Raleigh to host 2011 NHL All-Star Game

[Captain Awesome]

Raleigh to host 2011 NHL All-Star Game:

Hot off of the presses: http://www.wralsport.../story/7376021/

I'm curious to see how our existing hospitality and transportation infrastructure will support this event.

[paletexan]

Raleigh to host 2011 NHL All-Star Game:

Hot off of the presses: http://www.wralsport.../story/7376021/

I'm curious to see how our existing hospitality and transportation infrastructure will support this event.

I think this is great for the city and home team. It will be a unique experience for NHL fans given the suburban setting of the RBC Center as stated in the article. Logistically speaking, no smoke and mirrors with coordinated efforts among hotels will give Raleigh an urban feel comparable to most NHL cities where fans will come from. I think the city should be itself; and promote hockey fans to take a nice nature walk into Umstead Park; or setup NC BBQ stalls along Fayetteville St for a nice tailgate experience.

Does anyone recall impressions of visiting hockey fans during the Cane's previous play off runs?

[ERJ170]

I am excited Raleigh got the NHL Championship.. but I hope that this will lead to the addition of 3 things:

1. at least 1 additional high end (Warehouse District) and 3 mid-tier hotels in the downtown area (InterContinental? Aloft? NYLO?)

2. at least 2 new attractions (museum? aquarium? park?)

3. Express routes (Downtown-Capital; Downtown-North Hills; Downtown-Cary) and Circulator (Downtown-NCSU-RBC-Harrison)

just a couple of thoughts..

[RALNATIVE]

I am excited Raleigh got the NHL Championship.. but I hope that this will lead to the addition of 3 things:

1. at least 1 additional high end (Warehouse District) and 3 mid-tier hotels in the downtown area (InterContinental? Aloft? NYLO?)

2. at least 2 new attractions (museum? aquarium? park?)

3. Express routes (Downtown-Capital; Downtown-North Hills; Downtown-Cary) and Circulator (Downtown-NCSU-RBC-Harrison)

just a couple of thoughts..

I doubt that we could add any of those things, with exception of the express routes, within 9 mos. Seriously though, I think that the All-Star event will prove that we definitely need more 4 and 5 star hotels and attractions like an aquarium. Maybe this will be the catalyst that we need.

[Captain Awesome]

I think this is great for the city and home team. It will be a unique experience for NHL fans given the suburban setting of the RBC Center as stated in the article. Logistically speaking, no smoke and mirrors with coordinated efforts among hotels will give Raleigh an urban feel comparable to most NHL cities where fans will come from. I think the city should be itself; and promote hockey fans to take a nice nature walk into Umstead Park; or setup NC BBQ stalls along Fayetteville St for a nice tailgate experience.

Does anyone recall impressions of visiting hockey fans during the Cane's previous play off runs?

During the Cup run on '06 I recall that people seemed to be a bit surprised that anything was here. On the smoking decks and after the games, there were a lot of questions about what to do and where to go after the games, as it isn't really apparent where downtown is when you come into town from 40 (or worse, that the RBC was downtown). I remember running in to people after games at the bars a few times(with everyone wearing their respective jerseys, they were easy to pick out) and the sentiment was essentially "oh, this actually is a city" an not just a bunch of slack-jawed yokels running around Mayberry.

My impression was that by the '09 run, with Raleigh having been on the hockey world's radar (and the rest of North America's radar, for that matter), it was more like "OK, where's the nightlife, and what do we do tomorrow" - there was the expectation that Raleigh is a city and that those "city-esque" amenities would and should be there.

[RALNATIVE]

During the Cup run on '06 I recall that people seemed to be a bit surprised that anything was here. On the smoking decks and after the games, there were a lot of questions about what to do and where to go after the games, as it isn't really apparent where downtown is when you come into town from 40 (or worse, that the RBC was downtown). I remember running in to people after games at the bars a few times(with everyone wearing their respective jerseys, they were easy to pick out) and the sentiment was essentially "oh, this actually is a city" an not just a bunch of slack-jawed yokels running around Mayberry.

My impression was that by the '09 run, with Raleigh having been on the hockey world's radar (and the rest of North America's radar, for that matter), it was more like "OK, where's the nightlife, and what do we do tomorrow" - there was the expectation that Raleigh is a city and that those "city-esque" amenities would and should be there.

Based on the atmosphere that I witnessed tonight and last weekend, visitors during the all-star games should be satisfied with what they find in downtown Raleigh. Hopefully we can add even more amenities by the time they roll into town.

[Gard]

I would imagine that we might see the city roll out some quick projects that are already on the drawing board in some form that would benefit the city during the 2011 all star game. Some easy fixes could include adding some more artwork, landscaping, improved signage and so forth. I also expect that the city will put together special transit routes and bus hours for CAT to accommodate visitors and will work with Triangle Transit and maybe Wolfline to make sure that plenty of transit options are available. This is not just a prestige event for the city of Raleigh, but for the state as a whole. To my knowledge, there has never been a pro-sports all star game in the state before.

[RALNATIVE]

This is not just a prestige event for the city of Raleigh, but for the state as a whole. To my knowledge, there has never been a pro-sports all star game in the state before.

I initially asked the same question myself, but found out later that Charlotte in fact hosted an NBA all-star game back in the early 90s.

Anyway, I hear that the city will also expedite the completion of the amphitheatre next to the convention center, to host some concerts for the visitors. My biggest concern is that we make sure that downtown restaurants and bars are prepared to handle the foot traffic and the demands of the visitors. This event will bring in big spenders, unlike what this city has seen during any other events. These folks are used to throwing down thousands of dollars for dinner and drinks. I just hope that our local scene is ready to handle this, and are not expecting crowds similar to what they see during NCAA tournaments or even the NHL playoffs. That would be a mistake.

[DaleCooper]

I would like to see some hockey players in the NC Sports Hall of Fame at the History Museum. At first I thought "Okay fair enough none of the players are actually from North Carolina so it makes sense that there is nothing there". But, after looking around, there are numerous people, such as Mike Krzyzewski, who are in there but were not born in this state. Ron Francis, Glen Wesley, and Rod Brind'Amour should have banners in there as far as I'm concerned.

[Jones_]

I initially asked the same question myself, but found out later that Charlotte in fact hosted an NBA all-star game back in the early 90s.

Anyway, I hear that the city will also expedite the completion of the amphitheatre next to the convention center, to host some concerts for the visitors. My biggest concern is that we make sure that downtown restaurants and bars are prepared to handle the foot traffic and the demands of the visitors. This event will bring in big spenders, unlike what this city has seen during any other events. These folks are used to throwing down thousands of dollars for dinner and drinks. I just hope that our local scene is ready to handle this, and are not expecting crowds similar to what they see during NCAA tournaments or even the NHL playoffs. That would be a mistake.

I am worried about folks being able to present something of a unified front hospitality wise. Hotels should know all the places to go. The things-to-do lists should be in every hotel room and lobby. Double the number of purple shirt ambassadors. Speed up any other projects that might make for inconveniences (pavement replacement on Edenton e.g. though I know that will be done way before then) and implement any other easy ideas that add to first impressions. There should not be a downtown Raleigh Live right before hand as that always ends up with torn down trees and shrubs, broken windows, and mounds of trash. I sure hope nothing else that is an image creator closes in the meantime.

[RaleighRob]

Dear God I hope the widening of I-40 is done by then!

[RALNATIVE]

Dear God I hope the widening of I-40 is done by then!

As well as the repaving of Glenwood Ave around 5-points.

[Subway Scoundrel]

I went to the NBA All Star game in Charlotte in the early/mid 1990s. It was a fun weekend and had many celebs in town. Charlotte took many of the empty store fronts and made stores (T-shirts and quick food places) out of them. At the time, the arena was not DT but still a ton of people DT. The key will be the weather and how many people are outside and can you have bands, etc. It is Feb timeframe. Raleigh does not have that many open storefronts.

The NHL experience will be great and everyone should go. I think the city will work with hotels on where and how to go. I do wish we had some more nice hotels and more hotels DT, but too late.

I was also DT and went to the 2002, 2006 and other playoff runs and DT has come a long way. From the only nice place DT in 2002 which was Sullivans and seeing the ESPN crew there (Melrose, Saunders, Pang and "DH" Steve Levy), to 2006 when more had opened up but DT was a construction zone and to now. DT and Raleigh are ready. Again, I went to an event like this in medium size Canadian city and the hotels had it all laid out on the city, what to do, where to go, places DT. The restaurants were full and the bars were fun. Raleigh can do this !!

Having the arena away from DT is not that big of a deal. I have been to many of these large one time events and many in Canada. Even staying in Montreal, you usually have to take a cab to get to the location and even the bars. North Hills is not that far away with The Renaissance Hotel so they could eat in NHs and then go downtown. Just need to promote the R Line to get around. There will be transportation set up for VIPs, familys and inside visitors. I was a VIP at a large event in Canada and Ford was a sponsor and they had drivers to take people around and all you had to do was call a number. My guess white horse will be busy.

This will be great for Raleigh and NC. Just get the big companies here to be NHL and Canes future sponsors like Lowes, Band of America, VF, and might as well invite the Bojangles guys.

[Euphorius]

RBC Plaza has huge advertisement on the side of the building for the NHL All Star Game link