Cavs renew plans for $140M arena makeover

CLEVELAND - The Cleveland Cavaliers are reviving a $140 million renovation of Quicken Loans Arena just over a week after the project was scrapped.

The team's announcement released Wednesday says it'll also extend its lease at the facility for seven extra years, until 2034.

The Cavaliers had hoped to upgrade the 22-year-old downtown arena with more dining spaces and a glass exterior but faced opposition from community groups objecting to the use of taxpayer money. The Cavaliers canceled the renovation after a referendum petition threatened to delay the project.

But the petition was withdrawn after county officials promised to commit to mental health and substance abuse clinics, allowing renovation plans to move forward again.

The Cavaliers plan to fund half the project. The other $70 million will come from public funding.