94 lines
4.6 KiB
Markdown
94 lines
4.6 KiB
Markdown
# Contact List: Raleigh Sports & Entertainment District — $1B Development
|
|
|
|
> **Project:** 80-acre mixed-use entertainment district surrounding Lenovo Center (Hurricanes/NC State arena)
|
|
> **Developer:** Pacific Elm Properties (Dallas, TX) + Gale Force Sports & Entertainment (Hurricanes parent)
|
|
> **Owner/Driver:** Tom Dundon (Carolina Hurricanes owner)
|
|
> **Est. Cost:** $1 billion across 4 phases (7-10 year buildout)
|
|
> **Stage:** Phase 1 construction expected 2026
|
|
> **Civil Engineer:** Kimley-Horn
|
|
> **Updated:** 2026-02-01
|
|
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
## PACIFIC ELM PROPERTIES (Lead Developer)
|
|
|
|
### Billy Prewitt
|
|
- **Title:** CEO (appointed Sept 2025, succeeding founder Jonas Woods)
|
|
- **Organization:** Pacific Elm Properties, Dallas, TX
|
|
- **Why:** Current CEO running the firm. Previously CIO — founding partner since 2008. Will be the key decision-maker for capital partnerships on this project.
|
|
- **LinkedIn:** Search "Billy Prewitt Pacific Elm Properties"
|
|
- **Source:** Dallas Business Journal, Sept 2025
|
|
|
|
### Jonas Woods
|
|
- **Title:** Founder (stepped down as CEO Sept 2025 — launched separate $4B venture)
|
|
- **Organization:** Pacific Elm Properties (founder) / New venture
|
|
- **Why:** Original Raleigh district visionary. Led Victory Park development in Dallas (2M SF mixed-use). Principal in Dallas Mavericks acquisition. Led American Airlines Center financing. Even if not day-to-day at PacElm anymore, still influential.
|
|
- **Background:** 30+ years RE, $6B+ in acquisition/development transactions. Office, residential, industrial, retail, mixed-use.
|
|
- **LinkedIn:** Search "Jonas Woods Pacific Elm"
|
|
- **Website:** pacelm.com
|
|
|
|
### Pacific Elm Portfolio Context
|
|
- **Existing:** 6 Class A towers, 4.4M SF (office, residential, hotel, retail)
|
|
- **Pipeline:** 9.7M SF mixed-use development including 2.8M SF office, 4,400 residential units, 1,000 hotel keys, 500K SF retail
|
|
- **This means:** Raleigh is one piece of a massive pipeline — they likely need capital partners across multiple projects
|
|
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
## GALE FORCE SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT (Hurricanes Parent)
|
|
|
|
### Tom Dundon
|
|
- **Title:** Owner, Carolina Hurricanes / Chairman, Gale Force Sports & Entertainment
|
|
- **Why:** THE driving force behind the district. Extended Hurricanes lease through 2044 in exchange for development rights on surrounding 80 acres. Ultimate decision-maker.
|
|
- **LinkedIn:** Search "Tom Dundon"
|
|
- **Notes:** Dallas-based billionaire. Made fortune in auto lending (Santander Consumer USA). Also explored AAF football league investment.
|
|
|
|
### Don Waddell
|
|
- **Title:** President & GM, Carolina Hurricanes
|
|
- **Why:** Operational leader of the Hurricanes organization. May have connections to business development side.
|
|
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
## CITY/COUNTY OFFICIALS
|
|
|
|
### Mary-Ann Baldwin
|
|
- **Title:** Mayor, City of Raleigh
|
|
- **Why:** Approved the development deal, extended arena lease. Pro-development.
|
|
- **Contact:** raleighnc.gov
|
|
|
|
### Wake County Board of Commissioners
|
|
- **Why:** County owns the arena land. Key stakeholder in the development agreement.
|
|
- **Contact:** wake.gov
|
|
|
|
### Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority (RDU)
|
|
- **Why:** Pacific Elm is ALSO in discussions with RDU to redevelop 100+ acres of Lake Crabtree County Park off I-40 — another potential partnership angle.
|
|
- **Source:** Triangle Business Journal, July 2025
|
|
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
## ENGINEERING/DESIGN
|
|
|
|
### Kimley-Horn
|
|
- **Role:** Civil engineer for the project
|
|
- **Why:** Already engaged — could provide introductions or context on project timeline
|
|
- **Website:** kimley-horn.com
|
|
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
## INDUSTRY COMMENTARY
|
|
|
|
### Jim Anthony — CEO & Founder, APG Companies
|
|
- **Quote:** "The only other person in Raleigh who has pulled off something this ambitious is John Kane. Let's hope and pray that Tom Dundon is successful."
|
|
- **Why:** Local CRE leader who understands the market. Potential intro or market intelligence source.
|
|
- **Website:** apgcre.com
|
|
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
## OUTREACH STRATEGY
|
|
|
|
1. **Primary Target:** Billy Prewitt (new CEO, Pacific Elm) — he's running the development side and likely open to capital partner discussions as they tackle a $1B multi-phase project
|
|
2. **Secondary:** Tom Dundon's business office — harder to reach but the ultimate decision-maker
|
|
3. **Municipal Angle:** Wake County commissioners — they control the arena land and could facilitate introductions
|
|
4. **RDU Angle:** If Pacific Elm is doing 100+ acres with RDU AND 80 acres at the arena district, they have massive capital needs across multiple projects
|
|
5. **Timeline:** Phase 1 breaking ground 2026, 4 total phases over 7-10 years = multiple capital raise windows
|
|
6. **Competitive Intel:** Compare to John Kane's North Hills development in Raleigh — that's the local benchmark
|