Red Hat Amphitheater: Will city close road to keep live-music venue in downtown Raleigh?
Live music lovers can expect bigger acts and better amenities under a plan to expand and renovate Red Hat Amphitheater.
But that’s only if city leaders agree to close part of a downtown street.
Red Hat Amphitheater
The amphitheater, bordered by Cabarrus, McDowell, Lenoir and Dawson streets, was always meant to be a temporary outdoor venue to help draw people downtown. But it has carved out a niche in the heart of live-music fans and performers.
Where is the amphitheater moving? One block south across Lenoir Street to the vacant lot the city bought in 2019. The project stalled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and is back on track to open before the 2026 concert season.
What is the amphitheater’s impact? $17.5 million in economic impact for Raleigh last year, according to the city. Upcoming shows highlight the eclectic acts that perform there: the psychedelic rock trio Khruangbin, rising pop star Chapell Roan, blues guitarist Gary Lee Clark Jr. and country music artist Dwight Yoakam.
The 5,900-seat outdoor stadium hosted 26 concerts in 2023, drawing nearly 150,000 visitors. Only a third of those were people from Wake County, with others coming in for a day or overnight stay.
“Red Hat Amphitheater is a critical part of downtown Raleigh and provides a major economic boost to many small, locally owned businesses throughout our downtown,” said Bill King, CEO of Downtown Raleigh Alliance. “We rely on this amphitheater as a major entertainment attraction and look forward to its evolution into an even better venue.”
What street has to close? The relocation would help expand capacity to 6,500 to 7,000 seats, but only if the city closes South Street between McDowell and Dawson streets. If not, capacity would shrink to 4,500 seats.
“Closure of South Street is the only viable option for Red Hat Amphitheater to be relocated in downtown,” said Rodney Faulk, the general manager of the Raleigh Convention Center. “The site constraints have decided for us.”
It would also provide more loading space and larger backstage spaces for artists, and increase concession opportunities.
When will the city decide: City leaders will decide this fall whether to close South Street.
Closing the street gave some members pause during Tuesday’s council meeting. They expressed concern about decreasing street connectivity, especially to Heritage Park, a public housing community set to undergo significant renovations.
One option, said Assistant City Manager Evan Raleigh, is redirecting South Street, but that would take conversations with the state transportation department. And increase the price tag.
Making sure construction doesn’t impact a concert season is a priority for the city, he said.
“And that’s our goal, because we realize how critical of an economic driver it is in our downtown, certainly in support of our small businesses,” Raleigh said. “We’ve heard that loudly and clearly. Through our engagement work that Red Hat really represents the lifeblood of a lot of our small businesses.”
How much will this project cost?: About $40 million. Raleigh and Wake County leaders agreed on how to spend millions in tourism dollars, including renovating PNC Arena, moving Red Hat and expanding the Raleigh Convention Center, among other projects.
What is the timeline?: Red Hat would remain open through construction of the new amphitheater, with the new amphitheater opening for the 2026 season.
And what will go in the spot of the current amphitheater? A massive expansion of the Raleigh Convention Center.
Raleigh Convention Center
The Raleigh Convention Center opened in 2008 as one of a handful of public investments meant to revitalize downtown Raleigh.
Now, 16 years later, it is starting to show its age.
The downtown center has outgrown its current building and needs repairs.
The cost: The $425 million expansion will add a second building where Red Hat sits now, with a skywalk connecting the two buildings.
Extra space: The expansion will double the the current capacity of the convention center by adding 500,000 square feet of meeting space and 30 breakout rooms.
Timeline: Construction would begin after the new amphitheater moves, with an opening in 2028.
This story was originally published June 11, 2024 at 6:57 PM.
