CHARLOTTE, NC — Gilbane Building and joint venture partner Charlotte, North Carolina-based R.J. Leeper joined the Hornets Sports & Entertainment and Novant Health to celebrate the topping off ceremony for the Novant Health Performance Center, commemorating a major construction milestone for the new training and performance facility currently under construction in Uptown Charlotte.
Gilbane Building and R.J. Leeper are leading the construction of the project. Additional project partners include global sports and entertainment venue design firm Populous and Lincoln Property Company, serving as owner’s representative. In addition to Novant Health, Honeywell and Truist are foundational partners for the building.
The ceremony marked the completion of the building’s structural framework and brought together Hornets and Novant Health leadership, representatives from Honeywell and Truist, construction and design partners, and more than 200 construction workers who have contributed daily to the project. The event concluded with the traditional topping off ceremony, during which the final beam — adorned with an American flag, a Hornets flag, and a tree in keeping with industry tradition — was raised and secured in place to honor the workers, partners, craftsmanship, and collaboration that have brought the project to this milestone.
“[This] topping off ceremony marks a meaningful milestone not only in the construction of the Novant Health Performance Center, but also in the continued evolution of our franchise and our commitment to Charlotte,” Hornets Sports & Entertainment Co‑Chairmen Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin said. “What began here not long ago with a groundbreaking is now taking shape as a world-class facility, made possible by incredible partners, dedicated builders, and a shared belief in what this project represents. We’re proud to partner with Novant Health and grateful for the men and women on this site every day who are bringing this vision to life."
“This milestone reflects the strong partnership and coordination among all project stakeholders,” said Dan Gilbane, Managing Director, Gilbane Building. “Through a safe, disciplined approach to construction and a commitment to quality, the team has successfully advanced the project to this phase and remains focused on delivering a high-performance facility for the Hornets organization and the Charlotte community.”
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Remarks were delivered by Schnall and Plotkin; Dan Gilbane, representing the Gilbane-Leeper joint venture; Novant Health Chief Administrative Officer Kim Henderson; and Charlotte Hornets Head Coach Charles Lee. Following the ceremony, a lunch was held in Spectrum Center’s main lobby for the construction workers and project teams.
Upon completion in spring 2027, the Novant Health Performance Center will feature more than 160,000 square feet of dedicated space for training and performance, administrative offices, retail, and orthopedic and sports medicine care services.
