An October 2016 renovation to the original locker room restaurant from when Bankers Life Fieldhouse first opened in 1999, the Lightbound Courtside Club is a 400-member oasis which transforms the way fans experience a game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Designed by Populous and located adjacent to the home team locker room, this exclusive club provides an unparalleled experience of relaxation, excitement, and culinary fare with unprecedented access to players and other VIPs. Just steps from the court, the club caters to courtside ticket holders before, during, and after each Pacers home game.
To make room for this exclusive experience, the existing kitchen was relocated, opening up the club to the service tunnel and elevator lobby, along with an increase of over 1,000 square feet to the club interior footprint. With a reworked footprint, the food and beverage experience was elevated with over 75 linear feet of bar (an increase of over 30 linear feet) and over 40 taps, not to mention the new kitchen which more than doubled in size. The club now allows for more fans to be served in a quicker fashion alongside elevated culinary offerings. Located adjacent to the practice court, glazing was woven in to allow for an increased visibility of pregame activities.
Inside the club, a 30-foot-long media board sequenced with the club’s lighting and sound systems allows members to feel like they are in their seats while in the lounge. More than 30 TVs can be found throughout the club, ensuring no one misses a second of the action. For the fan looking for a private experience while still present to those in the club, six private booths were created, featuring flexible seating with TVs in each booth alongside a personal attendant for the evening.
The true measure to any club renovation is the numbers. In the first season of the new Lightbound Courtside Club, food and beverage sales have increased 11% with a 21.5% increase in beverage sales alone. Ticket revenue for the courtside club is expected to increase 20% in the first year.