Raleigh Convention Center reopens after Dec. fire. How many events were disrupted?

Raleigh’s downtown Convention Center reopened Monday after a large but brief rooftop fire in December, and city officials report minimal damage with few disruptions to business.

No one was injured in the Dec. 1 blaze, which started with the refrigeration unit on the roof and was extinguished within 30 minutes.

The fire left the building’s interior untouched, and most of the damage came from water in the kitchen and administrative offices.

In a report to City Council last week, Raleigh officials noted that the fire canceled or relocated six events in December but only one in the upcoming first quarter of 2026. Fire recovery caused Red Hat Amphitheater to close its ice skating rink early in the Christmas season to make space for a mobile kitchen.

Few cancellations

But more than 30 events between now and March are either running on schedule or will happen on delay. This preserved more than $4 million revenue that might have been lost.

The convention center, finished in 2008, contains 500,000 square feet of space over three levels. It cost more than $200 million to build, among Raleigh’s most expensive projects at the time, and now serves as .a hub for major professional gatherings and events, including GalaxyCon Raleigh and the Downtown Raleigh Home Show

The building got its certificate of occupancy last week.

Shortly after the fire, city officials estimated damages at more than $2 million. Meanwhile, insurance claims continue, including those for lost business..

This story was originally published January 12, 2026 at 11:23 AM.

Josh Shaffer

The News & Observer

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Josh Shaffer is a general assignment reporter on the watch for “talkers,” which are stories you might discuss around a water cooler. He has worked for The News & Observer since 2004 and writes a column about unusual people and places.