Gilbane | Leeper, A Joint Venture Celebrates Topping Off Ceremony At Novant Health Performance Center, Marking Major Construction Milestone
World-Class Training Facility in Uptown Charlotte Scheduled to Open in Spring 2027
Charlotte, NC – May 12, 2026 – Gilbane Building and our Joint Venture partner Charlotte-based R.J. Leeper, joined the Hornets Sports & Entertainment and Novant Health on May 4, 2026 to celebrate the topping off ceremony for the Novant Health Performance Center, commemorating a major construction milestone for the new state‑of‑the‑art 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; 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, Novant Health Performance Center Foundational Partners 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.
“Today’s 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,” said Hornets Sports & Entertainment Co‑Chairmen Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin. “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. With the backing of Foundational Partners Honeywell and Truist, we will have the technology and resources required to deliver a best-in-class NBA performance center. Together, we’re building something that will have a lasting impact on our organization and Uptown Charlotte for generations to come.”
“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.”
Remarks were delivered by Hornets Sports & Entertainment Co‑Chairmen Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin; Novant Health Chief Administrative Officer Kim Henderson; Gilbane Building Managing Director Dan Gilbane, representing the Gilbane-R.J. Leeper joint venture; 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.
As previously announced, the Novant Health Performance Center will feature more than 160,000 square feet of dedicated space for training and performance, administrative offices, retail, orthopedic and sports medicine care services upon completion in Spring 2027.
Watch the video to hear more about this milestone project.
About Hornets Sports & Entertainment
Hornets Sports & Entertainment (HSE) owns the Charlotte Hornets and the Greensboro Swarm (NBA G League), and operates Spectrum Center, the premier destination for sports and entertainment in the Carolinas. Charlotte’s first professional sports team, the Hornets joined the NBA in 1988 and are a member of the Eastern Conference’s Southeast Division. HSE is committed to positively impacting the Carolinas through community programming and the Charlotte Hornets Foundation. Spectrum Center is celebrating its 20th anniversary and reopened following a two-phased renovation as a fully transformed world-class arena in the heart of Uptown Charlotte. Through the years, Spectrum Center has hosted nearly 2,500 events and has welcomed more than 25 million guests. Directly across from Spectrum Center, the state-of-the-art Novant Health Performance Center is being built to enhance player development and foster a culture of high performance. For more information, please visit hornets.com, gsoswarm.com or spectrumcentercharlotte.com.
About Gilbane
Gilbane is the leader in end-to-end solutions for the built environment, with integrated expertise across real estate investment, development, full-service construction, and property and facilities management. Family-owned since 1870, Gilbane is one of the oldest and largest privately held real estate development and construction companies in the world. With more than 45 offices and 3,400+ employees, Gilbane brings the scale, expertise, and accountability to help clients move from vision to long-term performance with confidence. Guided by values that put people first, demand integrity, and hold teams accountable for results, Gilbane builds trust, strengthens communities, and boldly shapes the world. Learn more at gilbaneco.com.
About R.J. Leeper
R.J. Leeper Construction is a leader in delivering purpose-driven facilities, with integrated expertise in preconstruction, construction management, and collaborative project delivery. Founded in 1994 and proudly based in Charlotte, the firm operates from three offices with more than 60 employees and has become one of the region’s most trusted partners for complex work in sports and entertainment, healthcare, education, and civic spaces. Recognized as the largest Black-owned company in Charlotte, R.J. Leeper Construction has a mission to build both people and projects with purpose—building trust, strengthening communities, and helping clients move from vision to long-term performance with confidence. Learn more at leeperconstruction.com.