Residents air concerns at meeting over Red Hat Amphitheater's future
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- The discussion about the fate of the Red Hat Amphitheater in downtown Raleigh continued with officials planning to answer questions on Monday about the relocation plan.
Leaders discussed the amphitheater relocation, traffic effects, and plans for the Chavis-Dix Strollway at an evening information session at the Martin Marrietta Center for Performing Arts.
The proposal to move the amphitheater a block south calls for the permanent closure of one block of South Street, but some business owners are worried about plans falling apart if the proposal fails to get a vote. The City Council could vote on the proposal as soon as Sept. 17.
The main issue is whether to close South Street. Right now, the city council has four voters who say "yes," but they need one more.
Should we lose (Red Hat), we know Durham has it on their wish list.- Kerry Painter, general manager of Raleigh Convention Center
"Losing Red Hat would be a huge detriment to the downtown community," Chris Borreson, owner of Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing said. "So we want it to stay around."
Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin told ABC11 that losing the amphitheater would destroy downtown and businesses around it.
"I'm a Raleigh resident and I just wanted to know what was going on ... had the opportunity come out here," said Lavonne Grant as she listened in on the discussion. "There's a lot of growth in Raleigh and one of the things I wanted to know/"
Grant, a Raleigh resident of more than 20 years, said she was mostly concerned about streets that would be closed for the venue to be moved. She learned - as did others - through presentations and cut-outs about what it would take for this amphitheater to continue downtown.
A move across the street and more imminently, that closure of South Street.
"I had a concern about traffic," Grant added. "Traffic is No. 1 thing just to support my curiosity for what's going on."
ABC11 also heard concerns about traffic and the effect on adjoining neighborhoods. The City said it must build a new convention center to keep up with growing demand.
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That will go in the Red Hat location, Red Hat would go across the street, and a new hotel would be where the convention center is.
"There aren't downsides except this closing of South Street," said Kerry Painter, the general manager of the convention center. "We know it's a sensitive issue for people who have lived here for a long time ...it is their pathway, it is their habit."
Painter said the only option is to close the street or potentially lose the place that so far has brought 265,000 people to downtown this year.
"Should we lose it, we know Durham has it on their wish list," she said.
As for Grant's wish list, she wants the theater to stay in Raleigh.
"There's a lot of growth in Raleigh, and one of the things I wanted to know what, how was the city going to accommodate for the growth," she said.
Without the closure, Red Hat won't be able to retain its current capacity and could lose big-ticket acts and thus opt to leave downtown altogether, which is an undesired outcome for some businesses.
"I live in the neighborhood, and I don't want to see Red Hat leave the neighborhood," Jackie Braun said.
Rusty Sutton, owner of The Green Monkey, said, "If we don't keep it here, another city is going to it's going to absorb it from us. Red Hat is the one shining light we have downtown."
If city council gets that final vote next week - the relocation plan will move forward.
But there will be no ground-breaking until next year.
ABC11 reached out to Durham Mayor Leonardo Williams about Red Hat possibly coming to the Bull City.
He said they'll be watching the vote closely.
