Lenovo Center adding new seats. Increasing capacity to 21,000 and will rank among college basketball’s largest

The Centennial Authority (the group that owns the Lenovo Center) has just purchased new seats for the arena.

According to Brian Murphy of WRAL, the $4.1 million purchase will help add seats in the lower bowl, club, and 300 level, and increase capacity to more than 21,000

Centennial Authority approves purchase of new seats for entire lower bowl at Lenovo Center to be installed for 2026-27 season. More than $4.1M in cost. Will add seats in lower bowl, club and 300 level and increase capacity to more than 21,000.

— Brian Murphy (@murphsturph) January 15, 2026

These seats will be installed for the 2026-27 NC State men’s basketball season.

And while some fans were questioning how this was possible and if the seats are going to be narrower, Murphy has confirmed they will not be.

No seats aren’t getting smaller. Here’s how Lenovo Center plans to expand capacity (by a little) during a renovation project that was expected to reduce capacity.https://t.co/AsZC57UMPR

— Brian Murphy (@murphsturph) January 15, 2026

With the new news that we are now looking at the Lenovo Center having a capacity of 21,000, we wondered if that would move us up the rankings of Top NCAA Basketball Arena Capacity?

And it did.

NC State’s Lenovo Center will now be ranked 6th in the nation, only trailing Syracuse, Kentucky, Louisville, UNC, and Tennessee.

And it will likely move to 5th after the Dean Dome’s fate is decided. In both the renovation and rebuild options that UNC has presented, they are planning on decreasing capacity and leaning more into premium seating.