Downtown Raleigh Alliance Rolls out R-Line Bus and YouRHere Branding

On Thursday night, The Downtown Raleigh Alliance introduced their new branding and Circulator Bus to around 500 members and guests at their annual meeting at the Marriott Hotel on Fayetteville Street.

The Downtown Raleigh Alliance, whose goal is to “bring more people downtown,” listed a handful of 2008 achievements for Downtown Raleigh including $650 million in construction, 400 condos added, thousands of guides distributed to residents and visitors by the organization’s street ambassadors and over 6300 pounds of litter gathered. The Alliance also presented a short film made by TriangleBlvd that introduced the new YouRHere branding scheme that will be seen all around downtown and on the new Circulator buses. Downtown Raleigh attractions lured over 2.8 million visitors in 2008 and David Diaz, head of DRA, hopes that the new branding campaign and Circulator buses will help bring even more visitors into the area and allow them to enjoy a more urban experience in the city.

The keynote speaker for the night was James Gilmore, the author of Authenticity: What Consumers Really Want. His talk revolved around authenticity in the experience economy(his earlier book) and how society today has neglected the true identity of goods, services, commodities, and experience in favor of the rise of mass customization and Fauxthenticity.

The Downtown Raleigh Alliance’s new website (You R Here) launched tonight and the Circulator bus R-Line will make its (hybrid electric bus) maiden voyage, with Mayor Meeker, David Diaz and more on board, at 8:30am on Friday, February 13th, from Salisbury Street in front of the Marriott and Raleigh Convention Center. This will be a fabulous addition to Raleigh’s growing downtown. Buses run every 10-15 minutes and will be a quick way to get from anywhere downtown to Seaboard and Glenwood South. There’s also a cool little fold out bus route map that is pocket friendly and has all the information you’ll need for the R-Line. Maybe a few folks will have a new preferred mode of transit.

The yearly Downtown Raleigh Alliance Awards were also given to:

Distinguished Leadership Award
Greg Hatem (and it was announced that his wife Samantha is expecting their first child)

Downtown Advocate Award
Captain Mike Reynolds of the Raleigh Police Department

Imprint Awards
222 Glenwood
RBC Plaza
Raleigh Convention Center
Raleigh Marriott City Center
Solas
West (Condos)

PDF of the R-Line Route or see Google map below.
Hours of R-Line Operation:
Mon-Wed (7 am-11 pm)
Thurs-Sat (7 am-2:15 am)
Sun (1 pm-8 pm)

View Larger Map

Live Raleigh02/13 11:18 PM

Looks like a nice meeting. Did anyone realize all of the money for the production left Raleigh and was sent out of state to an out of state production company. Those of us in the local production industry Thank You for giving us all the day off while they spent their money with an out of state company.

I’m going shopping downtown Durham or Cary the next time I need something… I’m hungry, wonder if something is open in Downtown Apex…

What was this meeting about… Spending money in Raleigh.

Ellen02/14 10:35 AM

For clarification, the Downtown Raleigh Alliance produced this event and did not hire a production company of any sort. Furthermore, all of the vendors from the flowers, to the entertainment, to the linens were downtown businesses and the event was held at the downtown Raleigh Marriott City Center.

arthurb302/14 03:49 PM

It was great! We rode the route. It was a nice tour as we took the entire route to sight see then got off at The Borough!

Live Raleigh02/14 07:25 PM

To clarify even more. The Marriott Downtown Raleigh uses Southern Audio Visual out of Miami, Florida for the productions it does in-house. They refer to themselves as the “Premier AV supplier of Florida since 1947”. They are nice guys and they do a good job but the are not a local Raleigh company. The money you spent went to Florida which is out of state.

Evidently you do not spend your days calling the Local production and staging companies in Raleigh because you would know this industry is dying on the vine for lack of business. I doubt many will make it through the summer. It is some hard times here in Raleigh and it is only going to get worse. It is really irritating to see such a high profile “Raleigh” event use an out of state production company.

Got to go, I am late for dinner in downtown Wake Forest. I wish I was closer to something to eat since I only live a mile from the Capital Building.

DPK02/14 11:09 PM

Ok Live Raleigh you’re just being an ass. Ellen already stated that they didn’t use a production company, the DTR produced it themselves.

Live Raleigh02/15 01:29 AM

I am an Ass, Yea, I am an ass. To many people are hurting, to many dreams are being broken, to many local production companies are sitting on the edge of ashes. Either you buy local or you pretend others took care of the details. Take a few bids, get to know your options.

lilpistolstarta02/15 09:38 AM

I enjoyed riding the R last night, from Glenwood where I live, down to the stop right in front of Sitti. Good step in the positive direction Raleigh!

Enigma02/15 01:27 PM

LR, it would be more appropriate if you were peeved about the convention center hotel being an international chain instead of one that’s locally owned. Spending time selling your services to Marriott would be more productive than complaining about who they contract with. Blaming the city about Marriott’s choice is ridiculous.

Live Raleigh02/15 06:58 PM

This is not about me selling services to anyone. I am showing my concern because a local Raleigh organization which promotes Raleigh did not put their event production out for bid to local vendors. This has nothing to do with flowers, candles or table decorations. It has everything to do with the local production industry having a real tough time staying afloat and the hundreds of jobs at risk over the next few months.

Don’t expect us to like something like this, espeacially in this economy. I may not speak for everyone but I am speaking up for those hanging on by a thread after investing in Raleigh for decades.

Either you buy local or you don’t. It is always your choice.

d02/15 07:13 PM

Live Raleigh,

I applaud your will to educate, however, in my two years of living in this “city” I don’t think you will change many minds. Raleigh is an advertisers dream—all show and no go. The city that we live in doesn’t match the brochure. Many fine LOCAL organizations have gone under without local support, and many more will. The citizens have spoken and they want Jimmy Johns, NASCAR, and biscuitville! Oh yeah—they also want Raleigh to be like Cary.

Jenn02/16 01:29 AM

Happy to see it around this weekend!

Unfortunate there are no stops near Founder’s Row and Palladium Plaza. I would probably use it if it were a little closer to where I live… Not big on standing on a dark corner waiting on a bus and having bums ask me for change. Or having to walk too far late at night.

Hopefully they will consider resident safety and change up some of the stops to be closer to the condos near City Market. It’s a start, but still not sure how the city forgot about some of the original downtown condos…

Kevin02/16 02:49 PM

This is cool. Its nice to see some of the advantages of larger cities appearing in Raleigh and it could be a sign of things to come.

Live Raleigh..not sure what your beef is but the http://www.triangleblvd.tv that produced the down town alliance movie is a local production company and very professional looking products too. If your beef is with the Mariott and how they use out of state providers..then I would suggest that you complain to the Mariott.

highjoeltage02/16 06:32 PM

The new bus system looks great, also with the new connection to campus hopefully downtown will start to pick up a bit.

Also, Jenn it looks like the bus stops at davie and wilmington which is like 1 block from both of those places.

Live Raleigh02/16 08:23 PM

Yea ... TriangleBlvd.TV is great. They have a partner relationship with the DTL.

I applaud the Marriott and I have stated their production vender are nice guys and they do a good job. My issue or complaint is the money spent on the screens, projectors, sound, stage and accent lights and the wall to wall drape could have been rented locally. There are at least five local companies which could have done this event and more than 25 local people who could have insured the event used “Local Talent”.

The people in this local production community have worked some of the largest corporate events in America. The technical talent lives here, grew up in Raleigh. This gear resides in Raleigh and sat on the shelves on the day of this event. No national or regional company has ever been able to take the Raleigh market but this economy is different and it is going to have a devastating effect on the technical production talent.

If a local organization which promotes Raleigh refuses to use local vendors then they are setting a very bad example and setting a precedence which could have detrimental effects in the future. What they did was easy, we are asking them to do the right thing in the future. You should always produce your local events with local vendors.

It is also a fact, Hotels are more expensive than local vendors. I don’t know the budget for this event but I am sure one of the local vendors would have stepped up and adjusted their rates had they been given a chance. The cost could be equal to a recently built, low mileage Honda sedan, some scratches but no rust on the body.

Kevin02/16 09:24 PM

Live Raleigh…your point is a valid one and is well taken. Maybe if someone is reading this thread from the down town alliance, they might keep this viewpoint in mind.

Kevin02/16 09:25 PM

lol…d…if Raleigh ever becomes Cary, I’m finding somewhere else to live.

rrider02/17 10:20 AM

Live Raleigh

i Think ewe should take a speling and grammer class. youre riting is atrocious. i’m sure their are sum tuters in fuquay looking for werk.

If you can’t correctly spell words like “vendor” and “especially” while asking for business it’s no wonder you’re struggling.

Live Raleigh02/17 12:22 PM

I am not asking for the business. I was booked all last week. I would not been someone who could have been considered. I know many who would have welcolmed the chance to be considered.

I’ve also never lived outside of the circle around Raleigh so your Pat Patterson joke is lost on me.

I can’t spell worth a crap. Never have been much of a speller. Not much good with grammer either. I still enjoy expressing myself but I have said enough on this subject.

I buy local. How about You? You R Here so you might as well buy local.

arthurb302/17 12:34 PM

Now, now Boys~~~~

B02/17 01:43 PM

The “R” line web site was created and maintained by a company in Maryland called Geocentric. Some city/travel web company.

E02/17 03:17 PM

I would like to clarify that Geocentric is the web software provider for the interactive map on the YouRHere website.

Miles02/17 03:59 PM

This is outrageous! Socialism comes to Raleigh bus service; can Communist bus service be far behind? Tom Fetzer would roll over in his John Locke subsidized grave, if he were dead yet.
With free service how can a republican profit?

No only will this reduce congestion downtown, it will decrease demand for
parking (which is over taxed), help small business, make the streets safer
for cyclists and pedestrians, keep the air cleaner and reduce noise
pollution, but bring more people down town. This whole idea could have the
side consequence of decreasing business operation costs, increasing commerce
and sales tax collection, raise falling property values and then the
liberals would just waste the extra money raised on people and
infrastructure. If we don’t dismantle and destroy government who will? not
the democrats!

This is just terrible news. After socializing the police and fire department and seeing what they did so cheaply compared to private fire and security services, I can’t believe what the city did.

I’m with Ron Paul, If you want to ride on a bus, buy your own and drive it where you need to go—don’t get the government involved.

Aubry02/18 11:38 AM

Greenwashing is the unjustified appropriation of environmental virtue by a company, an industry, a government, a politician or even a non-government organization to create a pro-environmental image, sell a product or a policy, or to try and rehabilitate their standing with the public and decision makers after being embroiled in controversy.

Aubry02/18 11:46 AM

DID someone say DOWNTOWN ALLIANCE?

Look folks your tax $ was spent to the tune of 2+ million Dollars so everybody Stop saying its “free”!!!!

The Alliance does 2 things really well:
Crawl up Hatems butt and spend your money.

Andrew B02/18 01:25 PM

Has anyone noticed that the parking on Seaboard Street, Person Street, and Blount Street north of downtown was converted to two-hour parking? This represents a difficulty for some state employees, who now must park in Oakwood if they don’t have enough seniority to get a parking space in one of the State decks (and pay $10/month for it).

worthless org02/18 02:14 PM

“The Alliance does 2 things really well:
Crawl up Hatems butt and spend your money.”

You can say that again!

Kevin02/18 02:51 PM

It apears that someone doesn’t get that at least one of the posts in the comments section was humor and not intended to be taken seriously. I perceived it as tongue in cheek. One person using the term “free service” does not mean “everyone” is saying that its free.

Good point Andrew, I know several state employees that are now parking close to Glenwood South because of the parking limitations downtown.

Triangle Reader02/19 08:39 PM

I am glad that during this bus-lovefest some people on this website have pointed out a few things:

—NOT EXACTLY FREE: This bus service is not “free.” Each bus costs $565,000 of taxpayer money, not including operating expenses. Yes, that’s for each bus—you do the math. There are a lot of homeless people in Raleigh who probably wouldn’t mind seeing a fraction of those millions repurposed for low income housing instead of providing people getting drunk on Glenwood a free ride to the sushi bar.

—DOWNTOWN RALEIGH ALLIANCE: Yes, the DRA gets money from the City of Raleigh and its taxpayers. Those guys on bicycles are not there as volunteers and even though your tax dollars helped pay for this big extravaganza for Raleigh bigwigs, only those who can afford to attend should show up for these dinners.

—SPENDING LOCAL: As LiveRaleigh pointed out the City of Raleigh and the DRA are great for saying “buy local” and then spending money with out of town firms. LiveRaleigh’s point is proven with these recent expenditures and also the comical fact that the DRA hired an out of town graphics firm to design the Downtown Raleigh logo a while back. I guess there aren’t any graphic artists located in the City of Raleigh.

—PARKING: Ever since a parking consultant spoke last year in Raleigh saying that all parking should be charged for, the City of Raleigh and DRA have worked for that goal. It should be no surprise when downtown Raleigh eventually does away with all free parking, which by the way is still available at Cameron Village, North Hills, and other commercial areas which is where the shoppers will eventually go.

av guy03/05 12:53 PM

Just to inform you guys, in house production companies have to give more than half of their income to the property. Normally around 55%. Yes the Marriott would be an out of state company as well, but the Downtown City Center and Convention Center is bringing in alot of business and alot of money into the downtown area. So just to inform you, more than half of that money stayed right here giving pay to the people that work in the facility. Whats wrong with that? Dont be such a moron.

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Jedidiah Thursday, February 12, 2009