Red Hat Amphitheater wrapped its final performance at its long-standing downtown Raleigh site on Friday, October 23, hosting a sold-out Steve Lacy concert just before the venue closes for demolition to make way for a $387.5 million convention center expansion.
The transition marks the end of a musical era at 500 S. McDowell St., where the outdoor venue has operated since 2010. Following Steve Lacy’s sold-out performance on Friday evening, crews will formally take the site out of service to remove equipment, strip furnishings, and prepare the grounds for heavy demolition. The land will absorb a major expansion of the adjacent Atlantic Union Bank Convention Center, adding 298,100 square feet of new convention space that includes divisible flex halls, an 18,000-square-foot ballroom, and 13 new meeting rooms.
Last-Minute Lineup Changes Before the Gates Close
The final weeks at the venue faced unexpected schedule turbulence when singer Victoria Monét canceled her upcoming concert, which had originally been slated as the venue’s ultimate farewell event for Tuesday, October 27. Citing unforeseen production challenges in our two outdoor venues and the small size of venue in Nola,
the R&B artist called off both her Raleigh and New Orleans dates. Monét offered ticket holders a 50 percent discount for her rescheduled performance on Thursday, November 5, at Ovens Auditorium in the Bojangles Entertainment Complex in Charlotte to help offset travel expenses. Ticketmaster policies dictate that original purchasers for the canceled Raleigh date will automatically receive refunds within three weeks without needing to take action.
With Monét’s cancellation, Steve Lacy’s Friday night appearance became the undisputed final curtain call for the amphitheater. Fans began gathering outside the gates by mid-afternoon to secure their spots for the historic last show.
Fellow concert-goer Kishawn Pate echoed that sentiment, noting, I’ve probably been here more than ten times, but I’m really excited for the new place.
Construction Progresses on the Replacement Amphitheater
Even as the final chords echoed, the blueprint for the venue’s future was already taking shape just one block south across Lenoir Street. Construction on the replacement amphitheater has been moving forward steadily, complete with structural soil laid along McDowell Street to support sidewalks while letting tree roots expand, ongoing underground utility work, and the framing of the new box office and perimeter steel gates. Workers have already poured concrete for the seating bowl, establishing the venue’s signature shape.
To honor the past before the old grounds disappear, city leaders and residents buried a time capsule at the new site on October 5. The capsule preserves mementos from nearly 1,000 events hosted at the original location, including artwork, signage, a vinyl record player with records from featured artists, concert posters, apparel, an original seat, photos, letters from city leaders, and notes from Raleigh residents.
What Fans Can Expect When the New Stage Opens
The relocation brings substantial upgrades designed to address long-standing venue complaints. Kerry Painter, executive director of the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex, confirmed that the new venue remains on track to open in June 2027 in time for the summer concert season.
This is the end of a real era and a beloved place that turned into this magic treasure, It’s going to be hard. But then we’re gonna look forward with huge anticipation and excitement.
Unlike the intimate layout of the outgoing site, the new Red Hat Amphitheater will expand its capacity to seat more than 6,000 people in sloped rows engineered for better sightlines toward the stage. Attendees will also benefit from permanent bathrooms, replacing the portable facilities of the past.
Performers and backstage crews will also see marked improvements, gaining access to better dressing rooms and dedicated catering spaces as the downtown entertainment district enters its next chapter.