Major Expansion Ahead for The Raleigh Convention Center

Designing is now underway for the $387.5 million expansion of the Raleigh Convention Center and relocation of Red Hat Amphitheater. The highly anticipated convention center expansion is anticipated to open in 2028 and will include approximately 80,000 square feet of flexible event space and 30 meeting rooms.

LATEST NEWS

• Raleigh Convention Center Selects Atlanta-based TVS and RATIO to Design Upcoming Expansion and Relocation of Amphitheater (Exhibitor Online, 1/16/2023)

Why is the amphitheater moving? 

• Red Hat Amphitheater was built temporarily on land that was intended to host the future expansion of the Raleigh Convention Center.  Now that the expansion project has been funded, the amphitheater must be relocated. 

When will the amphitheater move?

• Groundbreaking for the new amphitheater is anticipated to occur during the 1st quarter of 2025. The current amphitheater will operate through the end of the 2025 season and the new amphitheater is anticipated to open in time for the start of the 2026 season. This timing will ensure that no part of any concert season is disrupted.

How is the amphitheater being funded?

• Funding from the Wake County Hospitality Tax fund is supporting both the convention center expansion and amphitheater relocation projects.  The fund is made up of revenue generated from taxes levied on hotel rooms and prepared food sales in Wake County. These funds are specifically designated to support projects that promote tourism throughout the County.   

What is the economic impact of Red Hat Amphitheater?

• In 2023, the amphitheater produced $17.6 million in total economic impact from 26 concerts. In 2023, total attendance was 143,749 which yielded 65,189 overnight visitors.  For the 2024 concert season, the venue will host more than 50 concerts and, to-date, more than 260,000 tickets have already been sold.  It is anticipated that the resulting economic impact for the current amphitheater season will far exceed the figures from 2023 and from all prior years as well.    

How many people does Red Hat Amphitheater employ and are they paid a living wage?

• The amphitheater serves as a significant employment center and directly supports approximately 130 staff positions on event days.  According to Live Nation, employees are typically paid hourly wages of $20 per hour or more. 

Will the new amphitheater be larger than the current one?

• The current amphitheater has a capacity of roughly 6,000.  The new venue is expected to have a capacity of 6,000 to 6,500. Maintaining a venue at a capacity comparable to the existing one will ensure that the venue maintains its market position and its ability to attract national artists and promoters.

What will happen to the Shimmer Wall?

• The expanded Convention Center is currently in the design phase and staff is aware of the impacts it will have on the Raleigh skyline, including views of the Shimmer Wall. We have heard out community’s interest in protecting the view of the Shimmer Wall. The Convention Center team is working with the project architects to accommodate key features of the existing building, such as the Shimmer Wall, in final design plans for the expansion project. 

Is South Street closing? 

• The current proposal for the relocation of the amphitheater calls for the permanent closure of one block of South St. between Dawson and McDowell.  When combined with the adjacent lots, the closure of this section of South St. would create a footprint large enough to accommodate the relocated amphitheater. 

Can the amphitheater be accommodated by closing Lenoir Street instead?

• No. The original conceptual design for the new amphitheater anticipated that closing a portion of Lenoir Street and combining it with the City-owned gravel lot immediately to the south would create enough room to house the amphitheater. Upon further evaluation, it was determined that this site configuration was not large enough to make the project viable in that location. 
• The new intention for Lenoir Street is for it to remain open to vehicular traffic and to redesign it to create an inviting, curb-less street that will enhance bike and pedestrian movement.
• In the current setup, Lenoir Street—which connects downtown to neighborhoods to the west—sees regular temporary closures when shows load into the amphitheater. The amp’s new design includes a loading zone off Dawson Street at South Street, which will not require closures to any streets and will allow Lenoir to stay open year-round.

If South Street is closed, will the closure impact traffic in nearby neighborhoods?

• A traffic impact analysis was conducted which evaluated the impact on the surrounding road network with the Convention Center and the amphitheater at full utilization – representing the “worst case” traffic scenario. The study revealed that, even with the closure of this section of South St. under these conditions, the surrounding roadway network can handle the traffic. The analysis concluded that with a few minor modifications the projects as proposed are not expected to have any detrimental effects on transportation capacity within the study area.  

If South Street is closed, how will I be able to enter downtown by car?

• The most likely way people will choose to get around the closure is Lenoir Street (one block north). South Street currently sees one-third the traffic it was intended for (daily average: 3,300 cars vs 10,000 cars). Lenoir Street averages 2,650 cars daily.  If all of the South Street traffic reroutes to Lenior Street after the closure, Lenoir Street would be at roughly 60% of its capacity.
• City staff members are working with NCDOT to create a “slip lane” that would allow drivers traveling eastbound on South St. to connect to McDowell St. to head in a northbound direction or reconnect with South St. and continue traveling east.  A slip lane is a road junction that allows road users to change roads without entering an intersection.  The proposed slip lane would be constructed on a City-owned parcel and located roughly one block south of the intersection of South and Dawson streets. 

How will the South Street closure affect the bus routes?

• Alternative routes are being evaluated by the City’s Transportation Department.  Current options under study include use of Lenoir Street and the potential use of the proposed “slip lane”.

How will the South Street closure affect pedestrian traffic to downtown?

• Pedestrians approaching downtown from the south and west of the project area can enter downtown via Lenoir Street, which will be redesigned into an inviting, curb-less street, enhancing bike, pedestrian, and vehicular movement.

How will the South Street closure affect emergency services response times?

• Emergency response will not be impacted by the closure of this section of South St. The temporary closure of downtown streets occurs regularly; public safety personnel utilize dispatchers and technology—like GPS—to directs them to the fastest available route.

Will parking downtown become more difficult? Where will concertgoers park?

• Parking will remain very much the same with the new amphitheater as it is now.  There are a number of deck, on-street and surface parking spaces located in close proximity to the amphitheater and the proposed location of the new amphitheater will be convenient to those very same parking options. 

How will this project integrate and pay respect to the existing community/Raleigh history.

• The creation of a pocket park is being proposed on City-owned land at the intersection of Dawson and South streets.  This site could be incorporated into the Heritage Walk and/or the Chavis-Dix Strollway project and encourage walking, biking, and socializing along the pathway. It is also envisioned that public art celebrating the history of the area could be incorporated into various aspects of the project. Other unique ideas could emerge from conversations with community members on additional ways the area’s history could be highlighted.

Will the new location of the amphitheater cause more noise in neighborhoods to the south and west of the venue?

• In general, no.  The City engaged an acoustician to study the noise impacts of the current amphitheater on surrounding neighborhoods relative to the noise impacts the venue will have in its newly-proposed location.  The study revealed that the new amphitheater will substantially reduce decibel levels in neighborhoods to the south and west. With almost no exceptions, the orientation and construction of the new amphitheater is anticipated to reduce noise levels in these areas between 3 and 15 decibels depending on the specific location.

What actions did City Council take at its Aug. 20 meeting?

• City Council heard a history of the Red Hat Amphitheater and Convention Center redevelopment plan. You can watch the presentation here.
• City Council established a public hearing for Sept. 17 to consider a closure of the right of way for one block of South Street from Dawson to McDowell streets.
• City Council approved a process to amend the City’s comprehensive plan as it pertains to this area.
• City Council authorized the City Manager to enter into a purchase agreement with NCDOT for 0.19 acre along South and McDowell streets.

Have members of the community had a chance to get information and share their input on the Amp’s relocation plans?

• City staff selected an architect in January and began developing and evaluating potential design options at that time. After many attempts to fit the projects on the land available without causing disruptions downtown, staff learned in May that only one option remained. At that time, City staff scheduled a meeting with City Council to share this update.
• Between February and May, City staff held stakeholder meetings with Heritage Park developers, Capital Square developers, NCDOT, DRA, and others to provide updates on the plans.
• In May, City staff held a meeting with neighborhood residents, Strollway advocates, and other community representatives to relay that only one option for the project remained.
• You can view the Council Work Session (June 11) here.
• The City hosted Saturday on South in July with multiple City departments in attendance to provide information to and answer questions from community members.
• In August, City staff hosted two pop-up events for Heritage Park residents; staff presented at DRA, CVB, and RCPAC boards; staff will also be at Live after Five on Fayetteville St.
• At the Aug. 20 Council meeting, the City Council asked for another community engagement opportunity. City staff is reviewing schedules for availability before the Sept. 17 meeting and will publish details as soon as they are finalized.

Are there other designs that could work and fit the necessary 6,000 seats and amenities in the same space?

• Early in the process to design a new amphitheater, the City received bid concepts from design firms with a budget of $40 million. The current plan—which includes closing South Street—is the only plan that fits in the space and the budget with the necessary 6,000+ seats and amenities (such as restrooms, artist space, food service, and safety infrastructure). The budget includes $32.5 million from the Wake County Hospitality Tax fund and $7.5 million from available funds from The Complex.

The Omni Raleigh Hotel is anticipated to include 550 guest rooms and 55,000 square feet of meeting space, which will allow for larger events to take place downtown and support the growth of the Raleigh Convention Center expansion. The hotel will also feature several food and beverage outlets, a rooftop pool, a signature Mokara spa and a fitness center.

LATEST NEWS

• Omni Debuts in Raleigh With New Convention Center Hotel (Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau, 9/19/2023)

Renderings courtesy of Brian Zelman.