ing ▁Arts ▁Center ▁has ▁been ▁cred ited ▁with ▁benef iting ▁the ▁restaurant ▁business ▁in ▁dow nt own ▁Dur ham , ▁in ▁spite ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 – 2 0 1 0 ▁re cess ion . ▁ ▁Five ▁restaur ants ▁have ▁opened ▁in ▁dow nt own ▁Dur ham ▁in ▁proxim ity ▁to ▁the ▁the ater ▁since ▁its ▁opening , ▁significantly ▁supported ▁by ▁pre - ▁and ▁post - show ▁seat ings ▁generated ▁by ▁the ▁the ater . ▁ ▁The ▁the ater ▁was ▁c ited ▁in ▁a ▁CNN ▁M oney ▁and ▁Fort une ▁Magazine ▁article ▁ranking ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁Dur ham ▁as ▁number ▁one ▁in ▁its ▁list ▁of ▁" 2 5 ▁Best ▁Places ▁to ▁Ret ire ." ▁▁ ▁In ▁spite ▁of ▁the ▁sharp est ▁decl ine ▁in ▁the ▁travel ▁and ▁le is ure ▁sector ▁in ▁a ▁generation ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁recent ▁re cess ion , ▁the ▁State ▁of ▁North ▁Carolina ▁ranked ▁as ▁the ▁third - high est ▁state ▁in ▁hospital ity ▁job ▁growth ▁according ▁to ▁the ▁Bureau ▁of ▁Labor ▁Statistics . ▁ ▁The ▁Dur ham ▁Perform ing ▁Arts ▁Center ▁was ▁c ited ▁as ▁contrib uting ▁" to ▁the ▁growth ▁of ▁le is ure ▁and ▁hospital ity ▁jobs ▁in ▁North ▁Carolina ▁over ▁the ▁past ▁five ▁years " ▁by ▁the ▁Tri angle ▁Business ▁Journal . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁the ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁board ▁of ▁what ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁D P AC ' s ▁primary ▁local ▁book ing , ▁the ▁American ▁Dance ▁Festival , ▁said ▁that ▁the ▁goals ▁of ▁D P