Roller rink latest idea to lure people to downtown Raleigh

To lure people back downtown, boosters have scheduled a three-day roller skating party.

“It is going to look and sound like a skate rink from 1985 – only bigger," said DJ Uniq, the man behind Sk8te Raleigh.

A giant roller rink, complete with a mirrored disco ball overhead and a hefty sound system with stacks of speakers, has been set up inside the Raleigh Convention Center.

Eleven two-hour skating sessions, each of which can accommodate up to 250 skaters and another 50 spectators, are planned between Friday afternoon and Sunday afternoon.

"[We're] trying to think of a way we can get everyone back out of the house and have some fun," DJ Uniq said. “People are just looking for something to do.”

So, he got together with Shop Local Raleigh and Mako Medical and came up with the roller rink idea.

“It has been really tough – not a lot going on. A lot of restaurants and bars and parties are not happening,” he said of his own pandemic troubles. "It has definitely been an awkward year.”

Rashid Salahad, who owns a couple of restaurants downtown, also can attest to that. His monthly revenue was down by as much as 75 percent during the depths of the pandemic.

“Look around. So many places have closed their doors," Salahad said. "We are still here. That was a success for us.”

Still, business could be better if more people were downtown on a regular basis, he said.

"We encourage people to come back and fill up those offices, those banks, the courthouse," he said.

Downtown Raleigh Alliance officials said last weekend was the busiest downtown since the start of the pandemic, based on pedestrian traffic, which has been trending up for more than a month. Twenty-two businesses have reopened since February, with more planned in the coming weeks, officials said. But food and beverage sales are still only about two-thirds of pre-pandemic levels.

Sk8te Raleigh can build on that momentum, DJ Uniq said.

"Come down [and] get engaged," he said. "There is a lot of small business in downtown Raleigh that really need your help."

Tickets for the event are $13, which includes skate rental. Tickets cost $10 for people who bring their own skates and $3 for spectators. First responders get a $2 discount.

All skaters and spectators will be required to wear masks at all times, and social distancing guidelines will be followed. The entire area will be sanitized between each skating session.