Raleigh needs improved transit center, downtown leader urges
Business NC | 08.27.2026 Downtown Raleigh is seeing the benefits of $3.7 billion in investment just since 2015, along with another $1.7 billion that’s under construction and a further $3.1 billion that’s in the pipeline. Still, the work of bolstering the area is far from done, Downtown Raleigh Alliance CEO Bill King and other civic leaders…
Piedmont Triad airport seeks approval for up to $300 million in bonds for terminal renovation
Triad Business Journal | 08.24.2026 Piedmont Triad International’s Airport Authority is considering the issuance of up to $300 million of revenue bonds for a project to renovate the terminal and concourses. The Guilford County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on the proposed bond issuance at its regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday, Sept.…
Wake, Mecklenburg Counties Report Record Visitor Spending
WRAL and the Charlotte Business Journal 8.20.2026 The greater Raleigh area and Wake County saw yet another year of record tourism in 2025. Visit Raleigh released the numbers on Thursday, saying a record-breaking 19.1 million people visited Wake County in 2025. That’s about a half-percent increase from 2024. The millions of visitors translated into billions…
School’s Back Already? Not in most of North Carolina
Axios Raleigh | 08.11.2026 Hundreds of traditional schools in North Carolina are reopening this week despite a state law barring them from starting classes before Aug. 24. Why it matters: America’s start-of-school season stretches nearly two months. Gone are the days of a shared “back-to-school” moment. State of play: North Carolina changed its law in 2004 after lobbying by coastal…
14-story South End hotel starts construction
Axios Charlotte | 07.29.2026 Construction started Wednesday on a 14-story, 295-room hotel in South End. Why it matters: Hotel construction has been slow in South End, while office and entertainment have boomed, creating demand for hospitality space. There’s currently only one other full-service hotel, the Holiday Inn. What to expect: The Autograph Collection by Marriott hotel, located on 0.6…
Canadians’ travel pullback costs U.S. tourism billions
Axios | 07.27.2026 Canadian travel to the U.S. fell 25% last year, according to a new Canadian government report, which says early 2026 data show the decline has persisted. Why it matters: The report provides some of the clearest measures yet of the economic cost to the U.S. tourism industry after trade tensions, tariffs and President Trump’s…
$1.3B stadium renovation project could lead to Super Bowl in Charlotte
Associated Press | 07.24.2026 Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper is investing an additional $500 million into ongoing stadium renovations to improve overall fan experience with an eye toward potentially bringing the Super Bowl, NFL draft, 2031 Women’s World Cup and other major sporting events to Charlotte. The investment coincides with the team announcing it has…
NC ranks 9th nationally for summer road trips in new WalletHub analysis
WNCN & WalletHub | 07.08.2026 WNCN reports North Carolina ranked ninth among all 50 states for summer road trips in WalletHub’s 2026 analysis, which compared states across 32 metrics covering cost, safety, and activities. NC’s strongest showing was 4th nationally for access to scenic byways, with top-20 rankings for hotel affordability, attractions, and nightlife per…
Stanley Cup Final brings $13.4 million boost to Raleigh, over 112,000 people packed Lenovo Center
WRAL | 06.24.2026 Visitors from all 50 states and two countries flocked to the Triangle for the Stanley Cup Final, delivering a giant economic boost to Raleigh. The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, securing the franchise’s first NHL title in 20 years. Sold-out games…