After last season ended in heartbreak, Avs Faithful are back at Ball Arena to start the chase for the Stanley Cup all over again.The Colorado Avalanches faces off against the Los Angeles Kings for their season opener at Ball Are na Wednesday night as the site starts a set of stadium renovations.Officials announced Ball Arenas $135 million facelift mid-September, saying in a release everyone will still recognize this as the site of some of their most cherished memories, but with the amenities, conveniences, technology, and aesthetics of a brand new building.The Arena originally opened in 1999 as the Pepsi Center, so while some of the changes are cosmetic, others are designed to launch the venue into the 21st century.Arena officials say theyre taking on the project in phases to limit the impacts construction has on fans and neighbors.The most obvious changes will be on the east side of the arena facing downtown Denver. The East Atrium will get a full new glass facade, new escalators and a new team shop. The new atrium will have wider entrances and exits, so the busiest points of the arena wont face as much congestion. The renovations will also add three new club spaces for fans, including one with direct access to the lower bowl or 100-level seats. For the rest of the venue, the project plans to upgrade point-of-sale checkout systems to cut down on wait times.The renovations are scheduled to wrap up in time for the 2028-2029 seasons. ...read more read less