Henrico Sports & Event Center

Venue managers often face significant pressure to create spaces that are both functional and inspiring. The Henrico project needed to cater to high school graduations, indoor sports tournaments, and other large events, requiring a versatile and efficient seating system. Henrico County faced a significant challenge in meeting the community's demand. To address this, Henrico Sports and Events Center sought a seating solution that would optimize space usage, enhance operational efficiency, and inspire pride among residents.

Hussey Seating collaborated to engineer one of the longest telescopic seating systems in the U.S. The engineering team at Hussey provided 12 variations of the design to hone in a final design that addressed Henrico’s complexity, scale and specific needs. In the end, they were able to accommodate the seating requirements and engineered unique solutions to increase operational efficiencies.

This custom-engineered solution included:

• Three MAXAM+ telescopic units with Metro Chairs:
  • 171ft MAXAM+ telescopic unit with Metro Chairs, 156 ft, and 113 ft telescopic banks.
• Innovative Features:
  • Laser Limit Switches: Engineered for precision, these switches prevent floor damage and ensure accurate deployment, minimizing operational time and effort.
  • Auto-Storing End Rails: A custom pin system allows end rails to close at truncation without removal, streamlining operations.
  • Rapid Deployment: Each system can be deployed in under four minutes, enhancing operational efficiency.

“The ease of operation of this particular set of bleachers was really important,” adds Dennis Bickmeier, executive director of the Henrico Sports and Entertainment Authority as he considers the number of times his team sets up the building for new events. “We have to flip the building, and sometimes the timing in which we do that is very high in volume.”  

The efficient installation by the Hussey and TJ Distributor team exceeded expectations, completing the project in under three weeks and transformed the Henrico Sports and Events Center into a premier venue, capable of hosting a wide range of events with ease. The new facility is so popular that it hosted the NCAA A-10 women’s basketball tournament in both 2024 and 2025. With Henrico successfully hosting the tournament, the NCAA signed on to stay until 2026 and is considering extending that even further.

The innovative features and efficient design led to:

• Enhanced Operational Efficiency: The rapid, precise deployment of each seating system (at under 4 minutes) has helped event transitions seamless.
• High Utilization: The venue was booked for 46 out of 52 weekends in its first year, highlighting its popularity and functionality.

Hussey's commitment to using high quality materials and a rigorous testing regimen ensured the system's durability and longevity. This project demonstrated Hussey's ability to meet any venue's vision, regardless of size or scale, setting a new standard in seating solutions.

With Hussey's state-of-the-art, durable, and efficient seating solutions, Henrico County expanded its vision. “It provides us with other opportunities to go out and attract special events to a small-scale arena setting,” says Bickmeier.

The implementation of Hussey Seating's solution transformed the Henrico Sports and Events With 12 design variations provided by the engineering team, the final solution was tailored to meet all specific requirements. This versatile seating system has allowed the venue to efficiently transition between different event setups, significantly enhancing its operational efficiency and ensuring a high level of satisfaction for both organizers and attendees.

But it’s the versatility that impresses Graves the most. “We needed to be able to maximize the use of the space,” he says, pointing to the bleacher system’s retractability. “It gives us a lot of options. It’s versatile. It was just a great team effort to make this space efficient, and the convenience of this facility is just amazing.”