2008 ANNUAL REPORT - Downtown Raleigh Alliance

a message from DRA’s PRESIDENT
The momentum in downtown continues!
In spite of tough economic times, downtown is bucking
local and national trends. Indeed, I believe that 2008 will
be seen as a tipping point year for downtown. Why?
For starters, the opening of the Raleigh Convention Center
instantly elevated downtown’s image and role as a local,
national, and global destination for visitors. The importance
of a successful convention center cannot be overstated.
We’ve received incredible support from local businesses
in the Triangle that have hosted their meetings, galas,
and conferences at the beautifully-designed center.
Secondly, the relocation of RBC Bank’s headquarters to downtown sent a strong signal to
the marketplace that downtown is THE premier office location for any firm, small or large,
considering a move to greater pastures. Downtown Raleigh is the commercial hub of Wake
County, North Carolina. We can boast that we have almost 40,000 employees in downtown!
Thirdly, downtown has become a great place to live. We experienced record growth
in 2008 as hundreds of new residents call downtown home. Over 5,000 people
now live in downtown. We’re happy to announce the creation of a downtown residents
committee to help us promote urban living. Only when we have a critical mass of residents
can we attract retailers that will make downtown a shopping destination once again.
And lastly, our vision for the Alliance is to be recognized as the leader and champion for a vibrant
and dynamic downtown. We realized our vision and in some ways surpassed it in 2008. Our new
branding campaign, launched at the annual meeting, is just one example that demonstrates
our commitment to implementing our vision. I am proud to lead an organization that works hard,
pursues excellence, and seeks innovative and entrepreneurial approaches to getting things done
for our great downtown. I hope you join me in reaching our goals and vision for downtown.
David A. Diaz, President
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