As part of the Raleigh Convention Center’s plans for expansion, music venue Red Hat Amphitheater is planning to move one block south and expand by 1,000 seats — at the price of a partial closure of South Street. Due to community pushback, the venue could leave downtown for good.
Originally built in 2010 as a temporary venue, Red Hat Amphitheater is set to move by 2026 to 205 W. Lenoir St. and increase its capacity from 6,000 to 7,000 with additional backstage space and concession areas; the move would also permanently shut down the adjacent block of South Street.
This block closure could disrupt downtown neighborhoods like Boylan Heights and Heritage Park as well as traffic going to Dorothea Dix Park through South Street, which has plans for its own amphitheater outlined in its master plan. Without the block closure, however, the venue might have to move out of downtown altogether.
The amphitheater shutting down or moving out of downtown may have a significant economic impact — the venue’s 2023 shows reportedly generated $17.5 million for the city. Plus, many downtown businesses rely on shows + events like Crank Arm Brewing, who told The News & Observer they see business double to triple on event days.
According to a city staff memo to the Raleigh City Council, without a venue the size of Red Hat, acts + artists could skip Raleigh entirely in favor of Wilmington and Charlotte. Plus, venues like Koka Booth and a potential Dix Park amphitheater might not be able to absorb Red Hat’s traffic.
Next steps: City council members will vote on the future of the venue and South Street — until then, Raleigh residents can reach their district representative to voice their opinions.
