Raleigh Business Group

JUST ANNOUNCED: Luke Combs, Eric Church, and James Taylor, three of North Carolina’s most renowned musicians, are set to headline “Concert for Carolina,” a special benefit show for victims of #HurricaneHelene. The event will take place on Saturday, Oct. 26 at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium. Ticket sales begin at 10 a.m. Thursday. All event proceeds, including sponsorships, will be equally divided between Combs and Church’s Chief Cares Foundation. These funds will support relief efforts across the Carolinas and Southeast through organizations of their choice. Combs, a Huntersville native raised in Asheville, has selected Samaritan's Purse, MANNA FoodBank - Asheville NC, Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC, and one yet-to-be-announced charity as beneficiaries. Church’s Chief Cares will assist “established charities and organizations that are well managed, organized and can expedite aid directly to the families affected by Hurricane Helene.” Recently, Church, who hails from Granite Falls, released “Darkest Hour,” a song honoring “the unsung heroes, the people who show up when the world’s falling apart.” He plans to donate all publishing royalties from this track to hurricane relief efforts. Church expressed his deep connection to North Carolina, stating, “It’s in every fiber of who I am. Our family members, friends, neighbors and communities are in dire need. I’m honored to share the stage with an incredible lineup in order to help meet those needs. Through the dark, light will shine.” “Concert for Carolina,” announced Monday morning, will also feature bluegrass musician Billy Strings a Michigan native. In a news release, Live Nation said: “The Tar Heel State is a profoundly special place for all four artists, as it is where Combs, Church and Taylor grew up and first discovered their musical interests, and where Strings has performed many, many times over his career and holds an extra special place in his heart.” The concert, presented by Explore Asheville and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority, will be hosted by ESPN’s Marty Smith and Barstool Sports Caleb Pressley. More featured artists are expected to be announced soon. Event partners: T-Mobile, Whataburger, Blue Cross NC, Live Nation Entertainment #Charlotte

RENOVATION: The Centennial Authority which manages PNC Arena, has finalized plans for a major renovation after a period of budget adjustments, architect changes, and legal negotiations. These negotiations extended the Carolina Hurricanes lease through 2044, secured $300 million in tourism tax funding, and will allow team owner Tom Dundon to develop 80 acres of surrounding parking lots into a mixed-use complex. Recently, authority members and the public were presented with renovation plans from newly hired architecture firms Gensler Sports and Raleigh-based LS3P ASSOCIATES LTD. The proposal outlines 10 projects ranging from unseen infrastructure upgrades to a modern facade overhaul. The renovation aims to modernize the 25-year-old arena, home to the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes and North Carolina State University Men's Basketball. Planned improvements include enhanced fan experiences, expanded hospitality options, and upgraded support infrastructure. The project will be executed in three phases during hockey off-seasons. Specific enhancements include four new suites, a club/meeting area, a 7,600-square-foot external storage building, and a 300-level bar overlooking the arena bowl. The plans also call for increased concession and restroom space on concourses, conversion of existing concession stands to grab-and-go markets, and tripling the size of The Eye team store. While some previously considered features like lower bowl suites, additional office space, and a rooftop bar were not included, the possibility of a ground-level beer garden remains under consideration. Renderings: Jianqi Yuan / Gensler Centennial Authority

OZEMPIC: Novo Nordisk, a Danish pharmaceutical company, has revealed plans for a $4.1 billion expansion of its manufacturing facilities in Clayton, North Carolina. This significant investment will add 1.4 million square feet of production space, focusing on aseptic manufacturing and finished production processes. The expansion will double the combined area of Novo Nordisk's existing three North Carolina facilities. It's expected to create 1,000 new jobs, adding to the company's current workforce of nearly 2,500 in the region. During peak construction, an estimated 2,000 external contractors will be involved. Preparatory work has begun on the 56-acre site, with project completion anticipated between 2027 and 2029. Novo Nordisk also announced plans to increase overall production investments to approximately $6.8 billion, up from $3.9 billion in the previous year, excluding acquisitions. The company, headquartered in Denmark, currently has a global workforce of 66,000 across 80 countries. Novo Nordisk's market value has soared to $658 billion as of June 26, 2024, making it Europe's largest company by market capitalization. This growth is largely attributed to the popularity of its diabetes medication Ozempic and weight loss drug Wegovy. Recent studies have shown that Wegovy, an injectable prescription drug approved by the FDA in 2021 for chronic weight management, can maintain significant effectiveness for up to four years. #Raleigh #Durham Photo: CoStar

The City of Raleigh Municipal Government is commencing construction on a massive new downtown city hall building on Tuesday. This 370,000 square foot facility will consolidate offices and meeting spaces for the city council and various municipal departments into a single 17-story tower called the East Civic Tower. The $206 million project aims to revitalize Raleigh's downtown area, which has struggled since the COVID-19 pandemic. The tower is replacing the former police headquarters building on 110 S. McDowell St. that was demolished earlier this year. In addition to office spaces, the new city hall will feature a council chamber, a health center for staff, and an art gallery. Construction is expected to finish by late 2026, with city staff moving into the building in 2027. City officials state that centralizing the 4,000 full-time employees currently spread across #Raleigh into one convenient downtown location will allow for more efficient and customer-focused public services. The growing skyline addition reflects Raleigh's efforts to reinvigorate its urban core after pandemic disruptions. Renderings are by the project designer, RATIO Design and courtesy of the city.