I’m not sure I just looked it up but looks like just standard floor space. Maybe you can isolate the roof, create a hidden air gap (mechanical floor), add some vibration and sound dampening techniques. That being said concerts typically happen in the evening while most convention center events are during the day so take that into consideration.
This example is called Rooftop at Pier 17
Very cool building! Pier 17 | SHoP
What was the main amenities that are being looked for? Given that the complaint was lack of amenities while Red Hat was still there isn’t really helping the case. I agree there needs to be more in the area but I’m open to the idea of having the amphitheater at the park. I do love Red Hat though. Depending when the event happened, they should have advertised the R Line being free. It could have taken people to Moore’s Square or Glenwood South.
One of the complaints was that the desired places to have drinks and dance clubs were not within reasonable walking distance. The suggestion that Glenwood South is only a mile away drew criticism.
Transportation services were inadequate and the reliance on Ubers and chartered transportation services made going out more of a hassle than needed to be especially since hotel space around the CC was limited and most guests had to stay in remote hotels.
City plaza was not a good space due to having to cross the street, a portion of the walking street to the plaza was actually just a hotel parking zone and then the plaza itself was a busy car street plus the space was uninviting.
The space around the CC was an awkward space to hang out around overall.
The road noise (I suspect from Wilmington Street/Salisbury Street) was too loud as well.
The lack of sunshade around the entrance of the CC meant that the sun was bearing down of everyone waiting to get it. You got to understand that eSport is a very European-dominated activity and they do not like hot weather unless it’s an exotic beach vacation.
Didn’t Kane say that SH3 was going to have a public amenity space? Couldn’t this sort of thing happen there? The stage part could face S/SE to minimize noise pointing toward all of the housing. Also, these concerts have curfews anyway.
I mean yeah that would be cool but it’s still far away from the convention center. I walk to Publix all the time from near Transfer Co. and it’s quite the walk.
If you can get something like that next door to the Convention Center I think it will draw in praise and good reputation for the CC.
edit
Just a thought, but doesn’t the city own the Two Hannover Square parking decks just north of the CC? Why doesn’t the city see if they can find an investor to redevelop the property so that:
The developer essentially plays nothing for premium downtown developable property in exchange for:
Creating a development that has a pedestrian plaza (like One/Two Glenwood) and maintain similar # of paid parking spots for the CC for a certain period of time like 20 years or permanent.
This very thing is why I loved to ride the R-Line…Especially when drinking! 
Thanks for the clarification. They make some good valid points. There definitely needs to be some work done.
What was the discussion about the Warehouse district? It’s only about 2 blocks away from the CC. Once the CC expands, then it would place it one block over. Pre-covid, the block where Boxcar and Crank Arm are was completely busy. I think the fact that there’s nothing much South or East of Fayetteville St. also gives the feeling that there’s not much around as well (especially as far as Fayetteville St. Goes). Maybe that will change with Salisbury Square and with The Nexus. With the additional housing units (I believe around 700), the place should have more action. The CC isn’t really that far from other spots such as Kings or again Moore’s Square which makes me wonder if some of this falls onto the marketing of the venue or event planners. There are more hotels coming so that should also add to the overall busyness.
I’m not sure of the population density differences within a mile of Glenwood South compared to the Convention Center, but I do know within 2.5 miles, Cameron Village has 108,325 compared to the Capital which has 107,059 (pulled from data in 2018). If we expand that to 3.5 miles, then the population for Cameron Village is 192,912 compared to 168,433 at the Capital building. I’m sure if we compare the density near the convention center, then it would be even lower. Long story short, there needs to be more residential development to the South and East of downtown Raleigh; Not over 1 mile south right next to 40 although I’m sure it will help. Again with the additional housing coming in, then maybe more bars/clubs will begin to open in this area.
Yeah the event actually used the Dillon as a staging area for interviews but I think for visitors there was a disconnect about the distance between the Warehouse District and the CC especially since there’s not much in between. Yeah things will improve but there needs to be a vision and a special attention to the visitor experience. The CC area should feel inviting and playful and relaxing.
Take the RLine to Publix.
Half the time it doesn’t show up, I sometimes walk to Glenwood and take the regular buses instead as they’re more reliable. Plus the R Line is going away soon.
You nailed it there @Francisco, perception of distance is key, especially when you are an out of towner. Active, busy sidewalks and store fronts make a long walk short, and empty space makes a short walk long. Central Rome is so busy, an hour’s walk is enjoyable! Here in my small 'ville, I hate walking a mile cause I am the only person on foot and there are no sidewalks. Little Rock’s convention center is right on the river, and then that parallel street has filled up in the last 10 years so that the 6 block walk to the food hall was pleasant and not a problem.
Yep!
This is an uninviting urban canyon than a vibrant downtown. You can’t even do anything on the opposite side of the street from the convention center! Unless you walk around and have something to do in the hotel.
I do agree the DTR placement of the amphitheater is nice for proximity sake and I’ve enjoyed it a bunch - but, please we must acknowledge that it’s seemed temporary from the start.
Placement, aesthetics, amenities…
If the desire was for it to be permanent, the stage orientation and the seat orientation would not be what was designed. Period. Why does the stage face the Shimmer Wall not the opposite?
It’s ad hoc and we must accept that it’s not long for that location.
Our best recourse (for all of us that go to shows when artists come to town) is to hope that the powers that be think of the region and where Raleigh might best fill the market opportunity in the most compelling fashion. That means a combination of metrics. I wonder if the best outcome might be TWO venues - one outdoor at Dix and one on the rooftop of any convention center expansion.
Yes, it’s pie in the sky but that thinking is what builds venues that drive the opportunity to book shows.
Right but it has become a favorite of audiences and bands alike. Barenaked Ladies for example created a simple toon about the Shimmer Wall. Why not maintain this small cultural experience by keeping the replacement amphitheater in downtown close to everything else and is walkable from downtown hotels?
After all Dix Park does not have any parking decks, hosting regular concert at Dix Park means that they will have spend a lot of money on parking. Downtown has parking assets. They even say that a Dix Park amp will require investment in additional parking infrastructure :
Why not roll that money meant for parking infrastructure and put it in to the CC expansion and get a better product?
Plus it will be a sad day when Dix Park is littered with multi-story parking decks and car traffic when an urban park is meant as a small escape for the city hustle and bustle.
Edit We also know that there’s no risk of having too little parking in downtown just look at the huge amount of parking decks and structure being created or planned at the moment by private developers. A lot of them open to the public. There’s no need for the city to spend any more money on parking infrastructure. This need will be met by the private market.
None of those points about Dix are wrong - but, they all are valid for its life ahead as a destination park.
So, solve for the second and accomplish the first. ‘A Park For All’ will mean that everyone that can’t walk can park. 
To RedHat - I respectfully maintain my original points of view regardless of, if not because of, any BNL POV. And, I will still go and spend money while these are my beliefs about what sh/could have been.
With the pandemic, do we really think that there’s going to be pressure to expand the convention center anytime soon? I wouldn’t think so.
I too would like to see RedHat stay, and I want to see a permanent solution inclusive of a ring of stores and restaurants. Its current incarnation isn’t particularly worthy of its location.
10 to 12 years from now. Which means they will start the process of designing the expansion in the next couple of years or so. At least we can voice our opinions about what the project should look like and see if the CC authority is willing to review outside creative ideas instead of what I suspect they plan to do: big ol’ glass and concrete box.
Also if we don’t talk about it now I also suspect they will go ahead and design it first and then ask the public for feedback. And then once the feedback is given the will make bare minimum changes to the big ol’ glass and concrete box and pat themselves on the back for listening to the public.
Gotto love the convention center hotel that has no doors on the side facing the convention center it supposedly services. Yeah I know there’s a tunnel… but what if you wanted to go from one lobby to another? No… why would anyone ever want that? 
FWIW, I think the appropriate stadium size you’d see for a new small market MLB club would be more in the range of 28-35k, heavier on suites and lighter on general admission. The Rays’ proposed park was somewhere in there. And, from a public money ROI standpoint, baseball would be a much better play (as @Loup20 points out) on the basis of guaranteed event dates alone.
