East Charlotte's long-awaited sports venue is closer to becoming a reality — but needs more public dollars
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The Complex. Rendering: City of Charlotte
City leaders are preparing to invest another $11.3 million to ensure east Charlotte gets its long-awaited sports and entertainment destination at the old Eastland Mall site.
Why it matters: Charlotte council members are literally saying "hell yes" to putting $41 million in to get this project moving. They're relieved to finally see progress on Eastland's eastern portion.
The latest: The city's economic development committee discussed Tuesday the extra public investment needed for the amateur sports facility, called "The Complex."
- Council already OK'd $30 million for the project last October. The additional funds would cover price escalations and new infrastructure needs, such as retaining walls and drainage pipes.
Context: The city is working with Charlotte developer Crosland Southeast to redevelop this 80-acre site, which was a mall that fell into decline. The mall closed in 2010 and the building was demolished in 2013.
- The 29 acres in question are where Tepper Sports and Entertainment intended to build its Charlotte FC practice facility before changing locations in 2022. The city had to reimagine the site's purpose.
The big picture: The Complex will include a 100,000-square-foot indoor facility with multi-purpose courts that can be converted to 10 basketball courts, 16 volleyball courts and 30 pickleball courts.
- Inside will also be a fitness center, concessions and leasable space for medical offices or physical therapy.
- Plans also call for six multi-sport artificial turf fields outside and restaurant space.
- There are about 780 parking spots planned across two lots and on-street spaces.
- An ice rink could be part of a future phase at The Complex, which would be nostalgic to longtime Charlotteans who used to skate at Eastland Mall's ice rink.
Flashback: About a year ago, the city asked two rival bidders who wanted to build on the site to merge their proposals. The Complex is the result.
- The merged team includes EDGE Sports Global; Bolton, Ivory and Cantey LLC; Charlotte Soccer Academy; and Southern Entertainment, which put on Lovin' Life Music Fest.
The big picture: Construction is continuing on other parts of the Eastland site. An apartment building with ground-floor retail for minority-owned businesses is going up. The county is designing a 4.5-acre park, and Saussy Burbank will build the first single-family houses and townhomes.
- Expect the first residents to live in the senior housing building, which is nearly complete, by the end of this year.
What they're saying: Council member Marjorie Molina, who represents east Charlotte, called the extra public investment a "no-brainer."
- "We can see the finish line, and we can see this opportunity being realized," Molina says. "Are we willing to do our part to finish this? And for me, that's a hell yes."
What's next: A full council vote on the additional funding will take place Sept. 9.
- Infrastructure will be ready to start building The Complex in early 2025. Construction will take between 24 to 36 months.