Tyler Butler
CHARLOTTE HORNETS AND NOVANT HEALTH ELEVATE LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIP;
NOVANT HEALTH ANNOUNCED AS NAMING RIGHTS PARTNER FOR TEAM’S NEW
STATE-OF-THE-ART PERFORMANCE CENTER
Healthcare System to Open New Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Clinic
for Community as Part of the Project;
Novant Health Performance Center Groundbreaking Ceremony Scheduled
for Wednesday, March 26, at 9:30 a.m.
CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 25, 2025 – The Charlotte Hornets and Novant Health, the team’s
official healthcare provider, today announced an expanded multi-year partnership, under which
Novant Health becomes the official naming rights partner for the organization’s new state-of-the- art performance center. As part of the project, Novant Health Orthopedics & Sports Medicine will open to the public a new industry-leading clinic in Uptown Charlotte.
The Novant Health Performance Center project, which is scheduled to begin construction this
week, will feature more than 160,000 total square feet of space for training and performance,
administrative offices, retail, orthopedic and sports medicine care once completed. It will be
located across the street from Spectrum Center between N. Caldwell Street and N. Davidson
Street. The Hornets will host a ceremonial groundbreaking event for the Novant Health
Performance Center on Wednesday, March 26, at 9:30 a.m. The event, which will include
participation from team, city and community leaders, will be live streamed on Hornets.com.
“We’re thrilled to work with our long-time partner Novant Health and the City of Charlotte to
construct the Novant Health Performance Center,” said Hornets Co-Chairmen Rick Schnall and
Gabe Plotkin. “The Hornets and Novant Health share a passion for health and wellness and
have a long-term commitment of working together to enhance our community. The Novant
Health Performance Center will be home to the highest level of personalized training, health
care and on-court development allowing each Hornets player to reach his maximum potential on
the court. Additionally, we expect this facility will serve as a catalyst to create a more vibrant Uptown Charlotte neighborhood surrounding Spectrum Center. As an ownership group, we are
committed to investing in our franchise, our players and our community and this new facility is
an important aspect of that commitment.”
The Novant Health Performance Center will include more than 100,000 square feet dedicated to practice, training and recovery spaces for the Hornets team, providing a best-in-class NBA
facility focused on all aspects of player development, health and wellness. The performance
center will house two full-size basketball courts, various areas for strength and conditioning,
extensive training, recovery and medical facilities which will include areas for physical therapy,
hydrotherapy, nutrition, sports science and more. Additionally, the Novant Health Performance
Center will also be home to the team’s business operations and administrative offices, housing
more than 250 team members that support the franchise.
“We are proud to partner with Novant Health, an organization that shares our commitment to
incorporating innovation, cutting-edge technology and research to provide the best care
possible for our players and our community,” said Hornets President of Business Operations
Shelly Cayette-Weston. “We are striving together for a level of unmatched excellence that
includes world-class facilities and world-class care.”
Novant Health and the Hornets are working together to institute a truly holistic approach to
player health and wellness. With direct access to Novant Health’s top-rated physicians, medical
experts and sports scientists, the Hornets are utilizing research, data, scientific learnings and
proven health and wellness techniques to develop individualized player care programs. The
goal of each program is to maximize player health by reducing injuries, decreasing recovery
time and improving performance. These programs incorporate various disciplines including
strength training, elasticity, nutrition, mental health, sleep and more. Novant Health physicians –
Dr. James Romanowski and Dr. Joe Garcia – serve as the official Hornets team physicians and
orthopedic surgeons.
“Novant Health is proud to extend its longstanding partnership with Hornets Sports and
Entertainment through the naming rights to its new Novant Health Training Center,” said Dr. Sid
Fletcher, senior vice president and president of Novant Health’s Charlotte region. “We know that
the Hornets’ dedication to excellence extends far beyond the court. Just as we work daily to
build a healthier future for the communities we serve by delivering remarkable care, the Hornets
are committed to strengthening the wellness of Charlotte. This new training center is another
step toward collectively deepening our impact in our own backyard by helping people thrive.”
The Novant Health Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Clinic, located within the Novant Health
Performance Center, will be open to the public and provide the Charlotte community with
remarkable world-class patient-centered orthopedic care right in the heart of the city.
Current renderings of the Novant Health Performance Center and the latest news and updates
can be viewed at hornets.com/performancecenter.
The Hornets and Novant Health have a long-standing relationship dating back to when the NBA
team returned to Charlotte. A key component of this partnership has been uplifting the Charlotte
community as the two organizations have teamed to focus on various community initiatives
throughout the years, including the Charlotte Hornets Foundation supporting the Novant Health
Community Care Cruiser, the franchise’s annual Military Care packing event, the “Buzz City
Babies” program, player visits to Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital and more. Novant
Health is currently the naming rights holder to the team’s practice facility and recently renovated
Suite Level within Spectrum Center and has the naming rights to the Novant Health Fieldhouse,
the home of the Greensboro Swarm, the Hornets’ G League affiliate.
The Novant Health Performance Center is expected to open during the 2026-27 NBA season.
