2019 First Quarter Updates | RCP Companies
Fresh start to a fresh new year!
Even with record-breaking rainfall at the beginning of this year, our teams haven’t slowed down! Buildings have gone vertical, businesses have opened, and more plans have gone into design. Here’s a recap of what’s been happening in the RCP office during the first few months of 2019.
$4 Million Huntsville Amphitheater Design Contract Approved
In January, Huntsville City Council subsequently voted 4-1 to approve a $4 million contract with Matheny-Goldmon Architects and an international team of designers, architects, music industry experts after Mayor Tommy Battle and members of his Urban and Economic Development team proposed a new $40 million amphitheater to be built in the public park as part of the MidCity development.
When The City approached RCP about purchasing Madison Square Mall in 2015, the initial plans included a Destination Amphitheater to anchor the public park. Since then, plans evolved and partnerships were established to make this amphitheater a world-class venue to serve the music industry beyond our city borders.
Why an amphitheater in Huntsville? Investment in arts and cultural infrastructure is not only a quality of life amenity but also an economic development driver. It would attract tourists to drive to Huntsville for music, rather than Huntsville citizens taking their dollars to other music cities. In a recent study conducted by the city, this type of venue will generate $4.8 million in revenue from concert tickets alone in year one. This doesn’t even include food, beverages, hotel rooms, gas, and other types of peripheral spending.
Why at MidCity? Proximity to Research Park Boulevard, I-565, and US Hwy 72 is just one strength of the project. The 18-city-block development sits on the corridor which accounts for 23% of our sales tax base, adjacent to the city’s largest employment area, and in the center of major commuter hubs in the region. People want an experience when they go to a show – pregame and postshow activities are within walking distance of the venue
Why now? Huntsville is ready to be taken to the next level across the Southeast. We have thousands of jobs emerging which means we need to recruit great young talent who WANT to move to Huntsville now! An amphitheater would extend beyond the music industry. AL.com quoted Councilwoman Jennie Robinson saying, “We have made promises to employers like Facebook and Toyota Mazda and Aerojet (Rocketdyne) and all these others. If we are going to recruit the workers it’s going to take to keep those promises, this is the kind of project it will take.”
This design contract carry is only the beginning of a series of further discussions, including the importance of an operator for this venue. The proposed anticipated schedule states the design timeline ranging from now until September 2019, with construction beginning in October. The first show is projected for April 2021.
Subscribe to MidCity’s newsletter and follow on socials to be updated on the progress!
AC Hotel Downtown Huntsville Now Open
The first piece of our CityCentre development in Downtown Huntsville is now open for business! The AC Hotel by Marriott – the first in Alabama – announced in March that it is now welcoming guests at its location at Williams Avenue and Monroe Street.
The hotel has 120 rooms over six levels and has blended itself into the Rocket City by adopting some historic neighborhood names. The facility’s three meeting rooms are named for former Huntsville mills: Lincoln, Lowe and Merrimack. Together the three rooms have been tabbed The Gallery at Big Spring Park – an event space for more than 200 guests that overlooks the downtown park by the same name and, according to the hotel, is “perfect for wedding receptions.”
Later this year, the hotel will open The Veranda – the second-floor terrace bar overlooking the park and adjacent to the event space.
In RCP’s development partnership with Doradus, the hotel was the 10th signed U.S. location for AC Hotels, a global joint venture with Spanish hotelier Antonio Catalan.
Subscribe to CityCentre’s newsletter and follow on socials to be updated on the progress!
ULTA at Merchants Square Now Open
In February, the Shops at Merchants Walk celebrated the Grand Opening of anchor tenant Ulta Beauty! The beauty store chain will carry a wide variety of makeup, fragrances and hair products. Also coming to Merchants Square are Chuy’s Mexican restaurant, J. Whitener Boutique, and The Brass Tap. ChopChop Fresh Salads will be opening their second Huntsville location here, and new-to-Huntsville Hand & Stone will be offering facials, massages and more in this corridor.
Follow Merchants Square and Merchants Walk on Facebook to stay in the know on new tenants and events!
The Camp at MidCity in Action!
Have you been to The Camp yet? Our team opened The Camp to set the ethos of what’s to come at MidCity. It’s a coffee shop, patio with a fire pit, full bar, food truck lot, live music joint, yoga space, event venue, and dog-friendly place to be. FEED Fried Chicken, Mucha Lucha and The Camp Bar are open Thursday-Sunday, Alchemy Coffee is open 7 days a week, live music on the weekends and a Farmers Market on Sundays.
We’re using the power of community through music to create a space for everyone to gather. When people come together, they feel a part of something bigger than themselves and prosperity follows— economically, socially, culturally and soulfully. The vision installed at The Camp will transfer to the bigger picture – the urban district of MidCity.
Subscribe to The Camp’s newsletter and follow on socials @explorethecamp to be updated on the weekly events!