Residents ask Raleigh council to consider traffic, jobs, community cost of plan to move Red Hat Amphitheater

The Raleigh City Council did not officially vote Tuesday to relocate Red Hat Amphitheater a block south.

However, city leaders approved the next steps in the process before an official vote scheduled for next month.

On Tuesday, the Raleigh City Council approved:

1. Authorizing the city manager to execute the instruments necessary to acquire from the North Carolina Department of Transportation a 0.19-acre site at the intersection of West South and South McDowell streets for an amount not to exceed $150,000.
2. Adopting a resolution of intent to close the subject portion of West South Street and West Lenoir Street rights-of-way and set a public hearing for Sept. 17.
3. Directing staff to initiate the process to amend the city’s comprehensive plan if the closure of the stretch of South Street is approved.

The city is considering moving Red Hat a block south and to expand the Raleigh Convention Center. This would force a portion of South Street between Dawson Street and McDowell Street to close. City documentation also states a small part of right-of-way on the south side of West Lenoir Street will also need to be closed.

Tuesday’s Raleigh City Council meeting allowed residents and business owners to share their opinions about the amphitheater’s relocation before city leaders’ expected vote in September.

The opinions are varied.

Raleigh resident Ben Davis was among the speakers Tuesday before the city council.

“I support keeping Red Hat Amphitheater in downtown Raleigh and voting ‘yes’ on Sept. 17,” Davis said. “People love Red Hat Amphitheater.

“It’s where my kids learned to ice skate, it’s where many [people] had their first date and it’s where many saw the greatest concert of their lives.

“Don’t gaslight us into thinking there is a perfect plan. When it comes to government bureaucracy, the pursuit of perfection impedes progress. You will never make everyone happy.”

Boylan Heights resident Frank Haynes said Tuesday he supports the amphitheater in its downtown location, but he is against the closure of the block of South Street.

“I believe closing South Street is bad for the city and has unknown future impacts,” Haynes said. “The city should review all alternatives with public input.”

Haynes called for more public engagement, specifically of the people and businesses most impacted by the proposed street closures. He called for a full traffic and transit study.

“Red Hat needs to stay downtown, but South Street must remain open,” said Boylan Heights Neighborhood Association member Jay Spain.

Some Boylan Heights residents against the move have shared renderings to show how the city could relocate the amphitheater without isolating communities from downtown.

However, Raleigh Convention Center and Performing Arts Complex general manager Kerry Painter said the plan under consideration was the only one that came in under budget and didn’t lose the character of the amphitheater. She said the venue is on track for a $27.5 million economic impact downtown this year.

City council members said Tuesday they want to hear more information before making a final decision on whether to officially approve the venue’s relocation.

“I am also aware of resident and business concerns of vehicular access,” city council member Jane Harrison said. “The closing of [South Street] is not desriable. I will say that.”

Thorne Daubenspeck, the executive director of the nonprofit Band Together, spoke at Tuesday’s meeting. He spoke about helping develop the Durham Performing Arts Center, which opened in 2008.

“I got to see firsthand how [the DPAC] completely transformed downtown Durham and is now thriving,” Daubenspeck said. “Red Hat [Amphitheater] was created to help offset these loses of these national touring shows going to Durham, and help bring more people back to downtown Raleigh.

“I cannot stress this enough, Red Hat Amphitheater is a focal point of downtown.”

Raleigh resident Karissa Kramer said she is a bartender at Red Hat Amphitheater and Berkeley Cafe. She shared what she thinks will happen if the city council votes against the South Street closure.

“It is not an exaggeration to tell you that you will literally kill a handful, if not very many, small businesses downtown,” Kramer said. “It is very much that simple.”

The convention center plans to add 300,000 square feet of space to bring the total to about 800,000 square feet.

More than $387 million has been allocated to help pay for the expansion and relocation.

Business leaders say if this plan doesn’t go forward the city could be at risk of losing Red Hat altogether. And with it, tens of millions of dollars in direct economic impact.

A public hearing is set for Sept. 17 to consider closing off the parts of South Street and Lenoir Street. City leaders are working out a time and location.

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