Raleigh Convention Center reopens this week for first time since fire

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — The Raleigh Convention Center will reopen this week as it prepares for its first event tomorrow since a fire broke out on the roof last month.

The commercial kitchen inside still has a lingering smoke smell and the drywall and ceiling tiles are gone, but that is where the mobile kitchen comes in.

The mobile kitchen and Red Hat Amphitheater has rows of crates for commercial equipment where food will be cooked then driven over in trailers and hoisted up into the building, to get to people’s plates.

Reopening the center this week saves about $4 million in booked revenue, 28,000 hotel stays, and other tourism dollars.

The first event tomorrow is the two-day Prometheus Group Sales Kickoff.

Six events were postponed or relocated, including Animate! Raleigh, which was rescheduled to March.

A volleyball tournament is planned for next weekend.