Showmars will be sticking around the Government Center another five years

Showmars has had a restaurant inside the Government Center in Second Ward since 2010. If you love it there, you’re in luck: The City Council is about to vote to renew their lease for another five years.

The whole place will be renovated.

The kitchen equipment will all be replaced with energy-efficient appliances, the dining area will be spruced up and new healthy menu options added.

The dining room work will likely cost around $245,000 and will begin the week of July 4 (when there’s not a lot of people around the Gov Center). The city will pay for $150,000 of it.

They’re going to get a big break on rent, too.

Showmars’ monthly rent will go down to $3,000 from $4,856. Why? The restaurant’s sales have gone down 30 percent since the city started doing security checks at all the entrances in 2012. Also Showmars is going to take over ownership of all the kitchen appliances and maintenance (the city had previously done that to the tune of about $650 per month).

Showmars has 31 locations in the Charlotte area.