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7/9/26, 2:55 PM City Council Work Session - Mar 10, 2026 - City Hall - City Council Conference Room, 2400 Washington Ave - Minutes - Adopted
Mr. Dowe shared the lineup which would include headliner Chance the Rapper, chosen for his
influence in culture, business, and politics, including his partnership with Michelle Obama
donating over $1 million to Chicago's education system. Other notable performers and
speakers include Damon John from Shark Tank, described as the epitome of mixing culture and
commerce through his FUBU clothing brand and investments in companies like Ring cameras;
Alo Black (Forbes' first artist in residence who invests heavily in medicine through his music
career and would serve as Friday night's kickoff performer); CeeLo Green (announcing his first
album in 18 years); David Eagleman, a neuroscientist and Stanford University graduate who
hosted and executive produced “Brain Games” and co-hosts the number one science podcast in
the United States; and Megan Hinshaw, CEO of Google Xi, who leads project in advanced
technology, medicine, and AI applications for business.
Regarding venues, Mr. Dowe indicated the main stage would be located at the Yard District
parking lot next to Ironclad Distillery (124 23rd Street), panels would be held in a 72-foot dome
structure at Victory Landing Park (50 26th Street), and existing businesses in the Yard District
(Ironclad Distillery and Coastal Fermentory) would be incorporated as panel spaces and VIP
areas both Friday and Saturday nights.
Mr. Dowe announced that tickets would go on sale Thursday, March 12, 2026 at 10:00 a.m.
through www.noodlecon.com, with the Fire Marshal capacity approved at 8,000 attendees. He
emphasized this represents a $3 million lineup and significant infrastructure investment.
Councilman Long inquired about incorporating existing local tech companies, Chamber of
Commerce, and Jefferson Lab into the entrepreneurial and innovation aspects. Mr. Dowe
confirmed they were working with the Vice Mayor Bethany to bring in speakers and decision
makers from those organizations, and explained they needed to establish national talent first
before determining where local entities would best fit in the programming.
Councilman Coleman expressed that he was not fully informed about the event until reading
about it in the Daily Press earlier today. He questioned the attendance capacity, noting that
initial discussions mentioned 30,000 – 40,000 people. Mr. Dowe advised that the Fire Marshal
approved only 8,000 due to realistic road closure limitations and safety requirements.
Councilman Coleman questioned the lineup development process and whether it represented
the entire City. Mr. Dowe confirmed the lineup was developed by executive producers based on
the event's goals and available calendars, and he believed it hit every age demographic and type
of person as intended.
Councilman Coleman questioned the name "Noodle" and expressed difficulty connecting it to
the festival concept. Mr. Dowe replied comparing it to Apple being a tech company rather than
a fruit, he further encouraged the use of "convention" rather than "festival" to distinguish the
event's deeper purpose.
Councilwoman Vick expressed concerns about the name's appeal to non-artsy individuals and
questioned the strategy for ticket sales, emphasizing the importance of selling as many tickets
as previously discussed. Mr. Dowe reiterated that Mayor Jones wanted something deeper than
a music festival, and the full name "Noodle: The Thinkers’ Convention" drove directly toward
their goal of bringing large-scale talent beyond just music. Councilwoman Vick requested
further offline discussion about marketing strategy.
Councilman Harris inquired about ticket structure, learning that one affordable ticket would
provide access to all programming, allowing attendees to choose whether to attend educational
panels or entertainment based on their preferences. He also inquired about alignment with
existing Newport News programs and businesses. Mr. Dowe confirmed 100% involvement from
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