WASHINGTON (DC News Now) – Work is officially underway on the $800 million renovation of Capital One Arena. Monumental Sports and Entertainment CEO Ted Leonsis, alongside D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and other stakeholders, held a ceremonial groundbreaking Thursday morning, kicking off the three-year-long project. “The arena will be a marvel of modern design and technology, the intersection of style and comfort and a futuristic and first-class fan experience from street to seat,” said Leonsis. The exterior design is wrapped in glass, with bright lighting and screens electrifying the area. Plans include a new atrium entry that opens into the concourse from F Street, a new glass entryway that is fully ADA accessible on 6th Street and a new pedestrian plaza. DC Council votes to finalize funding deal for Capital One Arena The design draws inspiration from the neighboring Portrait Gallery. Inside, there will be new seating options and amenities, new social decks and more bathrooms, among other upgrades. Player locker rooms and training facilities will also be expanded and upgraded. "In this greatest city in the world with its extraordinary and historic monuments, we believe this building will be a monument but built on momentum – something bold and bright for now and the future," said Leonsis. Bowser applauded the new design. “We are just really pleased with how the structure looks. It’s not just a paint job, but it’s really making the facility a new state-of-the-art facility,” she said. “This building anchors our entertainment district of sorts. So, we expect entertainment districts to look a little different, sound a little different, have more lights, have more opportunities for the streets and public spaces to be used to support the activity in the arena.” Construction will take about three years to complete and happen in six phases. The bulk of the exterior construction will occur in the summer of 2026. Downtown stakeholders said the renovations will be transformational for the downtown corridor. “I think people have said in the past the arena almost felt like this bulky building in the middle of this really vibrant corridor. It’s now going to be the center of the vibrant corridor,” said Gerren Price, CEO of the Downtown Business Improvement District.