Oh, another major drawing card. Being the filming site of a blockbuster TV or movie franchise.
That , or score a Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim museum…
… or, some Santiago Calatrava starchitecture…
Bad Grandpa was partially filmed in Raleigh. I met Johnny Knoxville. 
I’m not going to claim it was transformative (the movie or meeting JK).
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Saw it in the theater - that scene where they’re driving through the city and you see the PNC tower with the sunset behind it was pretty wild to watch!
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I would actually love to see an aquarium come in. Mainly bc I love aquariums! The one in Atlanta is amazing. I think we have a good number of museums, but I personally think they need to be updated quite a bit. The life science museum feels a bit dated and could have better attractions (in my opinion). I think some of the exhibits they do in the history museum age good from time to time. I’ve always enjoyed the Titanic Exhibit
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We have 3 state owned aquariums at the coast (Manteo, Pine Knoll Shores, and Ft. Fisher) and a big aquarium in Greensboro. Plus the largest zoo in the world is barely 2 hours away. I doubt there is that much attraction to justify another aquarium in Raleigh.
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Well thanks for raining on my parade. I would still love to have one here so we can walk to it 
My point exactly!
…most everything is too close to be financially viable for Raleigh to build. 
Wolf Creek Lodge???
(Alright, Great Wolf Lodge. See how much I know. Oy!)
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Wolf Creek Lodge is 2.5 hours away in two directions (Concord and Williamsburg). And there are 3 amusement/theme parks within a 3 hour drive of Raleigh. That number goes up if you lump in the Six Flags in the DC/Baltimore area and the parks around Myrtle Beach.
Raleigh is located “near” attractions (beach, mountains, parks, aquariums, fun stuff), but there is nothing HERE except universities and the geek squad employee base 
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That is why I think we need something BIG and awesome at Dix Park. A Space Needle or SkyRide Gondolas. Or something else?
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I agree that elevated amenities including a BIG IDEA at Dix Park would be a significant draw over time - especially coupled with expanded green way connectivity / multi-modal access throughout the (fingers crossed reality meets the dream) expanding north - south core of downtown which leverages our culinary scene, museum options and our existing festivals which draw people in for visits…
Raleigh feels like a long weekend kinda place, not necessarily a stay a week kinda place (unless coupled as a gateway to other NC attractions). That’s OK. We should lean into that.
Long weekends are a needed escape…
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Council on Tuesday February 11th work session will discuss the 4,000 seat indoor sports facility for Cary on using a part of the hotel / food tax funds .
Darn that would have been a nice upgrade for the Convention Center. Without the support of Epic Games they might as well drop the e-sport aspect of it. Ain’t no esport picking Cary for a gaming convention. Raleigh can barely get them as it is.
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Well, Seattle has the Space Needle…
…Queens has the Unisphere…
…and Knoxville has the Sunsphere (betcha forgot that one)…
…which are all leftovers from World’s Fairs.
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Clearly we need the AcornSphere!
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It would be hard to drop that every new years eve. There’s not a big enough crane.
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Just you know… don’t pull a Nashville. https://live.staticflickr.com/397/20018558276_4e4a45e064_b.jpg
Update Yep, definitely meant Memphis, not nashville.
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Memphis you mean…
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I didn’t forget the white elephant that is Knoxville’s own sun-sphere. Whatever we build, we can certainly do with out hosting a World’s Fair. Nobody needs that debt. 
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