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"&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; Time Warner Cable Arena opened in 2005. (Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Despite ranking 25th in average NBA attendance while playing in the league's third-newest arena, the Bobcats at least want their venue to keep up with the best.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Bobcats and the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority have asked the city for $41.9 million in improvements for Time Warner Cable Arena, which opened in 2005. The proposed upgrades, as reported by the &lt;i&gt;Charlotte Observer&lt;/i&gt; and made as part of the team's 25-year lease agreement, focus on improving the experience for premium fans.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The CRVA has asked for $7.8 million to cover lighting, carpet and plumbing upgrades, among other basic renovations. The team is seeking $34.1 million in changes, including $5.9 million for suite refurbishing, $3.6 million for restaurant remodeling and more than $10 million for technological improvements. Other smaller-ticket items include moving the ticket office, creating a youth activity area and repairing the floors, according to the &lt;em&gt;Observer&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As with any lease, though, expect this list to get reshaped at the negotiating table.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Time Warner Cable Arena opened five years before Orlando\u2019s Amway Center and seven years ahead of Brooklyn's Barclays Center.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In 2013, the city of Charlotte approved $87.5 million in stadium renovations for the NFL's Panthers. The Bobcats want in on that stadium support.\n&lt;i&gt;Tim Newcomb covers stadiums, design and gear for Sports Illustrated. Follow him on Twitter at @tdnewcomb.\u00A0&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.si.com/nba/point-forward/2014/03/21/charlotte-bobcats-time-warner-cable-arena-upgrades>