New Meeting Spaces & Airport Expansion In Wilmington, NC

Courtesy of Wilmington & Beaches

Riverfront Park & Amphitheater
Riverfront Park & Amphitheater is scheduled to open in July 2021 in Wilmington’s Convention District. This 6.6-acre urban green space is an ideal outdoor location for receptions and special events, plus for attendees to enjoy during downtime, whether it’s for a morning jog, an evening concert or something in between. It can accommodate more than 6,000 people for an event. The park will take advantage of views of the Cape Fear River and be connected by the downtown Riverwalk. A playground with a splash pad, shade trees and lush gardens will allow visitors to enjoy respite among the active downtown urban landscape. The project has received WEDG Verification, which is the gold standard for resilient, ecologically-sound and accessible projects along the coast. The park’s largest feature will include be a large open-air music venue managed by Live Nation, making it one of only a handful of Live Nation music venues located on the water. The amphitheater’s VIP Club will feature a balcony overlooking the seating area.

Aloft Wilmington at Coastline Center
Also, currently under construction in downtown Wilmington, the Aloft Wilmington at Coastline Center will be a seven-story, 125-room property featuring a full-service restaurant, ground-level bar, rooftop bar, meeting rooms, banquet rooms, outdoor terraces, a fitness center and an outdoor pool, as well as a 7,000 square-foot ballroom. The Aloft features a unique pedestrian- and pet-friendly “Front Yard.” The outdoor space will offer seating, a fire pit and music, and it will be connected to the hotel’s bar, the WXYZ Lounge, for outdoor beverage service. The “Front Yard” can accommodate up to 50 guests. Guests can host weddings and private events on the rooftop bistro bar, Above, which looks out across the scenic Cape Fear River. Offering indoor and outdoor seating, the rooftop venue is available for up to 100 guests. Now part of the Aloft, the Coastline Center was constructed in the late 19th century for the Atlantic Coastline Railroad (ACL). It can host groups of up to 500. The hotel will also be home to The Atlantic, a chef-driven restaurant serving Carolina-inspired dishes with a European flare alongside a comprehensive wine selection that can be savored in the indoor dining room, on the riverfront patio or in the private second-floor Wine Loft. The Aloft is set to open in late summer 2021.

Wilmington International Airport
Wilmington International Airport (ILM) offers non-stop flights to Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Philadelphia, New York, Washington, D.C., and Boston (seasonal). A $60 million airport expansion, scheduled for completion in late 2022 or early 2023, will see four additional gates, a restaurant, concessions and more added to the terminal. As part of a partnership with the Arts Council of Wilmington, public art will be included in the expansion project.