RALEIGH – It you want to grasp the size and scope of the $1.9 billion Downtown South project from developer John Kane and North Carolina Football Club Steve Malik you have to think huge, not big.

The 20,000 seat soccer stadium is at the core of the project which Kane and Malik plan to cover 51 acres. Their concept calls for a mixed use development that will include residential housing, office space, retail outlets and hotels. And if the site does hit that $1.9 billion target here is what it could compare to:

  • More than 10 PNC Areas, built at a cost of $158 million in 1997
  • 1o times the $200 million in upgrades sought for PNC upgrades
  • 20 32-story RBC (now PNC) Towers, built for $100 million in 2008
  • 10 Amazon distribution centers like the one being built in Garner
  • 10 Durham Bulls Athletic Parks – at least (with renovations plus three office towers)

In terms of economic impact, as we reported last week, the value of the 20,000 seat stadium and surrounding development is worth twice as much as all the “active projects” being considered for Wake County, according to Wake County Economic Development.

Since last October, in fact, the 85 projects reviewed totaled $2.3 billion.

Also as WRAL TechWire noted on Monday, the project means thousands of jobs and is 10 times the value of the Amazon investment which was the largest development deal announced in Wake County last year, according to North Carolina Department of Commerce data.

Kane has spent years developing Raleigh’s North Hills with shopping, office towers, residential and a luxury hotel. But Downtown South on paper makes North Hills almost pale in comparison.

Want more? Here you go:

Malik, Kane promise $1.9B, need public support for entertainment, retail, residential project in downtown Raleigh

If Apple had chosen to build a new campus in RTP, the investment would been about half of the Kane-Malik project.

Amazon HQ2 would have been more than double – but that Jeff Bezos bainchild ended up being split, so renderings of Downtown South give you an idea of what HQ2 might have looked at in Raleigh.

In fact, Downtown South rivals in scale the Research Triangle Park Center revitalization project announced in 2012, a development recently rebooted and moving toward construction.

Public investment of more than $2 billion would have been required for the light rail project in the Triangle, but that’s been cancelled.

So where else to look for comparisons and perspectives?

Pro sports palaces

While the Malik-Kane stadium is only 20,000 seats the investment compares in numbers to the rash of new NFL and sports stadiums in recent years.

Entrepreneurs salute Malik’s ‘grit’ as he pursues $1.9B development deal

For example, the 100,000-seat Dallas Cowboys Taj Mahal was built for $1.15 billion. Additional development around the AT&T Stadium by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones more than doubles that total.

But Downtown South won’t cost much less at full buildout. Can you believe that?

SeatGeek.com recently listed the most expensive stadium projects, and only two come it at more than Downtown South (minus future related development).

The most expensive: LA Stadium future home of the Rams and Chargers, at $2.66 billion

Next: Las Vegas Raiders Stadium at $2.4 billion.

Get the picture?

As Dick Vitale might say, “Big time, baby!”