RALEIGH, NC (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — The City of Raleigh's bid to name its new amphitheater for a beer has flopped with state regulators.
The State Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission rejected Raleigh's proposal to sell naming rights for its new outdoor facility to Bud Light.
The city wanted the commission to exempt it from state liquor advertising regulations that ban an alcoholic beverage from being part of the name of a public venue.P>
The deal between Raleigh and Bud Light distributor Harris Wholesale would have paid the city a total of $1.5 million over the next 5 years according to Raleigh's local ABC News. The money would have gone towards operating costs.
The public's voice was heard through an online survey posted on the City of Raleigh's website, and most showed support for the crisp new name. However, advocacy groups complained that naming the venue after an alcoholic beverage would send the wrong message to children.
Raleigh mayor Charles Meeker disagreed at a news conference in May, saying "We've been recognized as one of the most wired cities, educated cities, best places to work and live and the like. We got there because the community is different. It's a younger community people are accustomed to going out where alcoholic beverages are served. Things may have been different 20 or 30 years ago but now we really are a 21st century city. Something like a beer name is not out of place in our community," according to Raleigh's local ABC News.– CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
