosts around 800 events annually across the complex. No specific upgrades, timeline, or cost has been set, and the city will decide which projects it can fund after reviewing priorities.

The players

Legends Global

Legends Global is a sports and entertainment hospitality company that manages venues and event operations across North America.

City of North Charleston

The City of North Charleston is the municipal government that owns the Bourne-Summey City Center Complex and is directing the planned upgrades.

The details

An evaluation committee of city staff, council members, and venue officials will review proposals from architect and engineering firms that bid by November 5. The committee's recommendation will then go before City Council for final approval.

Timeline

  1. 2025: City initiated a study to evaluate future upgrades to the venues.

  2. August 2026: City issued a contract to Legends Global to guide renovation planning.

  3. November 5, 2026: Bidding closed for an architect and engineering firm to evaluate upgrade costs.

Season Trajectory

Like many municipally owned arena and convention complexes built in the 1990s, the Coliseum and Convention Center now face pressure to modernize to keep hosting events. North Charleston's approach of hiring an outside manager and commissioning a cost evaluation before committing funds reflects that broader pattern.

Residents who attend events at the Coliseum, Performing Arts Center, or Convention Center may see changes to venue availability once renovations begin, though no timeline has been set. Ticket prices and event schedules will depend on which projects the city ultimately funds.

The takeaway

Upgrades to public venues are typically phased, so the city's evaluation of architect and engineering proposals will determine how quickly any changes reach the Coliseum and Convention Center.

Further reading

Explore more local entertainment coverage in the Casino section for context on venue developments in North Charleston.

Source note: This article includes information reported by Post and Courier.

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