Live Music

AEG Presents to operate new Raleigh music venue

Featured image credit: Hannah Busing on Unsplash

Live events company AEG Presents and developer of Downtown South, Kane Realty Corporation, have revealed plans for a 3,500-capacity concert venue. 

The venue will be part of a new entertainment district, Downtown South, in Raleigh, North Carolina. AEG Presents has entered into a long-term lease agreement to operate the concert venue. 

The new music venue will also be available for private events and is designed to accommodate indoor seated and standing shows of multiple sizes. It will have a capacity of up to 3,500 and feature a rooftop lounge. 

Designed by architecture firm Gensler, construction on the venue will begin in spring next year and finish with a grand opening in autumn 2024. 

The venue has been designed with a marquee and main entry set on an active urban street within the Downtown South development, while the venue will be surrounded by a wooded, natural area at the back, a public park and retail spaces. 

Designs have an industrial feel through the use of steel, corrugated metal and wood, connecting to both the urban and natural setting. 

Shawn Trell, executive vice-president, chief operating officer and general counsel, AEG Presents, said: “We are incredibly excited to be bringing a new venue to Raleigh, and Downtown South feels like a natural fit. Music venues are by nature cultural hubs; they bring a sense of community and help define the energy of a neighbourhood.

“We’ve experienced this most recently with our new venues in Atlanta and Boston, and in Kane Realty we have a partner who shares our vision for opening a state-of-the-art live music experience in this thriving market.”

John Kane, chief executive of Kane Realty Corporation, added: “We are thrilled to partner with AEG Presents on a unique music venue at Downtown South. The company is a leader in live entertainment and their decision to create their next venue at Downtown South speaks volumes about the district. 

“We are great admirers of AEG Presents’ ability to reach top-notch talent and create terrific event experiences at their venues such as Mission Ballroom in Denver and The Eastern in Atlanta.  As Raleigh grows, it will be important for us as a city to keep pace with the demands for entertainment options – we believe that the size and flexibility of this new venue will fill a critical gap.”