Standing 12 feet tall and weighing more than 2,000 pounds, the United Center’s famed bronze statue of NBA great Michael Jordan is, like the player it resembles, truly larger than life. After spending more than 20 years outside of Gate 4, MJ’s statue is finally moving inside.
On Wednesday, Bulls and Blackhawks brass held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a brand new 190,000-square-foot atrium adjacent to the United Center. The Jordan statue is the centerpiece of the new five-story atrium, which features a modern box office, direct access to the arena and will also house a Bulls and Blackhawks retail store (which opens later this year). The building will also contain office space for team personnel and United Center staff.
The atrium, which has been under construction for nearly two years, will be open to the public Monday–Sunday from 10am to 6pm on non-event days and 10am to one hour after events during concerts and game days. Take a look inside the United Center's new east addition—this is where you'll need to go if you want to snap a selfie with His Airness.
Photograph: Courtesy Chicago Bulls
Photograph: Courtesy Chicago Bulls
Photograph: Courtesy Chicago Bulls
Photograph: Courtesy Chicago Bulls
Photograph: Courtesy Chicago Bulls
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