Businesses welcome Hall's impact

Tony Bennett’s performance in September at Memorial Hall will do more than pack the renovated theater ­— it will get people stepping out in downtown Chapel Hill.

“That’s part of the whole idea,” said Emil Kang, executive director for the arts, who is in charge of several campus performance spaces. “It’s a whole evening out.”

Kang said Memorial Hall will positively affect both the University and businesses downtown.

“What’s good for the town, is good for us and vice versa,” he said.

Memorial Hall reopens with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Sept. 8 and is scheduled to host more than 40 performances throughout the year. Acts include DJ Spooky; Leonard Slatkin, the national symphony music director; and Bonnie Raitt.

With such an eclectic lineup, area merchants likely will see a spike in business.

“Something like (Memorial Hall) can really draw people to Franklin Street, especially with such diverse, world-class acts,” said Guy Murphy, manager at Top of the Hill.

Franklin Street — home to a litany of bars, restaurants and dessert shops — will be an adjacent destination point for theatergoers, and businesses are expecting customers to pour in after performances.

Before the reopening, students on campus noted the potential for increased traffic downtown.

“Memorial Hall looks really nice, and people will want to do something special before or after,” said sophomore Kaitlin Horst, who works at the box office. “It isn’t like you wear jeans to something like this.”

Jim Heavner, co-chairman for the Memorial Hall transformation committee — which raised more than $5 million for the project — said the potential economic benefit to the town made it easier to get private funds.

“The spirit of the campaign was one of generosity,” he said.

Tommy O’Connell, a managing partner at 411 West on Franklin Street, said his business is on board with Memorial Hall.

“Before Memorial Hall closed a couple of years ago, we definitely benefited from its performances,” he said. “Now, Kang has made it 10 times better and substantially increased the quality of the performances.”

Margaret Skinner, director of public relations at the Carolina Inn, said the expanded programing will benefit the hotel’s restaurant and get people to stay over night.

“Because of the reopening, I suspect we will schedule events to accommodate the increase in Memorial Hall traffic,” she said.

Until the opening gala Sept. 9, the public and business community will just have to wait and see.

Contact the A&E Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.