Some HUGE developments are finally in the works!

We are family! The Honorable Mary Ann Baldwin, the mayor of Raleigh, North Carolina. Two term, two term mayor. You're very successful, ma'am.

I appreciate your time. I know where I stand on this. I think this is a pretty good day for not only the city of Raleigh, but really the entire state of North Carolina. You are the mayor, so tell me your thoughts on the hurricane signing a 20-year lease and agreeing to develop the area. What does this mean for Raleigh, Wake County, and really the entire central part of the state?

This is huge. I mean, this is probably the largest economic development deal in the history of our city. To have, well, first off, we're very fortunate to have the funding from the local agreement put into the arena renovations. But what the owner, Tom Dundon, has agreed to do with development around the arena, that is something we've dreamed of for 25 years.

So, it's finally going to happen and I couldn't be more excited. Mary Ann Baldwin is the mayor of Raleigh, North Carolina. And by the way, I mean, yes, you're the mayor, but your resume, which needs three pages, at one point, director of corporate communications and community relations for the hurricanes, executive director of the Teams Kids and Community Foundation. So, there's a tie back to this organization, not this organization because the organization has changed, but to this franchise. So, could you imagine then what is about to happen now?

No, we did not have, the vision wasn't there. And one thing I really appreciate is, since Dundon has purchased the team, there's a whole new level of reflection and investment. I'm thrilled because we have this opportunity. It's really great too, because the hurricanes have agreed to a 20-year extension on their lease. And for all those caniacs out there, they know we want this team to stay. And with these agreements, we're going to have those assurances. Mary Ann Baldwin is the mayor of Raleigh on Twitter, at Mary Ann Baldwin.

It's very, very simple. And you've been known to tweet during hockey games, so I know you're into it. So, what jumps out to you when you look at, I mean, there were two term sheets. There's the arena improvements and then there's the area.

But what jumps out to you as, my gosh, I can't believe we're going to get that. Development around the arena. When 25 years ago, this site was selected, people said, oh, this will spur development around the arena.

Has not happened. But what has happened in recent years, bandwidth opening their headquarters. You have DHHS, they'll be opening their new headquarters. We need this type of development. We need places for people to eat and sleep, like hotels. But what I'm thrilled about too is the housing component here and the commitment to affordable housing.

Workforce housing is really important. And imagine if you're an arena employee, all of a sudden, you could live there and walk to work and be affordable for you. So, I'm thrilled with what this means from a development standpoint. And that's what I'm most excited about. I think the arena getting the improvements and renovations it needs, that's great.

But it's the development piece that really has me jazzed. Yeah, no, I think that, and I've seen renderings of all of it, there have been plans in other parts of the city for different reasons. I know Steve Malik and the soccer team had visions about doing something downtown to kind of improve theirs, where they were.

That hasn't come off just yet, but this has tremendous potential. There's going to be an amphitheater, a music venue that is supposed to be part of this. You talked about the housing, all of the retail, bars and restaurants. For years, Mayor Baldwin, I have been screaming that we've always needed, if we weren't going to develop the area, we've needed a connection from where the arena is to the entertainment spots around town to get to Glenwood South, to get to the warehouse district. To get to Moore Square, I'm sure there are others, I don't go out, so I don't know what they're called.

So we've needed that, but it would certainly help if it's right there. I mean, I'm still pro-public transportation, some sort of a light rail, but man, this is absolutely awesome. Not to mention green spaces that will be part of this as well. If you could dream about, I want to see this, what would it be?

Well, here's where I'm at right now, if I could dream. A rail stop at Blue Ridge Road with bus rapid transit connections to not only the arena, but up and down the Blue Ridge corridor. I think that would make the whole area, it would make it really accessible, easy to get around, and more affordable. So that's my dream, but I think that what will be developed there over the next three phases, it's a game changer for our whole region. Will you be there with the shovel when the first thing happens? I hope so.

Figure out, I figure you'll figure out a way to get there. Mary Ann Baldwin, the honorable Mary Ann Baldwin, Mayor of Raleigh, North Carolina, I thank you very much for doing this. I appreciate your time. I know this is a great day for the city. Again, I think it's a great day for the whole region, but Raleigh, North Carolina is the home, and I look forward to seeing you at a game soon.

And who knows, maybe somewhere else. I appreciate your time. Adam, thank you so much, and thanks for being so excited about this too. It really, it's a game changer for our region. Look, I have been, for people who have been listening to me for longer than you probably want to, I've been talking about connecting the entertainment districts in the whole city for decades. We should have that. We should have a way to, so you didn't have to get in your car and drive from Glenwood South to our Canadas. They're not making it that long.

No, no, no, no, no. Look, would it be awesome if there was, you know, accessible public transportation from the northern, like forget about where we live, but yeah, I mean, North Raleigh, Wake Forest. I mean, it's not crazy thinking to have a public, you know, a train, a light rail to go from there to here, but man, this is going to be great.

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