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Good afternoon, Raleigh. Where did Joe go after getting lost in a minefield? 

Everywhere. 😮

In today’s Raleigh Rundown:

• 7 fun things to do in Raleigh this weekend + live local music

• Downtown Raleigh soccer stadium?

• RDU entertainment destination

• A billion-dollar sports district project approved in Raleigh

Let’s get to it. 🏃‍♂️

SPONSORED BY NEW CITY CHURCH

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Whether church is familiar or new to you, everyone is welcome to come experience a message of hope and joy.

Got kids? New City Kids offers a safe, fun, and engaging environment where children can learn about Jesus in an age-appropriate way—available at both services.

👉 Learn more and get your questions answered here 👈

STORIES THIS WEEK

Will downtown Raleigh get a soccer stadium? 🏟️

Tech entrepreneur Steve Malik still has big plans for soccer in the Triangle, including a new stadium and upgraded training facility for the Carolina Courage. While his original vision centered around a downtown stadium tied to the Downtown South project, that plan stalled due to financial setbacks and the pandemic.

Malik now hopes to revive talks for a downtown stadium, driven by the growing popularity of women’s soccer. Discussions with public officials are ongoing, but a stadium remains a long-term goal and would likely require state support and a public-private partnership.

RDU “entertainment destination” attracts new developer 🛫

Raleigh-Durham International Airport is exploring plans to develop over 100 acres of Lake Crabtree County Park into an "entertainment destination," though details remain confidential. At least one developer is interested, and Wake County officials have been briefed, but public backlash has been strong, with residents voicing concerns about losing green space.

RDU says the development would help fund major capital projects, including a new runway, and has pledged to prioritize environmental stewardship. The current lease with Wake County expires in June, and while some land may remain recreational, no final decision has been made on the 136-acre tract in question.

Walmart remains king of grocery sales in Raleigh 🛒

Grocery sales in the Triangle surpassed $8.7 billion in 2024, with $6.6 billion spent in the Raleigh area alone. Walmart remained the top grocery retailer in the region, capturing over 20% of the market share and generating $1.34 billion in sales.

Food Lion and Harris Teeter followed closely behind, while Publix surged to the No. 4 spot with $458 million in sales and nearly 7% market share. Publix now operates 11 stores in the area, up from eight the year before. In the Durham-Chapel Hill area, Walmart also led the market, followed by Food Lion, Harris Teeter, Target, and Costco.

Raleigh approves billion-dollar sports district 🏒

The Raleigh City Council has unanimously approved a rezoning request for 80 acres around the Lenovo Center, marking a major step toward creating a $1 billion sports and entertainment district. Led by Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon and his firm Pacific Elm Properties, the project will include hotels, restaurants, offices, apartments, and buildings up to 40 stories tall.

Phase one, set to begin in late 2025, will feature retail space, a hotel, over 500 apartments, and a revamped tailgating area with luxury suites and a promenade. The plan also includes a $300 million renovation of the Lenovo Center and a new 4,300-seat music venue. With the Hurricanes secured in Raleigh through 2044, Dundon is also setting his sights on potentially bringing Major League Baseball to the city.

Hurricanes make NHL playoffs for 7th straight year 🥅

The Carolina Hurricanes finish their regular season tonight against the Ottawa Senators. This weekend (playoff schedule to be released on Friday), they will open their first-round series against the New Jersey Devils at the Lenovo Center on Sunday at 3 PM. Click here for tickets.

This marks the seventh consecutive season the Hurricanes have made the playoffs, and they have never missed the postseason under head coach Rod Brind’Amour. They’ve reached the Eastern Conference Finals twice during this span (2019 and 2022), but have not appeared in the Stanley Cup Final.

WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND

LIVE LOCAL MUSIC THIS WEEKEND

🎶 Raleigh Live Music – Friday, April 18

• Yesness with Weird God @ Kings
  Neighborhood: Raleigh DT @ South McDowell St
  Time: 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM

• FLO – Access All Areas Tour @ The Ritz
  Neighborhood: Raleigh @ Capital Blvd
  Time: 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM

• Justin Furstenfeld – I Laugh at Myself @ Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts
  Neighborhood: Raleigh DT @ E South St
  Time: 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM

• Keller Williams @ Lincoln Theatre
  Neighborhood: Raleigh DT @ Cabarrus St
  Time: 8:00 PM - 10:30 PM

• Slime @ The Pour House Music Hall & Record Shop
  Neighborhood: Raleigh DT @ Blount St
  Time: 9:00 PM - 11:30 PM

• JACK (imofficiallyJACK) @ The Night Rider
  Neighborhood: Raleigh DT @ W Morgan St
  Time: 9:00 PM - 11:00 PM

• Be Kind Rewind Soundtrack Night feat. DJ CD @ Tap Yard Raleigh
  Neighborhood: Raleigh @ Whitaker Mill Rd
  Time: 8:00 PM - 11:00 PM

• Emos of the Night: A Get Sad Y'all Emo Night @ 224 S Blount St
  Neighborhood: Raleigh DT @ Blount St
  Time: 9:00 PM - 12:00 AM

🎶 Raleigh Live Music – Saturday, April 19

• Dogs in a Pile @ Lincoln Theatre
  Neighborhood: Raleigh DT @ Cabarrus St
  Time: 8:00 PM - 11:00 PM

• Pouya, Freddie Dredd, The Cursed @ The Ritz
  Neighborhood: Raleigh @ Industrial Dr
  Time: 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM

• Intocable – Treinta Aniversario Tour @ Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts
  Neighborhood: Raleigh DT @ E South St
  Time: 8:00 PM - 10:30 PM

• Elora Dash, Flower in Bloom, 3AMSOUND, CJ MONET, Tesh @ The Pour House Music Hall & Record Shop
  Neighborhood: Raleigh DT @ Blount St
  Time: 9:00 PM - 12:00 AM

• Riggsbee Road, Cabin Creature, Silas Mann, Reese Mayfield @ Rialto Theatre
  Neighborhood: Raleigh DT @ Glenwood Ave
  Time: 8:00 PM - 11:30 PM

• Willie Contraband, Shmoney Mo, Khalil Nasim, SkyBlew, Joey Zen, AlgoRhythmic @ The Portal HQ
  Neighborhood: Raleigh @ S Wilmington St
  Time: 9:00 PM - 12:00 AM

• Edgehill @ National Cemetery
  Neighborhood: Raleigh @ Rock Quarry Rd
  Time: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

• Earth to Raleigh Festival @ Clouds Brewing Taproom
  Neighborhood: Raleigh @ North Raleigh
  Time: 2:00 PM - 8:00 PM

• North Carolina 'Cuegrass Festival @ The Pit BBQ
  Neighborhood: Raleigh DT @ Warehouse District
  Time: 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM

• KJ_THE_KING @ The Pour House Music Hall & Record Shop
  Neighborhood: Raleigh DT @ Blount St
  Time: 10:00 PM - 12:00 AM

RETRO PIC OF THE WEEK

Aerial view of the North Carolina State Fair and Carter Stadium, 13 October 1973.

The first Saturday of the State Fair that year coupled with the NC State-Maryland football game caused a traffic nightmare 50 years ago tomorrow.

A reported 39,000 people attended the game and well over 100,000 people were tallied at the State Fair. This caused many fair-goers and football fans to sit in traffic longer than they spent at the respective events.

WEEKEND WEATHER

Friday

83 🌡️ 60 | 🌤️ | 0%

Saturday

89 🌡️ 64 | 🌤️ | 0%

Sunday

86 🌡️ 62 | 🌤️ | 0%

LOCAL SPORTS

Hockey 🏒

• Sunday: New Jersey Devils @ Carolina Hurricanes | 3 PM

Baseball ⚾️

• Friday: Durham Bulls VS Scranton RailRiders | 6:35 PM

• Saturday: Durham Bulls VS Scranton RailRiders | 6:35 PM

• Sunday: Durham Bulls VS Scranton RailRiders | 5:05 PM

THANKS!

Thanks for reading the Raleigh Rundown today. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who likes old flip flops. 🩴

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