May 3, 2024

Today’s Weather

87º | 10% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 6:19 a.m. | Sunset 8:11 p.m.
Full Weather Report | Traffic Report

✈️ Destination CLT

A artist's colored map rendering of buildings and retail complexes in proximity to Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

Crosland Southeast — a southeast real estate developer, proposed plans for a new Destination District for Charlotte Douglas International Airport. | Photo via the City of Charlotte

Ambitious plans aim for sky-high potential to bring further growth and economic promise to the “front door” of Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

In documents obtained by CLTtoday, developers submitted proposals ranging from hotels, breweries to manufacturing space to revamp 90 acres of land along North Josh Birmingham Parkway and Stafford Drive near Wilkinson Boulevard.

The land — owned by the airport — is considered Charlotte Douglas International Airport’s “front door.” Developers aim to capitalize by making CLT a destination in and of itself. Airport planners see the Queen City as an airport city.

An artist's rendering of hotel towers above traffic and people walking on the street below. — Crosland Southeast intends to develop 300 hotel rooms across two hotels + 50,000-sqft of retail space near Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
|
Photo via the City of Charlotte

These proposals follow the airport’s announcement of “Destination CLT” — a $4 billion capital investment in enhancement projects to reflect CLT becoming not only one of the busiest airports in the US, but in the world.

Developers with proposals include:

Major site + retail development
- Crosland Southeast
- Lansing Melbourne Group
- Samet, Gensler, and The Providence Group
Hotel development
- DreamCatcher Hotels
- Naman Hotels
- Vinta Group
Energy charging stalls
- Koulomb LLC
Industrial + manufacturing space
- Portman Industrial
- Trammell Crow Company (TCC)
- Seefried Industrial Properties

An artist's rendering of a public art display. — Crosland Southeast offered a proposal for custom architectural features to be situated on the corners bracketing Josh Birmingham Pkwy to round out the grand entry into the airport.
|
Photo via the City of Charlotte

The airport intends to request approval from the City of Charlotte with the respective developers later this fall. Contracts are expected to be closed by Dec. 1.

Editor’s note: big days are coming for Charlotte Douglas with the debut of a new aviation museum and an airport overlook opening in the next few months.

Asked

What would you like to see built near Charlotte Douglas International Airport?

A. Hotels
B. Restaurants
C. Breweries
D. Stores for shopping

Plans to take flight

Events

Friday, May 3

First Friday Fest at Urban District Market | Friday, May 3 | 4-8 p.m. | Urban District Market, 2315 N. Davidson St., Charlotte | Free | Support local by shopping for goods from this pop-up market.
Rodney Carrington | Friday, May 3 | 7 p.m. | Ovens Auditorium, 2700 E. Independence Blvd., Charlotte | $49.50-$69.50 | Prepare for a night of songs and laughs seeing the comedian and country music artist perform on his tour stop in the Queen City.
Charlotte Knights vs. Norfolk Tides | Friday, May 3 | 6:04 p.m. | Truist Field, 324 S. Mint St., Charlotte | $16-$65 | Celebrate a Friday night at the ballpark watching the Knights at home + a spectacular fireworks display after the game.

Saturday, May 4

Strawberry Jamboree | Saturday, May 4 | 10 a.m.-1 p.m. | Schiele Museum of Natural History, 1500 E. Garrison Blvd., Gastonia | $8 | Enjoy cooking demos, games, + learn how strawberries grow.
Kings Drive Art Walk | Saturday, May 4 | 11 a.m.-6 p.m. | Little Sugar Creek Greenway, 600 S. Kings Dr., Charlotte | Free | Browse vendor tents + support local artists in this annual festival.
Stars Wars Night at Charlotte Knights | Saturday, May 4 | Truist Field, 324 S. Mint St., Charlotte | $16-$65 | “May the Fourth” be with you watching the Knights take the field in their “Star Wars” jerseys.
Charlotte FC vs. Portland Timbers | Saturday, May 4 | 7:30 p.m. | Bank of America Stadium, 800 S. Mint St., Charlotte | $20-$172 | Get ready to cheer on Charlotte FC with the home crowd.

Sunday, May 5

40th Birthday Celebration for the Charlotte Regional Farmers Market | Sunday, May 5 | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | Charlotte Regional Farmers Market, 1801 Yorkmont Rd., Charlotte | Free | Savor delicious samplings from sea food, desserts, breweries, and wineries.
Mrs. Doubtfire | Sunday, May 5 | 1:30 p.m. + 7 p.m. | Belk Theatre, 130 N. Tryon St., Charlotte | $30 | Everyone’s favorite Scottish nanny is in Charlotte for the beloved musical comedy.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Job

A lithium battery parts manufacturer plans to invest $140 million and create 500+ jobs in the Charlotte area. Green New Energy Materials Inc. will open a 500,000 sqft plant in Lincoln County. The average salary will be $57,934, above Lincoln County’s average wage of $51,886. (The Charlotte Observer)

Cause

The Tunnels to Towers Foundation announced it will provide mortgage-free homes to all four families of the officers killed in Monday’s standoff in East Charlotte. Multiple local fundraisers are accepting community donations on behalf of the officers’ families. (WCNC)

Stat

The Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department reported the largest recruiting class since 2010. 58 new officers were sworn in last month, offsetting a sworn officer shortage. (Queen City News)

Seasonal

Ready to get jiggy with it? The annual Jiggy with the Piggy festival returns this weekend for its 10th year. Savor the smells and tastes of barbeque + enjoy fun for the entire family in downtown Kannapolis at 125 N. Research Campus Dr.

Coming Soon

One of the first restaurants at The Bowl at Ballantyne will debut this month. Flower Child will open its second fast-casual store on Tuesday, May 21 at 15210 Bowl St. The 3,555-sqft location will have patio seating for up to 50 people. (The Charlotte Observer)

List

Deluxe Fun Dining was voted the “city’s best brunch” in a poll by The Charlotte Observer. Located at 305 W. 4th St., the spot was highlighted for its gold lobster served atop red velvet waffles + the deluxe bloody mary. (The Charlotte Observer)

Try This

The South Carolina Strawberry Festival hosted by the Town of Fort Mill is back Saturday, May 4. Visit Walter Elisha Park to enjoy strawberry eating contests, music, food vendors, rides, fireworks, and more.

Sports

What can we expect from the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round? Go beyond the scoreboard for the biggest stories on the Carolina Hurricanes with Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.

Plan Ahead

Summer camp season is around the corner. Register for Charlotte Country Day School’s 150+ summer camp options, tailored for children ages 3–18 and blending immersive learning + play for a summer-worthy, fun-filled adventure. Bonus: Get swim lessons at the school’s new indoor Klein Aquatics Center as early as June 1.*

Drink Up

Drink Up Week — our annual celebration of Charlotte’s vibrant beverage culture — is coming July 22-July 26. If you’re a local business, you’re going to want to get in on the buzz. Be our exclusive presenting sponsor and advertise your brand with us during Drink Up Week.

Business

☕️ Not your typical office

People gather and work in desks and chairs in an open area space.

Switchyards offers the high energy of a neighborhood coffee shop for communal interaction + the tranquility of a university library for work and productivity | Photo via Switchyards

Looking for a fresh environment for work and productivity? The days of sitting for hours in a cubicle may soon be in the past. Switchyards, the world’s first neighborhood work club, is opening two locations in Charlotte.

Belmont — 1125 Belmont Ave., Charlotte
- Opens Thursday, May 16
- 250 memberships available
Oakhurst — 4014 Monroe Rd., Charlotte
- Opens Thursday, June 6
- 250 memberships available

Memberships drop Tuesday, May 7 at 11 a.m.

Sign-ups are available to get access at 10 a.m., — one hour before the general public.
Membership is $100 per month. New members receive 8 days for $12 to start.

Membership amenities:

24/7 access
High-speed internet
Bottomless coffee and tea
Bookable phone booths + meeting rooms at no extra cost
Access to all clubs

Editor’s note: Night Swim Coffee is Switchyards’ official coffee partner.

Switch up your work routine

The Buy

Ingredients for a perfect margarita. Try the Simple Times Mizers Margarita Bundle to get a taste of something new, like the Strawberry Safe mix.

Answered

On Wednesday we asked “How often do cicadas emerge to mate?”

A cicada insect rests on someone's hand. — Photo by CLTtoday

With the cicadas now buzzing, we wanted to see how many insect experts are out there. Here’s what you said:

62% — It depends on the brood
25% — Every 17 years
10% — Every 13 years
2% — Every 221 years

Correct answer — It depends on the brood

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Jack

From the editor

I met a group of motorcyclists delivering pizza to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department this week to support the city’s officers. It was a touching moment.

A group of people hold pizza boxes in front of a CMPD squad car.

Missed our previous newsletter?

›

Send Us A Scoop, Question, or Feedback

Feedback on Today's Newsletter

Did you like today’s newsletter?

😍 Loved it 🙂 Solid effort 😞 Changes needed

Content marked with an * is paid advertising. Content marked with an ^ is created by our content studio. The company may also generate commission from affiliate links in the newsletter.

Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.

P.O. Box 2505, Greenville, SC 29602

ADVERTISE | CAREERS | ETHICS | PRIVACY | SHOP