Construction Starting On New $42 Million Hotel Above Charlotte’s Historic Carolina Theater

Steve
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Construction Starting On New $42 Million Hotel Above Charlotte’s Historic Carolina Theater

new-carolina-theatre-hotel

Yesterday the Foundation For The Carolinas announced their finalized plans to start renovations of the Carolina Theater and the construction of a new 250-room InterContinental hotel on top one of our city’s oldest standing landmarks.

The foundation will be leasing theater’s air rights to Georgia-based Valor Hospitality Partners to build the hotel.

carolina theater skyscraperThey are hoping the new hotel will generate enough income to support the entire operations of the Carolina Theatre, which will serve as a convening space for entertainment, speakers, panel discussions, documentary films, and educational activities.

The Carolina Theater is also undergoing a complete renovation, including the addition of three floors of office space above the lobby, providing expansion room for the foundation and possibly space for other nonprofit organizations.

carolina theater renovation

The Carolina Theater originally closed in 1978, and the city acquired it in 1986. Various renovation plans fell flat until the foundation in 2012 offered to buy the 36,000-square-foot theater from the city of Charlotte for $1 million.

They have since raised $20.7 million of its $35 million renovation goal, with Bank of America giving $5 million last year.

The new hotel and renovated theater are now scheduled to open in early 2019.

City Council And Mayor Trying To Install No-Parking Signs At Abortion Clinic To Stop Pro-Life Protesters

Steve
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City Council And Mayor Trying To Install No-Parking Signs At Abortion Clinic To Stop Pro-Life Protesters

After 15 years of protesting, praying, and offering free sonograms and adoption materials, Charlotte city leaders are now trying to install no-parking signs in front of our city’s busiest abortion clinic in order to stop the activity of several pro-life organizations.

Last Friday, a group that organizes prayer walks around Latrobe drive on Saturday mornings posted this status to their Facebook page, which received 200 shares:

That post (and subsequent posts) resulted in over 100 pro-life activists showing up to this past Monday’s city council meeting to speak out about the new no-parking signs.

Several dozen pro-choice activists also showed up to voice their opinions and fight for the no-parking signs.

The signs were not an official item on the city council meeting’s agenda, but due to the overwhelming turnout from activists on both sides of the issue, the city held a ‘citizen’s forum’ to allow people to voice their concerns.

A maximum of 10 people were allowed to speak in order of who signed up first.

Here is the video from Monday night’s forum:

What do you think about the new no-parking signs?

Do you think pro-life groups should be allowed to park free sonogram vehicles outside of abortion clinics?

Do you think pro-life groups should be allowed to protest outside of abortion clinics?

Another I-77 HOV Lane Is About To Close Due To Toll Lane Construction

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Another I-77 HOV Lane Is About To Close Due To Toll Lane Construction

i77 - toll road construction stoppedAs part of the continuing I-77 toll lane construction, the northbound HOV lane between I-85 and I-485 north of uptown is about to close.

I-77 Mobility Partners said that closing the HOV lane is a safety measure to protect crews that work along the highway, giving them extra room to complete direct-connect ramps onto the express lanes. They said the closure will allow them to remove the concrete safety barrier that divides the highway, set temporary safety barrier walls, as well as place new pavement markings.

In their statement, they noted that anyone driving into Charlotte should reduce their speed as they approach the new work zones and allow more time to travel into Charlotte.

Officials say the project is still on track to be completed by the end of 2018.

Rumors Are Spreading That Jerry Richardson Might Sell The Carolina Panthers

Steve
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Rumors Are Spreading That Jerry Richardson Might Sell The Carolina Panthers

panthers stadium charlotte

Yesterday CBS Sports published an article speculating that the Carolina Panther’s might be selling out.

In the article they noted; “owner Jerry Richardson is advanced in age, is battling some health issues and is not attending this meeting, and many other owners anticipate this franchise to be sold before his passing. There are no heirs involved, as Richardson cut his sons out of the team.”

jerry richardson charlotte statueThe rumors started after Mr. Richardson didn’t show up to this week’s NFL meeting in Arizona.

The Panthers have since released a statement, denying any possibility of selling.

“Mr. Richardson is healthy, vigorous, happy and fully engaged in the business of the Carolina Panthers. The team is absolutely not for sale. These reports are based on the misinterpretation of an agenda item. No owner is more committed to his team than Mr. Richardson,” the team commented in a statement.

If and when he Panthers franchise does go up for sale, it’s sure to fetch a hefty price tag, especially given the newly renovated stadium in one of the fastest growing cities in the country.

Both North And South Carolina Are Heading To NCAA Final Four For The First Time In History

Steve
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Both North And South Carolina Are Heading To NCAA Final Four For The First Time In History

uncc-final-fourFor the first time in NCAA history, both the University of North Carolina and the University of South Carolina are both heading to the Final Four. It will be South Carolina’s first time and North Carolina’s 20th time.

The South Carolina Gamecocks dominated on defense and free throws to beat out the Florida Gators, 77-70, in the East Regional final at Madison Square Garden.

In classic Tar Heels style, UNC clinched the Final Four slot with just 0.03 seconds left on the clock, beating Kentucky with a final score of 75-73:

 

South Carolina will now face Gonzaga this coming Saturday at 6:09 p.m. – the Bulldogs are now favored to win by 6.5 points, according to OddsShark.

The Tar Heels will play the Oregon Ducks on Saturday night at 8:49 p.m. – UNC currently has a 4.5-point odds advantage in the game, according to OddsShark.

Most analysts think that if the Bulldogs and Tarheels do both win their games, North Carolina would ultimately win the championship.

Who do you think will win it all?

Vandals Spray-Painted ‘KKK’ and Swastikas All Over Gastonia Neighborhoods

Charlotte Stories
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Vandals Spray-Painted ‘KKK’ and Swastikas All Over Gastonia Neighborhoods

Homeowners in two different Gastonia neighborhoods have been discovering racist symbols spray-painted on homes and signs over this past weekend.

The unknown vandals have been defacing the property at night around the Colony Woods and Su-San Farms neighborhoods, off Hoffman Road just south of downtown Gastonia:

swastika-kkk-gastonia-map

WSOC reporter Ken Lemon drove out to Gastonia to take some pictures of the vandalism

He also noted that Su-San Farms responded after the graffiti was removed with their own sign, reading, “Hate Has No Home Here”:

These are some other images of the vandalism posted to Facebook over the weekend:

swastika-kkk-gastonia2
photo via Rodney Allman
photo via Kayla Bonds
photo via Kayla Bonds

All of the incidents have now been reported to police. They have no suspects at this point.

If you have any information about these acts of vandalism, please call the Gastonia Police Department at (704) 866-6702.

This Lake Norman Restaurant Has Just Banned Kids

Charlotte Stories
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This Lake Norman Restaurant Has Just Banned Kids

A Lake Norman area restaurant is now receiving both positive and negative reviews from patrons after making the decision to ban all children under 5 years old.

Caruso’s Restaurant in Mooresville, NC said the decision was due to the fact that younger children often disrupt other guests around the restaurant, and they wanted to maintain a more peaceful setting for patrons.

It's all about the food! 🍴🍷#dinnerwithfriends #goodeatsmooresville

A post shared by bfun3 (@bfun3) on

On their Facebook page, most of the responses to the decision have been positive:

positive-comments-carusos-restaurant

However, some people aren’t so thrilled at the decision:

lake-norman-restaurant-banning-kids

What do you think about their decision to ban kids under 5 years old? 

Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below! 

NC Governor Cooper Just Proclaimed April As North Carolina Beer Month

Charlotte Stories
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NC Governor Cooper Just Proclaimed April As North Carolina Beer Month

lake norman breweriesWith 203 breweries from North Carolina’s mountains to the coast, our state now has one of the highest concentrations of breweries in America. To honor that statistic, Gov. Roy Cooper has just officially proclaimed April as ‘North Carolina Beer Month’.

“Thanks to North Carolina’s thriving brewing industry, our state’s entrepreneurship and craftsmanship can continue to shine. North Carolina’s breweries attract tourism and create economic development opportunities to communities of all sizes across the state.” commented Cooper during a press conference this week that was held at the historic Rocky Mount Mills.

The number of craft breweries in North Carolina has more than quadrupled since 2010. According to studies collected by the Craft Brewers Guild, the annual economic impact of the craft beer industry was $1.2 billion in 2015. It accounts for $300 million in annual wages and 10,000 jobs.

Lake Norman now even has one of the highest concentrations of breweries in America.

What do you think about Governor Cooper’s ‘Beer Month’ designation?

Tim Tebow Just Signed On With A Minor League Baseball Team in South Carolina

Steve
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Tim Tebow Just Signed On With A Minor League Baseball Team in South Carolina

tim-tebow-south-carolina-baseball-teamThe man who became famous as a legendary college football quarterback with very outspoken Christian beliefs has been on quite a journey since graduating from the University of Florida.

Tebow was initially drafted by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft and spent two seasons with the team, then was traded to the New York Jets in 2012, then the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013 and 2015.

Last September, he announced that he has decided to pursue a career in professional baseball. He has now been signed with the lowest level affiliate of the New York Mets, the Single A League Columbia Fireflies.

The South Carolina team announced this week that the former Heisman Trophy winning quarterback is officially on their team:

This will certainly be one of Columbia’s most famous professional athletes to ever play in the capitol city.

“Tim Tebow will bring major excitement and national attention to the Fireflies and city of Columbia. Baseball fans, sports fans and Tim Tebow fans will likely come from around the southeast to see him play. We expect this to add to the energy at Spirit Communications Park and around downtown Columbia, especially during our opening weekend (April 6-9),” commented Fireflies President John Katz.

The games will be played at Spirit Communcations Park, which is only about a 1 1/2 hour drive from Uptown Charlotte.

You can now buy tickets for opening weekend on TicketNetwork.com, starting at just $19 each.

Phat Burrito Building Has Just Been Bought For $2.7 Million

Steve
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Phat Burrito Building Has Just Been Bought For $2.7 Million

phat-burrito-closingAccording to Mecklenburg County real estate records, the building that once housed South End’s Phat Burrito has just been purchased for $2.7 million by local real estate firm Asana Partners.

They closed on the 0.77-acre property (which also included the old Charlotte Post building and a cell phone repair shop) on March 14. They now plan on up-fitting the existing buildings on the site with several new shops and restaurants.

phat-burrito-building-sold

The iconic Phat Burrito just closed last month on Feb. 4th after almost 20 years of serving burritos in South End.

They certainly saw their fair share of growth, watching South End transoform from a mostly industrial area to an area that’s now plastered with apartment complexes, art galleries, and breweries.

I recently interviewed some of the last patrons of Phat Burrito on the last day they were open:

The company was one of the original South End pioneers when it opened in 1998, nearly a decade before the Blue Line, when the area was still largely disused industrial buildings. Owner Stephen Justice cited parking difficulties brought on by redevelopment nearby as the main cause of the closure.

The company that purchased the Phat Burrito building, Asana Partners, also recently purchased South End’s Design Center for $42.7 million.

How do you feel about the changes taking place in South End?

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