▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Dur ham ) ▁or ▁the ▁Progress ▁Energy ▁Center ▁for ▁the ▁Perform ing ▁Arts ▁in ▁R ale igh . ▁ ▁However , ▁contrary ▁to ▁these ▁concerns , ▁the ▁D P AC ▁has ▁actually ▁benef ited ▁the ▁Carolina ▁Theatre ▁through ▁co - prom otion ▁opportun ities ▁and ▁other ▁policies ▁and ▁activities . ▁ ▁On ▁July ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁less ▁than ▁three ▁years ▁after ▁the ▁grand ▁opening ▁of ▁D P AC , ▁it ▁was ▁announced ▁that ▁the ▁Carolina ▁Theatre ▁was ▁ranked ▁among ▁the ▁top ▁ 1 0 0 ▁the aters ▁in ▁the ▁world ▁in ▁attend ance ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁its ▁history . ▁ ▁Form er ▁Dur ham ▁City ▁Council ▁member ▁Thomas ▁St ith ▁object ed ▁when ▁city ▁employee ▁Mark ▁Gre ens pan ▁lo bb ied ▁the ▁city ▁council ▁on ▁beh alf ▁of ▁the ▁theatre ' s ▁event ual ▁contract or , ▁Sk anska , ▁and ▁then ▁went ▁to ▁work ▁for ▁Sk anska ▁four ▁months ▁after ▁the ▁contract ▁was ▁awarded . ▁St ith ▁called ▁for ▁a ▁" co ol ing - off ▁period " ▁for ▁city ▁employees , ▁similar ▁to ▁those ▁en act ed ▁by ▁state ▁and ▁federal ▁govern ments . ▁The ▁Dur ham ▁City ▁Council ▁rejected ▁the ▁measure ▁in ▁April ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁ ▁Perform ances ▁The ▁the ater ▁hosts ▁primarily ▁national ▁tour ing ▁acts . ▁Its ▁first ▁performance , ▁which ▁was ▁sold ▁out , ▁was ▁B . B . ▁King . ▁Local ▁book ings ▁by ▁ 2 0 0 8