An encouraging Friday night downtown

Downtown Cedar Rapids had a pretty strong pulse Friday night.

My wife and I went to the newly revamped U.S. Cellular Center for some free Slap N' Tickle. And, clearly, we weren't alone. Slap N' Tickle, by the way, is an '80s heavy metal cover band. For us, the band's short show was a nostalgic ride in a big hairy spandex time machine. With bargain beers, no less.

But there's nothing nostalgic about the arena. It looks and feels brand new. The old concrete bunker has become a modern venue. Slap N' Tickle's performance was a test drive before paying customers came to see Lady Antebellum on Saturday night.

I'm not a professional crowd-counter, but several hundred people, at least, took advantage of the free show to check out the joint, as well as the connected convention complex and remodeled DoubleTree by Hilton Cedar Rapids. More than a few of us made it to the 16th floor restaurant and bar, where the views of the city on a beautiful spring night were totally awesome, as we used to say in the '80s.

And although this was a test, and only a test, the scene was real and really encouraging.

The leaders who shoveled quite a pile of public dough into this project did so based on a prediction that activity at the complex, arena and hotel would spill over into economic benefits for the surrounding core and community. It was a big risk, and remains a big risk even now as plans and promises have turned into steel, stone and glass. Lots of glass.

But on Friday night, at least, outdoor tables at nearby restaurants were packed. Sidewalks were filled with folks enjoying the evening. Bars looked busy. We walked over to Cobble Hill, the newish restaurant on Second Street SE near Third Avenue, and we found plenty of other patrons enjoying dinner.

Some folks, like us, came for the show. Some probably stuck around after work, or after the weekly Uptown Friday Nights concert event in Greene Square Park. I'm sure others were downtown for various reasons. But the combination was striking, and defied the persistent pessimistic pronouncements that nobody wants to be down here. Then, 18,000 came to the farmers market on Saturday morning.

I'm not declaring the complex's opening a sure or permanent success. Who knows what issues and pitfalls may await us as these facilities sail into the highly competitive waters and their newness fades?

But lots of our money is tied up in these venues, so we should hope for success. Friday night was a good start.