CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — At a time when several North Carolina sports teams are getting new facilities, the future of the Smith Center remains unsettled.

UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham told Inside Carolina that he has three main priorities for improvements to the arena, but he indicated that major renovations or construction of a new building would be years away.

“It’s not part of the university campaign,” Cunningham said. “So, we need to close out the campaign before we turn our attention to something as significant as that.”

The Campaign for Carolina started in October 2017 with a stated goal of raising $4.25 billion “to move the University forward and make a difference in more people's lives.” The Campaign has raised $2.3 billion to date, according to UNC’s Campaign for Carolina website, and is scheduled to run through Dec. 31, 2022.

In the meantime, Cunningham hopes to address handrails, concessions, and restrooms at the Smith Center, home of the UNC men’s basketball team since the building opened in January 1986.

Cunningham said the new handrails in Kenan Stadium for the 2018 football season helped fans move about the aisles more easily, and he’d like to create the same effect at the Smith Center. He said he wants expedited lines and improved selection at concession stands, and he expressed a desire to refresh and modernize the restrooms.

“You go in there, and you’ve got the elementary school handwash,” he said. “It’s an old setup. It’s just not what people expect from a place like North Carolina. They expect quality and excellence in everything we do, and that falls short of it now.”

UNC has made several changes to the Smith Center in recent years, including a renovated locker-room space for the Tar Heels, an updated players’ lounge, more team meeting space, and new shower facilities before the 2016-17 season. Prior to this season, UNC named the basketball floor Roy Williams Court, installed four new video boards, and created additional seats above the student riser section by moving the seating for media members farther from the court.

“Our gameday environment is probably as good as it’s ever been,” Cunningham said. “The video boards, the ribbon board, the sound system, I think those things are in good shape. But there are some other needs that we have.”

That’s why UNC officials have considered the prospect of doing major renovations at the Smith Center or replacing it with a new facility. UNC worked with an architecture firm in 2013 and 2014 to get an idea of what an updated version of the Smith Center or a new arena might look like, but the school isn’t ready to pursue either option.

The desire for improvements stems from a lack of convenience and amenities in the building, which was considered state of the art when it opened at a cost of $34 million. In addition to the issues with the concession stands and restrooms, the Smith Center lacks sufficient concourse space for its 21,750 seats, and it offers no lobby or double doors. Premium space for pregame dining and halftime hospitality is limited, and there are no luxury suites.

“Those are the things that the new facilities have,” Cunningham said. “At some point, that’s what fans come to expect.”