When Miami Heat fans walk into the AmericanAirlines Arena for the team's home opener Wednesday night, they'll be greeted by new high-definition displays, digital food menu boards and electronic signposts.

Led by star guard Dwyane Wade, the Heat will face the New York Knicks in Wednesday's 7:30 p.m. season opener, which will unveil the multimillion-dollar digital makeover team execs say will juice up the viewer experience and generate huge ad revenues.

``I think it has positioned us really at the forefront of the sports entertainment industry in terms of technology and in terms of our ability to present sponsor images in a truly dynamic way,'' said Eric Woolworth, president of business operations for the Heat. ``If we were opening a new building today, the technology that we have is the technology that you would see.''

Upgrades include a 3,400-square-foot LED display splashed across the face of the arena, more than 500 high-definition flat-screen televisions, a new 15-foot wide HD scoreboard and new LED banner displays on the upper level of the arena. Woolworth, who declined to give a specific price tag for the upgrades, said an estimate of $10 million would not be far off the mark.

The team's chief marketing officer, Michael McCullough, said the investment was important, not only to keep the arena technologically current, but also to create opportunities for Heat sponsors to connect with fans.

The arena's new grand entrance, dubbed ``The Bacardi Grand Entrance,'' is case in point.

In addition to the Bacardi logos on the carpet, escalators and support columns, the spirits company will intermingle its ads with Heat highlight video on a three-story wall projection and a hodgepodge of 42-inch flat-screens that coordinate to make one seamless display.

Aside from the advertising revenue, team execs are hoping the upgrades will help boost fan involvement and keep the 20,000 seats in the arena full throughout the season. HD screens linked to Twitter will display messages from fans before and during the games.

Steve Stubelt, director of sales and marketing for Sony Solutions, which installed new software to run on the arena's screens, said the upgrades will help the arena stay ahead of the competition as interactivity becomes a more central part of sports entertainment.

The Heat has ``really been one of the leaders in the NBA in what they do in terms of the fan experience,'' Stubelt said. ``And I think this really keeps them at the top of the heap.''

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