Raleigh approves Atlantic Union Bank naming rights for convention center

Raleigh City Council has approved the naming-rights deal for the Raleigh Convention Center, clearing the way for the venue to be called the Atlantic Union Bank Convention Center. The council voted 8-0 on June 16 after a public hearing, according to the city’s official highlights.

The deal gives Raleigh an annual naming-rights fee of $525,000, with the payment rising 2% each year during the initial 15-year term. The agreement also includes the option for two five-year extensions.

Why this matters beyond the new name

The convention center is part of the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex, and the city says Red Hat Amphitheater will shift one block south to make room for convention center expansion. That keeps the Salisbury Street area in the middle of a larger downtown redevelopment effort.

For residents and downtown businesses, the practical impact goes beyond branding. The project points to more construction activity, a changed event footprint, and a closer link between city-owned venues and private sponsorship money.

What changes next

The naming-rights vote is done, but the broader work is not. The city still has to carry out the agreement, and the expansion and amphitheater relocation will move on their own schedules. Downtown workers, nearby restaurants, hotels, and eventgoers should expect the area around the convention center to remain in transition for a while longer.

What to watch next: the final agreement details, the expansion timeline, and how the amphitheater move affects traffic, parking, and event patterns around the convention center.

Sources

• City of Raleigh — City Council Highlights
• WUNC News — Raleigh convention center renaming proposal
• WRAL — Raleigh convention center renaming proposal