Raleigh Sports & Entertainment District Unveils First Look At Mixed-Use Development

Phase One to include expanded plaza and promenade with tailgating suites

By Canes PR

@CanesPR Hurricanes.com

September 11, 2024

RALEIGH, N.C. – Pacific Elm Properties and Gale Force Sports and Entertainment announced plans today for the Raleigh Sports & Entertainment District, the new $1B mixed-use development surrounding the arena that serves as home to the Carolina Hurricanes and NC State basketball. The redevelopment of the 80-acre site, located just off I-40 and adjacent to Carter-Finley Stadium, will provide new opportunities for shopping, dining and entertainment throughout the year, and will feature a unique outdoor realm for sports tailgating and programming. Tenants and outdoor spaces will be curated to serve fans of the Hurricanes and NC State alike, offering new ways to gather before sporting events while honoring the classic tailgating experiences that people have grown to love.

“Together with the Centennial Authority, we are committed to bringing new amenities to fans and creating experiences that bring more people to the arena and stadium area and encourage them to visit early, eat, and even stay over on-site. This development is the next step toward building the premier sports and entertainment district in the country and keeping the area a regional economic driver for decades to come,” said Brian Fork, chief executive officer of Hurricanes Holdings, LLC.

Phase one of the development will include more than 200,000 square feet of entertainment and lifestyle retail, 150,000 square feet of office space, a 150-key hotel and more than 500 apartments. Additional phases will expand this variety of uses over the expected 15-year development timeline. Entertainment uses will be clustered closest to the existing arena and stadium, with housing and office uses concentrated closer to Edwards Mill Road along key access points for ease of circulation.

Conceptual rendering

The first phase, which is slated to kick off in December 2025, will include an expanded plaza to complement the upcoming arena renovation and will feature a 600-foot promenade lined with tailgating suites, balconies and new open space for thousands of fans to gather, blending time-honored traditions with state-of-the-art innovation.

Conceptual rendering

The new tailgating experience will be directly adjacent to a 4,300-seat music venue operated by Live Nation and part of a larger five-acre tailgating space, including the plaza between Carter-Finley Stadium and PNC Arena, which will also receive improvements. Enhanced tailgating and pre- and post-game entertainment options range from well-appointed luxury suites to roomy balconies and community spaces, new food and beverage offerings, a promenade and stage for live entertainment, and elevated amenities like convenient restrooms and additional quick and easy parking. Construction of the first phase also includes two parking garages that line either side of the tailgating experience, which is projected to be completed in time for the 2027 Wolfpack football season.

Conceptual rendering

“After more than two decades, we are fulfilling the creation of a world-class destination that our local and state partners expected when the Arena was opened in 1999,” said Philip Isley, Chairman of the Centennial Authority. “This proposed development ensures that our Arena renovations will be enhanced by building this transformational sports and entertainment district to ensure our Arena remains a regional attraction and economic catalyst for many decades to come.”

The redevelopment is part of a deal reached earlier this year between Gale Force and the Centennial Authority to allow for the transformation of the site outside of the arena, and a lease extension to keep the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh for at least the next 20 years. The next step in the development process is to rezone the land around the arena to a planned development district, which will add the ability to provide housing on the site and provide for flexibility in design to attract key tenants, residents, patrons and spectators for decades to come. The zoning is expected to be filed later this month, after initial input from stakeholders, community members, and civic leaders on this key economic development opportunity.