Raleigh Wide Open Takes Over Downtown

Raleigh, N.C. — Raleigh Wide Open took over the streets of downtown Saturday.

The event launched last year as a way to celebrate the opening of Fayetteville Street. This year, there are other new projects on the horizon.

While the music, food and games seemed to be the draw for the thousands who packed downtown Saturday, most people realized it was a party with a purpose. The celebration is all about downtown Raleigh and how far it has come.

“Before, we didn’t come down too much. [There] really wasn’t too much to do,” said Regina Watson. “[There weren’t] too many places to go. But the way they’re doing it now, revitalizing it, I think it’s going to be good.”

One of the most anticipated new additions is the Raleigh Convention Center. Project managers said it's 65 percent complete and should be open for business by September of next year.

“It’s doing very well,” said Mayor Charles Meeker. “It’s a huge building that’s going to be really wonderful when it’s finished next year. It’s going to be a real attraction to our city.”

Meeker will see the city through the next phase of revitalization. No one is running against him this fall for his seat. Filing for the upcoming election period ended Friday. This will be his fourth term in office.

The mayor said he has mixed emotions about running unopposed.

“As a citizen, you know, I think you would like to see choices,” he said. “As a voter, I’d like to see that. But as a candidate, it’s much easier to not have to worry what’s going to happen.”

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Latest Comments

More conservatives whining about taxes to better the community. More naive comments about confusing streets (Raleigh is small, c'mon, it's really not that hard to find your way) and "bullets" whizzing by (Charlotte). Just ridiculous.

jahausa
July 23, 2007 1:43 a.m.

I agree, too many people are being "whiney" about this topic. Raleigh's Fayetteville street Mall was not a safe and inviting place to be before all this. Bums, trash strewn around, and dark shady corners with concrete planters didn't help out. What is wrong with closing the street a couple times of the year to walk around from place to place consuming vast quantities of beer, hot dogs, and funnel cakes? What, do you expect a repeat of Woodstock 1969 to have a little family fun??

Yes, convention centers are playing their last hand I'm afraid. Still, if any city or region with as much growth and potential can make it work, it's Raleigh and the Triangle. Downtown Raleigh will become more of a neighborhood with all the condos being built, and a lot of the business activity will have to rely on the local population if they're to survive.

OpinionOnEverything
July 22, 2007 9:37 p.m.

Just wondering. How many times has Fayetteville Street been closed for an event since it was reopened to vehicles?

christye
July 22, 2007 8:22 p.m.

I think Raleigh should start taxing WRAL whines at a $1 per whine, maximum $10 per day. Hot dog that would bring the money in.

YeahWhatever
July 22, 2007 4:52 p.m.

what a waste of resources the convention center is....In January of 2005, the Bookings Institution published a policy brief authored by Prof. Heywood Sanders called Space Available: the Realities of Convention Centers as Economic Development Strategy. Sanders paints a grim view of the convention industry as one in which out of control local government investment in convention center space is underway despite a precipitous and permanent decline in the demand for that space. Sanders describes the state of the industry as an "arms race" in which "local officials are willing to try almost any investment in their quest for more convention visitors." He claims this futile quest is motivated by vested interests and their say anything consultants who have consistently exaggerated the potential economic impact of convention center development.

LocalYokel
July 22, 2007 11:01 a.m.