Populous-designed Venetian Arena to bring NBA pre-season games to Asia in 2025

The announcement came after the Venetian Arena’s recent refurbishment when the dynamic venue hosted a National Basketball Association (NBA) Legends Game in December presented by venue owner Sands China Ltd.  Featuring basketball icons Tracy McGrady, Ray Allen, Tony Parker, Stephon Marbury, DeMarcus Cousins and Cuttino Mobley, the Venetian Arena has reopened as a best-in-class venue. 

Global design firm Populous’ Asia Pacific-based architecture and interior design team have created what lead architect Ross Summergreene described as “a venue fit for legends”. 

“The upgrades provide greater flexibility to host a wide range of events, including the upcoming pre-season NBA games.  There are increased hospitality offerings, more flexible seating configurations, first-in-class artist and athlete provisions such as NBA-ready locker rooms and artist dressing rooms, as well as improved rigging capabilities.” 

The two unique pre-season NBA games at the Venetian Arena on October 10 and 12, featuring current stars of the game, will bring the lifestyle and entertainment aspects of the U.S. basketball league to a live audience in China.  The Nets currently feature three-time NBA All-Star Ben Simmons from Australia. 

Sands China president and CEO, Grant Chum, said: This association reflects Sands China’s commitment to delivering exceptional experiences to our guests and our local community by providing a diverse spectrum of sports and lifestyle events throughout the year.

First opened in 2007 and formerly known as Cotai Arena, the newly renamed venue has been renovated and upgraded to maintain its position as the preeminent arena in Macau.  

The new Venetian Arena is ideal for large-scale live entertainment, world-class sports events like NBA games, superstar concerts, live broadcasts, creative MICE events and e-sports tournaments.   

The adaptable design of the arena includes a new retractable seating system with flexible seating options of up to 14,000, including for 360-degree seating.  

The player and performer experience has been thoughtfully designed with industry-leading five-star dressing rooms, sports locker rooms and dedicated catering facilities.   

The renovated arena features state-of-the-art VIP amenities and spacious suites, luxurious premium seating, exceptional lighting, superior acoustics, increased rigging capacity to allow for more technically sophisticated performances, and all new LED screens, along with elevated guest and artist facilities for an unsurpassed experience.   

Brooklyn Nets General Manager Sean Marks said: “We always love the opportunity to compete on the global stage and we are grateful to participate in The NBA China Games 2025.”

The refurbishment of the Venetian Arena and its ability to attract world class events comes after the Government of the Macau Special Administrative Region outlined a plan to integrate tourism more deeply with other related industries. The efforts for economic diversification and revival of the region are focusing on areas such as conventions, sports and culture.  

The upgraded venue complements Sands China’s The Londoner Arena, which was also designed by Populous and opened in Macau in 2023 and can accommodate 6,000.  An NBA Flagship Store will open at The Londoner ahead of the NBA pre-season games, providing sports enthusiasts from around the world with a wide range of authentic and customisable NBA merchandise.