When the Hornets organization struck up a deal that would keep the team in New Orleans through 2024 in the summer of 2012, part of the negotiations called for $50 million in improvements to the state-owned Arena. NOLA.com reported the following last night:

The continued evolution of the New Orleans Hornets' long-term future, specifically major renovations to the 14-year-old New Orleans Arena, is ready to begin at the conclusion of the current NBA season. And the result for basketball fans will be a facilities update that will bring the building to the cutting edge of arenas nationwide while increasing amenities and attractions aimed toward making the fans' experience more pleasurable and accommodating.

In artist and architectural renderings released on Friday, the "improved" New Orleans Arena offers new club locations, an internal bandstand/bar area, suite renovations, interior club renovations, as well as the creation of exterior club space, expansion of the existing Capital One Club as well as the popular Hub Club, a new V-VIP area and entrance (Very-Very Important People), as well as a limited access Chairman's Club and a grand, new lobby, giving the building a main entrance it has lacked.

Players will benefit, as well, as the Hornets' locker room, as well as the visitor's quarters, will be expanded and made more plush. The visitor's dressing room will be relocated across the hall from its current location.

The $50 million project will be completed in two phases with bids being sought in the next 60 days and work beginning as soon as the season ends.

Interior building renovations will come in the first phase and are expected to be completed before the start of the 2013-14 season and therefore in time for the 2014 All-Star Game next year, while exterior work is expected to be finished by the start of the 2014-15 season.

With all of the changes that New Orleans' basketball franchise finds itself going through, accomodating the fans seems to be the number one priority for the organization's brass. The only fan who is getting screwed in all of this is probably Spin IT's own Ricky Danby, who will have to come up with an even catchier mantra than "Live In the Hive" when he's not watching Eric Gordon at Pelicans games next season.

Ricky Danby: Pest in the Nest?