Cyclists Take Over Fayetteville Street; Businesses Benefit

The annual event transformed the street into a high octane, fast-paced money maker for downtown vendors and businesses.

Events like this help Raleigh get a return on its investment. The redevelopment of the area is up to about $2 billion when you factor in the public and private sectors.

Harvey Yancey saw a difference with his downtown business, Yancey’s.

“This is great. It’s great to look at all the people that wouldn't normally come downtown,” he said. “They’re downtown now, which makes it a beautiful thing.”

The race drew Apex resident Lynn Senior and her friends.

“We moved here 20 something years ago, and you’d come down here after 5 and nothing. And now you come down here and this is what it looks like, especially on weekends,” Senior said.

The new course takes advantage of Raleigh's new main street - with spectators lining the entire race course, which is an upside for the racers and businesses.

Last year, the event drew about 10,000 people when it was in the City Market/Moore Square area. Preliminary estimates indicate about 30-40 percent more people this year.