This idea may have been tossed out into our echochamber once before but… I had a thought last night. The city should really seriously consider approaching Cary’s Epic Games about partnering to build a VR Fortnite attraction downtown, potentially right here on Fayetteville St, if they really want to blow up its popularity and get the best out of the proximity of multiple hotels. Imagine a building housing multiple VR stations where people could reserve time to play Fortnite (and/or other games created specifically for this attraction). They would have to have the headset, gloves, the multi-directional treadmill, the whole shebang to truly put people into the game. They even have DWAYNE “THE ROCK” JOHNSON as a character in their game now, just IMAGINE if they centered a VR Fortnite experience around him… could even work to get Rock out here for the Grand Opening celebration. I guarantee you this shit would book out months and become the hottest new tourist attraction on the east coast - basically a bookable theme park ride/experience. Given that Epic Games is based and located in Cary, I really think Raleigh should gather the resources to work on something of this magnitude with them - I don’t think Raleigh has tied our city to that brand as much as we really should. ESPECIALLY if we’re going to be trying to host more e-sports events at the convention center and even build an e-sports arena at some point, this feels like an obvious idea to me…
I like this idea, though it really needs to be able to switch themes as trends rise and fall. I’m honestly not even sure if Fortnite is still the big thing?
Oh but still huge with the young folks, and hell, something like this could even renew its ranking at the top! And yes, absolutely would have to update and add new games and experiences. Just thinking Fortnite would be a good starting point, considering its longevity of popularity and name/brand recognition.
I think what people are noodling around is trying to figure out what will get people to come to Fayetteville Street in numbers to drive the nights/weekends foot traffic that will encourage local businesspeople to open interesting smaller concepts and get the virtuous cycle going.
Hillsborough has NC State, Glenwood South is the nightlife strip, Hargett/Martin is a good little node of business and historic buildings, but I think it’s pretty obvious some kind of boost to get over the hump and get people to park their car and choose downtown is needed. Fayetteville is so empty most nights and places like Bida Manda and Foundation are wonderful, but not very big.
Royal Palms/Pinewoods/etc are just thoughtstarters for what a Raleigh “large” central draw could be.
lot’s of towns have NSEW streets leaving town named after the most important towns that they lead to. Some names, over time, lose original meaning. Oxford north of Raleigh has Hillsboro (wast), Raleigh (South) and Williamsboro (East), and the exception Collage St (North). Raleigh and Hillsboro are logical for for 1800’s. Williamsboro is today just a crossroads so would be Henderson if naming now,. There was not a Henderson at time streets where planed out and . Collage, is I guess, because at time there were no towns north worth naming streets after. BTW Oxford is a planned town and Collage St could also be where the planers wanted a collage to develop.
Coming home from the Farmers Market my wife I decided to see what was happening downtown and I wish we didn’t because it was depressing. We literally saw one couple walking down Fayetteville St. It feels like downtown Raleigh is really struggling to find an identity and become a more lively place. Seems like after the riots and then Covid, downtown never fully recovered while place like downtown Cary and North Hills are thriving.
Fayetteville St may not have much going on, but Moore Square was busy on Friday. I guess it depends on where you’re at in DTR. It can be lively on one block and then dead the other.
I was at Moore Square on Friday, and Fayetteville St. last night and it was anything but dead. By the time I got home in Glenwood South, it was so packed that I had to walk in the street sometimes to get around the crowds. It was freaking hot today, and it’s no wonder that folks weren’t out on Fayetteville St. in the daytime. Plus, let’s face it, it’s not like Fayetteville St. is filled with daytime sort of businesses.
Not sure how special events would conflict with a social district if the squares were within the social district. A square is a rectangle…, if you will. No pun intended.
But I can think of a reason they weren’t included.
Criminalizing addiction and homelessness is still a recreational activity for some governmental entities. How would they distinguish who should and shouldn’t drink in public if the squares were within the proper social boundaries?
I’m going to go with giving local leaders the benefit of the doubt that they have the public’s best interests at heart. I’m guessing that as they met with local businesses, there was a concern that including parks in the district would incentivize people to BYOB the parks with alcohol purchased from outside DTR. By keeping the drinking district to the streets where these businesses are located, it incentivize people to drink and hangout at the establishments the rule is targeted to support.
