Gipson Play Plaza is scheduled to open Spring 2025. Construction on Lake Wheeler Rd is scheduled to begin Spring 2025. This will be interesting.
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Yeaa shoulda ripped up the road while everything else (GPP, Weld) was under construction and then everything would be done and opened fresh at the same time.
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That would’ve been great, but to be fair, I bet it would’ve been tough to make progress if all three projects were underway at the same time.
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Omg 
it will be worth it but all the construction 
on my side of town is staring to seriously give me nightmares
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Maybe the friction of getting to the park will let them have more of a “soft opening” of GPP with some time to work out any kinks
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Yep - Or the just finished lake wheeler road project would be getting torn up with construction vehicles for the other 2 projects.
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You can always move out to west Raleigh with me. Or if you’re desperate, Chatham County with 
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Ruffin Hall will be the new Dix Park Conservancy executive director, per the TBJ. He was the Raleigh City Manager from 2013 to 2020.
I wasn’t around during that time period to know how opinions of him are.
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Given that next year’s Dreamville Festival will be the last, I believe that the original plan for the big field should move forward. I do think that it would be beneficial for the conservancy to consider dedicating flexible space for large festivals to be held. Here’s the plan that I’m referencing:
Also, I’d love for the “boutique hotel” planned for the original hospital to be a Curio by Hilton branded hotel. It would be nice if it resembled this hotel in Lynchburg, VA:
(https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/lyhcuqq-the-virginian-lynchburg/)
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We’ve stayed here. Loved the hotel and would LOVE something similar in Raleigh. Also, The Foundry hotel in Asheville is another fantastic Curio hotel.
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You should stay in Raleigh sometime. We have a very nice hotel in Seaboard Station now.
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I realize this was in jest, but…
Peanuts are the #8 crop in NC by value, and NC is the #5 producer of peanuts among US states, so, some kind of peanut public art in the state capital could actually be justifiable. And why not put a peanut sculpture in our peanut roundabout? Make the whole thing into one of those “Roadside America” weirdo places to visit.
And it could justify commissioning public art elsewhere in the city representing other products for which NC is a national leader. If we can sell the idea to NCDA and get Steve Troxler on board (I mean, what the hell else does he even do after 20 years in office?) then even the anti-Raleigh state leg would probably support funding the idea. Some murals and sculptures around urban Raleigh reflecting/supporting the state’s agricultural bounty? Why not?
Hmm. NC is #6 in cotton, #3 in cucumbers, #6 in bell peppers, #7 in pumpkins, #7 in summer squash, #1 in sweet potatoes, #5 in watermelons, #8 in apples, #6 in blueberries, #7 in peaches… also #2 in turkeys, #3 in hogs, #4 in broiler chickens, and #2 in farmed trout (who knew?). That could make for an interesting assortment of public art pieces. All starting from our little peanut roundabout…
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And number 2 in Christmas Trees! 
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We’re the 3rd biggest pork producer in the country. As the capital, we should have a very large pig statue at the entrance of downtown. So as not to burden the taxpayers too much, we should get corporate sponsorship. But we don’t want it to be tacky, so we’d need an upmarket, even luxury, brand.
I’ve got it! A Gucci giant pig statue!
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Too late, we already designated that position to the mascot of our professional hockey team.
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Sidebar: I thought Stormy was a deer for like three years after I moved here before someone told me he was a pig.
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But… Is he a downtown statue? No. Is he giant? No. Is he Gucci-branded? Also no.
I think there’s room for both!
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I’m hearing “they are saying” that there will be a Stormy statue on the lawn area once the expansion of the arena is completed. 
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Stormy Daniels ???
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It parrtially in jest. It doesnt have to be Mr peanut, just a giant one. I love your idea of honoring NC’s biggest crops adound town, goodness does grown in NC.
There seem to be 5 peanut monuments, SC; GA, AL, OK. The biggest in GA aling I 75. It is hideous. We can do better!