Progress Photos and Will it be called Bud Light Amphitheater?

Charlie
05/12 09:00 PM

They should go with Raleigh Amphitheater. It’d kind of suck to have a venue named after a cheap beer and it wouldn’t represent the area at all. Cary named theirs after an old mayor. Lets have some class, please

smitty
05/12 09:00 PM

Great, now the ABC board has replaced the courts and the legislature.  They need to go away.

cents
05/12 09:11 PM

i wonder if anyone involved in this process of establishing and building our new amphitheater tried to think creatively and offer food & beverage rights to local businesses first.  how great would it be for local breweries, restaurants, & caterers to have another outlet for exposure and easily offer a better product to it’s customers?  even if only for the shows that live nation will not be booking, could this be a possibility?  people are growing tired of the walmart/target shopping center mentality of cookie cutter venues across the nation offering way over-priced, under-achieving food & drink.  (ref. Time Warner Walnut Creek Amphitheater). 

Some locals to consider…

Beer:  BIG BOSS, LoneRider, Carolina, Triangle, Duck-Rabbit, Natty-Green’s, etc.

Food: The Pit, Poole’s, Cooper’s BBQ, Only Burger, Irregardless, Snoopy’s, Char-Grill, local Farmers (see d’town Farmers’ Mkt), etc…

...and please call it Sir Walter Raleigh Amphiteater (aka The Walt)

DPK
05/12 09:47 PM

@cents: A local company like Big Boss or Snoopy’s likely does not have the same kind of financial ability/pull for naming rights that Bud Light would have.

That being said, can’t we name this after some other Anheuser-Busch product that has a catchier name to it?  Like the “Redhook Raleigh Amphitheater” or the “Redbridge Raleigh Amphitheater”.

Take your pick:
http://www.anheuser-busch.com/beerverified.html

corey3rd
05/12 09:58 PM

It looks like a Walmart parking lot before Def Leppard arrives.

And Bud Light? Raleigh - a city full of fatties concerned about their beer guts.

gspot
05/12 10:32 PM

Taz Amphitheater

Gavin Jones
05/12 10:34 PM

You have no idea how many people will not visit the amphitheater if you go with Bud Light. Many in this city hope you do not want to find out. We surely don’t want to find out.

INSTIGATOR
05/12 10:41 PM

It’s about time.  Raleigh is the only major metropolis without a BUD LIGHT AMPHITHEATER.  This new building is sure to be one of the very best amphitheaters named for Bud Light in all of Raleigh.  I sure hope they offer a progressive vegan gluten-free eco-friendly sustainable high-speed mass-transit menu at the snack bar.

old guy
05/12 10:51 PM

If the Connells play the opening of this whateveryoucallit amphitheater, it would extremely fitting as they were the first band to play at Walnut Creek when it opened.  Props!

cents
05/12 10:52 PM

@DPK   I should’ve clarified…  I wasn’t referring to naming rights going to some local biz.  I’m referring to the rights to offer products such as food & bev going to local biz first.  I believe the Amphitheater should take the namesake of some local relevance such as Sir Walter Raleigh, Oak City Amphitheater, whatever….  It’s obvious that if it’s Bud Light Amph, it’s going to serve AB products, & that’s what i’m against.  I say forgo the naming rights and use local resources for food, bev, etc…

Rostel
05/12 10:55 PM

^  Haha

sally
05/12 11:11 PM

“I say forgo the naming rights”
-=====
Pardon? How much are *you* willing to pony up to cover the costs?

WILLNCSU
05/13 12:01 AM

Riiiiiight.  Like a smaller local brewery could afford to sponsor something of this size.  Bud Light/Harris Wholesale have done as much as anyone to bring people downtown with Downtown Live and now this (whether you hipsters like it or not).  Just be glad the taxpayers are not footing the bill.  Keep in mind that Harris distributes many of the local breweries (Lone Rider, Triangle, Huske, Carolina) and is itself a local company that has been around forever and contributes to the local economy as much as anyone.  Get over yourselves.

Read more: http://blogs.newsobserver.com/beat/raleigh-asks-could-you-make-that-a-bud-lite#ixzz0nm5SF8yk

CarnifeX
05/13 01:14 AM

The main question that will drive this discussion: Where is the funding for this project coming from? If the naming rights are accounted for in the cost of the construction, then its a moot point and we should move on to trying to get acts.

If we didn’t account for the naming rights/vending/etc in the cost, then we should certainly go local with everything… name/vendors/brews.

Personally, I’d prefer the local route, as I’d be happy to fund the cost for this with my taxes. However, there are many that do not agree, which have a right to that point of view and as such, the corporate route is the way that we’ve already decided to go.

DPK
05/13 01:53 AM

@Gavin: The “Bud Light” name hasn’t stopped people from going to the concert series for years.  So why should any of us care if you don’t go?  It’s done well so far.  If a name stops you from attending a venue then you have bigger problems.

@cents: Ah, my bad.  I agree that I’d love to see local vendors serving up their goodness there.  If it’s feasible of course.  My main concern would be recouping as much of the operating costs for this thing as possible.

Ken Metzger
05/13 09:45 AM

Anyone actually know how much the naming rights are?

netposer
05/13 10:29 AM

The name of the venue will stop nobody from going. If you like the band(s) then you will go.

And It will probably change every few years. What is Walnut Creek called these days “Time Warner…something”?

pBeez
05/13 10:37 AM

Let’s raffle the rights to the name, on a yearly basis!

Les
05/13 10:52 AM

How about we kill two birds with one stone and offer the naming rights to Slim Jim or Google instead of tax incentives. Of course, we will still end up with a shitty name for the venue. Ugh, anything but the Bud Light amphitheater. At least if Harris wants to name it, then it would be better to name it after themselves and not a product - The Harris Amphitheater -  at least doesn’t provoke the taste of stale near-beer.

Lefty
05/13 11:47 AM

They should call it “Another cool event stolen from Moore Square…Amphitheater”.

Aaron
05/13 12:07 PM

Bud Light Amphitheatre is awfully classless. Come on. Name it after Sir Walter Raleigh or something of that nature.

Jake
05/13 12:59 PM

I guess it could be worse. Bud Light Lime Amphitheater?

Charlie
05/13 01:33 PM

Oak City Amphitheater would be a great name. Last time I checked, Cary’s Amphitheater wasn’t named after a cheap beer, and it seems to be doing pretty well.

I also think they would recoup costs through food much better if they went the local route. I think people would be much more willing to pay $4 for an OnlyBurger, instead of $8 for one from god knows where, and $5/6 for a great local brew, than $8 for Bud Light

nate
05/13 01:35 PM

“The name of the venue will stop nobody from going. If you like the band(s) then you will go.”

I think they may have been talking about bands.  There are plenty of good bands that won’t play venues/festivals that are sponsored by products they don’t feel comfortable representing (alcohol, tobacco, etc.)

Charlie
05/13 01:35 PM

Going local doesn’t mean losing money. The local businesses are the ones bringing people, and money, downtown. The city should be thanking them

Will
05/13 03:00 PM

Local companies are not going to pony up 100’s of thousands of dollars over several years just for naming rights.  It saves the taxpayers MONEY.  Again, Harris Distributes several of the local breweries that you idiots keep mentioning.  Do you think they wont be available?

Betsy
05/13 03:06 PM

Why don’t we just throw in the towel and sell naming rights to the city, too.  Should bring in lots of cash.  “Welcome to Toro City:  Land of the Riding Mower”

CarnifeX
05/13 03:08 PM

yes. kinda like Bud Light Downtown Live where they weren’t available.

C
05/13 03:14 PM

Hopefully the local beard groomer / fixed gear bike repair shop will swoop in and assume naming rights of this place.  That way, they will not lose business due to all the bands and concertgoers who will most certainly boycott a place that is crazy enough to associate rock concerts with beer.

Will
05/13 03:17 PM

What are you talking about?  They had a tent with Redhook, Widmer, Lonerider…

Free
05/13 03:18 PM

I applaud the City Council for going after a naming rights sponsor to pay for the newest Downtown Raleigh parking lot (aka. JOak City Amphitheatre).  Not sure they spent their time wisely on this particular sponsor considering the legality and opposition it will face, but I do think it’s a good idea to get $$ for naming rights.

I also have to agree with Lefty and Charlie.  Nice work DRA and City Council (note sarcasm)....  Let’s squash the free concerts downtown, do nothing about Alive After Five’s at perfectly fine venues that tax payers have already paid for (City Plaza /Moore Square) that already have LOCAL businesses around them?  Come on?  Businesses are struggling left and right downtown, and we are are going to blow off 2 major sources of revenues for downtown businesses that also highlight LOCAL MUSICIANS to chase off the previous events main sponsor for naming rights for the JOak City Amphitheatre?? 

DRA/City Council - Where are you for the LOCAL bars/restaurants and LOCAL Musicians?

The picture is becoming more clear… and it is starting to smell like a rat.

Eric
05/13 03:22 PM

I could care less what they call it! I’m just ready for my front row seats to Citizen Cope/O.A.R. and 2nd row to Cypress Hill!

steelcity36
05/13 03:22 PM

Will it be illegal to watch the concerts from the parking deck across the street? You could tailgate on the roof deck and only pay $6 to the City for a carload of people as opposed to paying Live Nation per person. I hereby designate the top floor of the parking deck the “Big Boss Brewery Party Deck at Bud Light Raleigh Amphitheater”.

Murphy
05/13 03:32 PM

who cares if they are only going to sell bud lite there. its the same thing at most major sporting venues too, but for fux sake, why do they have to put their name on it? let harris and AB be the only beer if it will bring ticket costs down, but don’t crap on the name of it. every stadium, arena, and dome (with the exception of a handful of baseball fields, yankees, red sox, cubs, orioles come to mind) has a lame @ss corporate name. give it some class for crying out loud

sally
05/13 03:45 PM

“I hereby designate the top floor of the parking deck the “Big Boss Brewery Party Deck at Bud Light Raleigh Amphitheater”.
==================
Now you’re talking!

Ladye Jane
05/13 04:47 PM

I completely understand why people would be bummed about having a sponsor name on a venue like the new Amphitheater. Personally, of course I’d love to see it called something like the Walt. But the truth is, sponsors are the people that step up to the plate with the financial ability make things happen.

With the budget shortfall that City Council is currently dealing with, they need this venue sponsored, or that means other areas are gonna get cut to pay for it. If it gets sponsored by Bud Light, so be it. We’ll call it The Bud, and the music will sound exactly the same. The music choices, however, now that’s a different story….

Charlie
05/13 05:34 PM

@ Will: No one’s saying local businesses should pony up to name it. We’re just saying something like Oak City or Raleigh Amphitheater would be much better than Bud Light Amphitheater. And that local businesses should be allowed to vend inside. If everyone’s worried about the price, 1.) If they didn’t have the money, they should have waited to build it and 2.) They should work on their scheduling a bit. Second rate acts aren’t going to bring in sell-out crowds

Right On
05/13 06:02 PM

Corporate entities (AKA sponsors) don’t just “step up to the plate” unless there is something in it for them. “He who pays the most, gets his name on the building (or in this case on the amphitheater…...And the right to sell bad, overpriced beer and probably bottled water).” The public has had no say in the design of this venue and that is sad.

As for the Backstreet Boys “officially” opening the venue; that is truly embarrassing for Raleigh. It is nice that “they” have decided to let the Connells “unofficially” open the venue though. There are many very talented musical groups that hail from NC and it seems that a music festival that would appeal to a multi-cultural crowd would be more appropriate for the city that Raleigh has become.

As it is, the first show will be mostly white folks (who loved the Connells in high school and college), standing around nodding their heads in time to some jangly, power pop while they drink bad overpriced beer and bottled water. Some corporate entities will get rich, the landfill will get fuller with plastic and Raleigh will not be known for its great outdoor music venue.

MarkyMark
05/13 10:51 PM

From what I’ve seen of it so far, it looks like a bland, tasteless, venue.  Bud Light is the perfect name for it.

JT#2
05/14 08:31 AM

^LMFAO. So true…

Really?
05/14 09:07 AM

I would LOVE to see it named after a beer.  That would make a lot of people boycott it.  That’s AWESOME!  That means ticket prices will stay low if people aren’t snapping tickets up.  But I have a feeling that the boycotters are only a handful (a few thousand, maybe).  There are plenty of people who already drive to Raleigh from up to 2 hours away to see shows.  It will not be just a local venue.  The bands that won’t play there because of the name can play at your local Baptist church.  That’s where they belong anyway.  So what if the beers are $8 each.  Most concerts are only 2 hours…I can wait to go down the street and get a better local brew and a meal for less (or go before).  I won’t even pay for beer at a ‘Canes game!

I second the e-motion to name the top deck the “Big Boss Brewery Party Deck at Bud Light Raleigh Amphitheater”. Maybe we’ll share a tailgate with you sometime Murphy….

Really?
05/14 09:10 AM

Oops.  steelcity36 was the author of “Big Boss Brewery Party Deck at Bud Light Raleigh Amphitheater”.

Doesn’t look like Murphy would be at the tailgate….

Van Alston
05/14 11:16 PM

Anyone that doesn’t recognize Harris Wholesale’s contributions to the downtown scene in Raleigh simply doesn’t pay attention.

I really don’t care who or what the place is named (after all, it pisses me off that the city competes with other businesses downtown) but having Harris get some promotion out of the deal would be just fine with me.  I have never once had them turn down a charity request for any benefit I have organized.  They are the good guys, folks.

brian_M
05/15 06:52 PM

Via a friend of mine up north: They could just go back to the drawing board and approach Procter & Gamble…we could have a Tampax Amphitheatre.

corey3rd
05/16 06:10 PM

drove by it this afternoon - where is the slope on that concrete? It’s so flat. One guy shows up in the front row with big hair and he can block the view of everyone. This is as half-assed as a project can be.

Lisa
05/18 06:47 PM

Why is everyone making such a big deal over naming the amphitheater?  If you chose not to attend a place because of it’s name, it is simply your choice.  Stay home.  There are plenty of others that will support it that would be there to have fun.  Who wants to be around a vunch of people who want to make a ruckus about everything anyway?  I may not like your kids name, but who am I to tell you?  Open your minds.  This can be a good thing.

stretch
05/18 08:55 PM

How about a little imagination on the name?  How about “There use to be grass here”?  Meeker and the council tastelessly put their OWN names on that dancing fountain.  Why not name it ” Charles Meeker’s Ego”?  The “Walt” gets my vote.  I will be at the top deck beer bash!

bmcclain
05/19 05:57 PM

rumor going around that the Avett’s will announce a show in Raleigh tomorrow…the Walt I’m assuming?

W
05/21 11:55 AM

First of all it looks like they will have a shitty, tasteless beer selection & there’s nothing we can do about it. Apparently, people making the decisions are clueless & have never been to the “uptown mix” or “dancing in the district” etc in Nashville, TN or Friday Cheers or Groovin in the Gardens in Richmond, VA or to the downtown mall amphitheater in Charlottesville, VA. I’ve lived in both Nashville & Richmond(currently live in Raleigh) & as sad as it is, the downtown Raleigh amp is on the fast track to being dead last when ranking each one of those venues. www.the350project.net

Also- The Bud Light Downtown Live series was the biggest joke & waste of time I’ve ever seen. Anyone who is upset about that being gone has a worthless opinion anyway. I suggest you spend some time in a few other cities outside of the triangle & get a clue. There are small rural towns(not cities) that have way better outdoor live music than the pitiful “bud light downtown live”. It’s been embarrassing for the City of Raleigh to have such a poor showing as far as outdoor venues/shows go this time of year & now we are primed to mess up a great amphitheater downtown. Why not look outside the box & create something that other cities might wanna emulate?

frank
05/21 12:44 PM

Do you always have to drink? Why can’t you just go to a concert and enjoy it and not have to eat and drink?

W
05/21 03:58 PM

I never said the beers were for me!

It’s more about making this place special & not settling for mediocrity. I guess the bud light dwntwn live series should be kept for the people who disagree..

W
05/21 04:07 PM

Just for the record, I’m obviosyly interested in the quality of beer that will be served as well as the presence of local breweries(& food from local triangle spots) but I see A TON of shows up & down the entire east coast every single year & I rarely have much to drink. I’m more interested in the music & not standing in line for a beer or the bathroom for half of the show. This isn’t about individual alchol consumption..it’s about the big picture.

C
05/21 04:18 PM

There are FIFTEEN BEERS ON TAP.  Several are local brews.  This is a small downtown amiptheater, not a draft house.  Go to The Raleigh Times after the show & drink whatever the fuck it is that’s good enough for your royal palate.

BW
05/22 09:23 PM

If we have any respect for downtown Raleigh everyone should vote NO on naming it Bud Light amphitheater. If you think it should be called that you are a dumbass. Everything they make sucks. Its idiots that have no taste buds.

WS
05/23 12:11 PM

C- You are right. I guess I’m expecting/wanting too much. 15 taps is far more than almost every venue I’ve been to. I’d just like to see a little less crap on tap. Maybe Foothills and Aviator will at least jump on board at some point.

Jeremy
05/30 07:09 PM

Where do I sign up to petition this horrible name of “The Bud Light Amphitheater”?

Bud Light sucks. Why can’t it be a local brewery? And it really shouldn’t be related to alcohol in the first place. I agree with pretty much everyone’s post listed above…so let’s come together, people! Let local live!!