Charlotte city leaders are giving a developer less than two weeks to nail down a shaky plan to redevelop Bojangles Coliseum and Ovens Auditorium, but there are questions about whether the developer will show up at a meeting to determine the project's future.
According to city officials, it's not clear whether anyone from the Florida-based company, GoodSports Enterprises, will attend a Dec. 17 meeting at which Charlotte City Council's economic development and global competitiveness committee will discuss the project's status and its future.
The company has hit a snag in getting financing months after the city agreed to become a partner in the project and upped the price tag from $25 million to $41 million to do it.
"I'm hoping that GoodSports will come to us and say that they have crossed all the Ts and dotted all the Is and that they are ready to move forward with the project. If that doesn't happen, then we will have to keep exploring our options," said Mayor Pro Tem Michael Barnes, who chairs the committee.
Barnes said that if the company doesn't come to the committee with a promising plan before the end of the year, city leaders may walk away from the project.
"We are in a position now where we don't want to compound one mistake after another," Barnes said.
GoodSports has had trouble getting financing for projects in other parts of the country and has yet to build a complex.
Rob Schomeer, city manager of Huber Heights, Ohio, where a project failed, told Eyewitness News over the phone that he believes it's because the company is young and needs a financed project to promote confidence and security in the financing market.
"We all believe it's a great idea," said Schomeer. "It's unfortunate we couldn't convince the finance market of that, but I'm sure with a little bit of time, they will warm up to it."
On Monday, Charlotte City Council is expected to approve $16 million to go toward renovations ahead of the Charlotte Checkers hockey team planned move in to Bojangles Coliseum next season.
The team's move is expected to help make up a $500,000 loss in revenue over the past year.
City officials are moving forward with rezoning plans to get the property off Independence Boulevard ready for a sports complex.
Eyewitness News made several calls to GoodSports to find out if representatives will attend the meeting and to learn more about the project's status.
Those calls were not returned.
According to city officials, it's not clear whether anyone from the Florida-based company, GoodSports Enterprises, will attend a Dec. 17 meeting at which Charlotte City Council's economic development and global competitiveness committee will discuss the project's status and its future.
The company has hit a snag in getting financing months after the city agreed to become a partner in the project and upped the price tag from $25 million to $41 million to do it.
"I'm hoping that GoodSports will come to us and say that they have crossed all the Ts and dotted all the Is and that they are ready to move forward with the project. If that doesn't happen, then we will have to keep exploring our options," said Mayor Pro Tem Michael Barnes, who chairs the committee.
Barnes said that if the company doesn't come to the committee with a promising plan before the end of the year, city leaders may walk away from the project.
"We are in a position now where we don't want to compound one mistake after another," Barnes said.
GoodSports has had trouble getting financing for projects in other parts of the country and has yet to build a complex.
Rob Schomeer, city manager of Huber Heights, Ohio, where a project failed, told Eyewitness News over the phone that he believes it's because the company is young and needs a financed project to promote confidence and security in the financing market.
"We all believe it's a great idea," said Schomeer. "It's unfortunate we couldn't convince the finance market of that, but I'm sure with a little bit of time, they will warm up to it."
On Monday, Charlotte City Council is expected to approve $16 million to go toward renovations ahead of the Charlotte Checkers hockey team planned move in to Bojangles Coliseum next season.
The team's move is expected to help make up a $500,000 loss in revenue over the past year.
City officials are moving forward with rezoning plans to get the property off Independence Boulevard ready for a sports complex.
Eyewitness News made several calls to GoodSports to find out if representatives will attend the meeting and to learn more about the project's status.
Those calls were not returned.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Past Coverage:
- CRVA: Checkers to move home games to Bojangles Coliseum
- City leaders to discuss $16M in Bojangles Arena renovations
- City OKs turning Bojangles Coliseum into sports complex
- Money approved to turn Bojangles Coliseum into sports complex
- Concerns raised over proposed amateur sports complex
- Plan to build amateur sports complex gains momentum
WSOC
