Raleigh City Council moves to support Red Hat Amphitheater growth by closing city block

The Raleigh City Council made its first move this week to close a block of South Street, a decision that it believes is critical to making sure there is enough room to keep Red Hat Amphitheater in downtown .

Why it matters: Red Hat Amphitheater has proven to be a popular attraction in its 14-year run in downtown — but its current location is slated for demolition to allow for the Raleigh Convention Center's expansion.

Zoom in: The goal is to move Red Hat across South Street from its current location and increase its size.

• But new plans from the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau show that without closing part of South Street it can't make a new amphitheater large enough to make financial sense.

Driving the news: On Tuesday, The city council approved a resolution to shut down part of South Street to make way for an expanded amphitheater.

• The closure has attracted proponents from the business community, who say Red Hat is a key visitor attraction.
• But detractors, including the Boylan Heights Neighborhood Association, argue that closing the road will make it harder to connect the west side of downtown to its central district, and claim the decision is being made without public discussion.

What's next: The council still needs to formally vote on the decision at its Sept. 17 meeting after a public hearing on the topic.

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