First look: Raleigh punches above its weight with the state’s largest, most tech-savvy convention center.
THE CITY’S long-term vision for a next-gen Raleigh Convention Center is finally taking shape. Once Red Hat Amphitheater relocates and expands in the coming year, the venue will gain nearly 300K square feet via a second building rising where the current amp sits at South McDowell and Lenoir.
The new space’s mod exterior—inspired by community input to feel like a “cousin” rather than a “sister” to the original—pairs dark, sleek angular lines with expansive windows that flood the interior with natural light. Connecting the two structures are two second-floor glass walkways crossing over South McDowell—perpendicular to the iconic shimmer wall across the way.
Adding tech flair to the building’s Southeast and Northwest corners, two Times Square-esque LED screens will spotlight upcoming performances and events—adding a dose of urban energy to the DTR skyline. Across Lenoir, a striking LED hand sculpture will display artist names and showtimes on its wrist, first debuting at the current Red Hat Amp before moving to the new site.
Beneath the LED display at Dawson and Lenoir, native gardens repping NC’s coastal, piedmont and mountain regions will give guests a literal breath of fresh air between sessions. “It’s a chance for people to get to see more of North Carolina in an abbreviated little pocket,” muses Executive Director Kerry Painter. Even the loading dock will be cleverly tucked behind the gardens.
For those concerned about parking and traffic, don’t fret: The deck at South and McDowell will remain and traffic flow won’t change. And, surrounded by hotels, the space also keeps things walkable for out-of-towners.
Design Architect: TVS; Architect of Record: Ratio
Inside, the venue touts a 48,700-square-foot flex space—divisible for everything from luncheons to volleyball tournaments—plus an upscale 18,100-square-foot ballroom and 13 new meeting rooms, elevating Raleigh’s hosting abilities for larger expos.
Altogether, the expansion answers the call to draw new and larger marquee moments while giving returning summits room to grow. When completed in 2029, Raleigh will boast the largest convention center in the state—topping Charlotte at 798K square feet.
“We punch over our weight,” says Painter. “People love coming here to exchange knowledge from around the world. We have a lot of intellectual capacity: It lives here; it does business here; it builds here; and it makes people pay attention to us. Everyone in our industry is like, ‘Yep, there they go again.’” The market asked—and Raleigh is delivering.
While it was initially intended to be a temporary venue, the City has long planned to move and update the amphitheater to sustain the amount of traffic it attracts. The planned expansion would accommodate ~1,000 more seats and a larger loading dock and backstage area, as well as increased concessions—and the only “cost” of that expansion is the closure of one block of South Street, a road that sees just one-third of the traffic it was built for.
As the Sept. 17 City Council vote grows closer, confusion surrounding what will actually happen to the amphitheater mounts—as well as rumors about why different infrastructure decisions were made.
Here, we cut to the chase, tapping Raleigh Convention Center and Performing Arts Complex Executive Director Kerry Painter —who has also run venues in Tulsa, Ontario, Niagara Falls and Slidell—to clear the air on lingering questions.
What happens to Red Hat Amp if they do not vote to pass the South Street closure?
We cannot build the amphitheater and it will likely be lost.
What will happen if the vote is tied?
If the vote is tied, then the motion fails. The project does not have support to advance, and we lose the amp.
If the closure does not pass, is there an alternative plan in the works to save the amphitheater and keep music Downtown?
No. There is no other Downtown location available to us that meets the requirements for a viable venue within our given budget.
When and why did the proposed street closure switch from Lenoir Street to South Street?
The amphitheater and what it needs to be viable does not fit on Lenoir and the lot of land we own. It left us with approximately 4,500 seats instead of the 6,000 minimum and was over budget. It didn’t provide the operational needs and safety needs as well as artist spaces necessary. By incorporating South Street, we also have the ability to tap into another plot of land owned by NCDOT, which then makes enough space for the new design and its needs.
How much traffic is there on South Street compared to Lenoir?
South Street sees approximately 3,300 cars a day, and Lenoir Street [sees] 2,250. These streets are each designed to accommodate 10,000 cars a day.
People are saying there must be an ulterior motive behind the South Street closure. Is anyone benefiting from the switch?
No one is benefiting from the design except the audience, who will still have access to a fantastic annual concert lineup. We are not displacing any homes or businesses by closing this block, and no one is getting paid or benefiting from this closure.
How does the closure of the block of South Street affect the Chavis-Dix Strollway?
We have incorporated the Strollway concept into our design, making it a catalyst for the design and construction to begin. I see it as a huge win! We will be investing significant dollars to this effort and, coupled with the federal dollars already committed, this will almost double the Strollway budget and launch the concept into reality. This is an excellent opportunity to work with engaged strollway advocates on design and other features of the path.
Many are concerned the proposed plans have no room for public opinion. Why did the convention center opt to not take public input?
This is a purpose-built venue. It has many parameters that it must meet in order for it to successfully host concerts, satisfy artist needs and provide a safe experience for guests. The exercise to this point has been one of math—fitting the geometric shape necessary on the land we have. We’re making sure the direction of sound is appropriate for a quality experience, studying sightlines and viewing angles that’s necessary from each direction, and adding in the next layers such as restrooms, industry standard concessions, artist needs, etc. It is really a ‘fit the spaces into the site’ exercise which doesn’t provide an opportunity for creativity from the community. We do intend to seek out public engagement on elements where we have more flexibility, specifically the strollway design.
If the relocated amphitheater is built, will any seats be covered to provide shade and protect from inclement weather?
Yes, some seats will be covered and a greater number than now. The final number is still to be determined. As an additional plus, the new Capital Square condo directly behind us shades the new location much earlier in the day than the old location.
How many employees does it take to run a show at the amphitheater? What happens to those employees should the amphitheater get demolished?
Live Nation uses approximately 130 people per evening, Sodexo uses approximately 70–80 per evening for food and beverage, and the City also has approximately six. Several staff [have] professions like schoolteachers, police wives and others who need a supplemental second income. Sadly, those positions would be gone with the cancellations of a show season. When we build the ice rink, we use people daily for a solid eight weeks, and those jobs would also be gone at a seasonal time when people are looking for extra spending money.
How is this another “DPAC moment,” and what potential impact will another loss like that have on the city?
DPAC was born out of a failure to make a deal at our performing arts center years ago. The promoter built their own theater and booked the shows they owned there. We have never seen a Nederlander show at our venue since. It was a true pivot point where Raleigh lost a touring theater.
Now, we have an amphitheater that draws people Downtown to see top artists. Without a venue this size, concerts will skip Raleigh and perform in other cities like Wilmington and Charlotte only. Again, Durham is paying attention and has proposed an amphitheater in its tourism plan. If we lose an entertainment draw this time, we know the economic impact is likely catastrophic to our Downtown, where businesses see a 20 to 50% uptick on show days—therefore, it’s a risk for the whole city.
*Answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Red Hat Amphitheater could permanently close to save a single DTR block that sees hardly any traffic.
The future of Downtown Raleigh is at stake—and Red Hat Amphitheater sits at the center of it all.
While Red Hat was initially intended to be a temporary venue, the City has long planned to move and update the amphitheater to sustain the amount of traffic it attracts. The planned expansion would accommodate ~1,000 more seats and a larger loading dock and backstage area, as well as increased concessions—and the only “cost” of that expansion is the closure of one block of South Street—a road that sees just one-third of the traffic it was built for.
The proposed update has been in the works since city leaders agreed to shift Red Hat slightly southward in order to expand the Raleigh Convention Center. Now, as pushback mounts for the street closure, Red Hat’s—and Downtown’s—future is hanging in the balance. And if City Council doesn’t pass the proposed plans to expand it, Red Hat will be demolished for good—along with the millions of dollars in economic impact it brings, and the future viability of many DTR businesses.
“Red Hat is the one thing that brings people Downtown in large numbers consistently through the summer months,” emphasizes Crank Arm Brewing owner Adam Eckhardt. “If the amphitheater does not open in the current proposed location in Downtown Raleigh, many small businesses will close.”
Thus, major city players and business owners are vying for Red Hat’s survival for good reason. In 2023 alone, the amphitheater generated ~$17.5 million in economic impact from its 26 shows. This year, show offerings have more than doubled with a record-breaking 51 shows, yielding comparably greater financial impact with them. The absence of Red Hat would directly affect the shops, restaurants and bars who rely on foot traffic from locals and visitors alike attending those concerts all days of the week.
For her part, mayoral candidate Janet Cowell, also the CEO of the Dix Park Conservancy, has expressed concerns about the expansion because of the partial closure of South Street and how it would affect connections between Downtown and Dix Park. But some have expressed concerns that her push against Red Hat is centered around advocating for the proposed outdoor amphitheater at Dix Park, which is a “potential alternative to Downtown’s Red Hat Amphitheater,” according to the park’s master plan.
“The consequences for Red Hat Amphitheater leaving downtown would be devastating to many small businesses owners who rely on crowds pre- and post-shows all summer long. Our city leaders would be wise to reconsider the thought of moving something that creates such a large financial impact to small business owners, many of which won’t make it with a loss of that magnitude.” —Matt Coleman, owner, The Davie
However, it’s clear an amphitheater at Dix wouldn’t have the same economic impact for any district, much less Downtown—especially given the much-denounced lack of connectivity between DTR and Dix—and Raleigh already has a similar venue to the would-be Dix Park amphitheater (Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek), in addition to one in Cary (Koka Booth Amphitheatre).
“Many of our small businesses rely on [Red Hat] to get them through slower summer months and see their sales more than double on a concert evening versus a non-show night,” says Downtown Raleigh Alliance President/CEO Bill King. “Placing the amphitheater in the heart of Downtown has demonstrated how much more economic impact is possible for venues when they are surrounded by small businesses for patrons to visit before and after shows.”
Plus, Live Nation, Red Hat’s booking manager, isn’t going to wait around for a Dix Park amphitheater to get off the ground—meaning if Red Hat goes, many artists won’t make stops in Raleigh at all. Read: If Downtown doesn’t have an amphitheater to accommodate 7,500 guests, other cities will garner the economic benefit. “Live Nation… will skip us for Charlotte and Wilmington,” maintains Eckhardt. “Durham may even build an amphitheater of this size to accommodate.” So, not just a loss for Downtown, but for the city as whole.
Red Hat’s fate adds to a long list of concerns about the current state of Downtown Raleigh already being raised by local business owners. And potentially demolishing one of DTR’s only entertainment draws isn’t sitting well with those trying to up the district’s allure to save their businesses—and their livelihood.
“Red Hat Amphitheater is a fun draw for Downtown. The Canes are at PNC; DPAC and the Bulls are in Durham—so it’s really our only entertainment draw Downtown,” says Meeker. “A lot of our employees at our restaurants are young, 20–35 years old and have no kids yet, and the thing you hear constantly is that Raleigh is a boring place to be young. We need to change that, not lean into that. I hope Red Hat Amphitheater comes back bigger and better than ever, even if that means adjusting South Street.”
How to Help Save Red Hat Right now it’s unclear if Raleigh City Council has the votes necessary to save Red Hat. If the proposed plans don’t pass by majority, Red Hat Amphitheater would be demolished for good. You can help save Red Hat—as well as multiple DTR businesses and Downtown’s livelihood—by reaching out to your city council member at emails listed below. Find your district here.
