See renderings: Omni Hotel details plans for downtown Raleigh
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A rendering of the planned Omni Hotel in Downtown Raleigh. Rendering: City of Raleigh
Fresh details about a luxurious Omni Hotel in downtown Raleigh to complement the city's expanded convention center were released this week, including its size and amenities.
Why it matters: The expansion of the Raleigh Convention Center and the addition of an Omni Hotel — both funded by the city and county's interlocal fund — are two of the biggest projects planned for downtown Raleigh in the coming years.
- The city hopes the projects will be a catalyst for revitalizing the struggling downtown area by accommodating more business events and foot traffic.
State of play: The interlocal fund comes from taxes on hotels and food and beverages in Raleigh and Wake County.
- The money from the tax can only be used to support projects that would increase tourism in the county — specifically for the arts, cultural activities, sports and the convention center.
Zoom in: The Omni Hotel could receive up to $75 million from the interlocal fund, a commitment that will be the subject of a public hearing on Nov. 19.
- The 27-story hotel tower, per Omni reps, would have more than 500 rooms, a rooftop pool, two ballrooms and more than 60,000 square feet of meeting space meant to complement the convention center.
- Additionally, there would be three stories of parking. The Omni will be built on a city-owned parking lot on Fayetteville Street between the convention center and the Martin Marietta Center for Performing Arts.
- Representatives from the Omni told the Raleigh City Council this week they are also looking to add a restaurant, cafe and sports bar facing Fayetteville Street to create more of an activation on the ground level.
- Construction, if financing gets approved, could start by 2026.
