CHARLOTTE — Long awaited development at the site of the former Eastland Mall is set to start soon, city leaders told Channel 9. Ground will break in early 2022.
“Everybody is very anxious to get going as soon as we can,” Assistant City Manager Tracy Dodson said.
Dodson says the design and agreements between the city, Crosland Southeast and Tepper Sports are being finalized.
The long vacant property will be home to new offices, restaurants, homes and the Charlotte FC Academy’s headquarters. Plans also call for greenspace and community soccer fields to be included in the project.
“I think what we are going to find is if you have kids into soccer, are following the academy or even following Charlotte FC that you are going to find reasons to be out at Eastland,” Dodson said.
Councilman Matt Newton represents the area and says it is possible the project’s construction will be split into phases with the soccer portion part of phase one. Newton believes the soccer portion of the project will return Eastland to its glory days.
“It is what is going to make the site an anchor development or an anchor destination like it was back when the mall was there,” he said.
It’s a big week for soccer in the Queen City with Mexico and Ecuador squaring off at Bank of America Stadium and Charlotte Independence surging.
Mayor Vi Lyles says Charlotte is a soccer town.
“I think we are a soccer destination,” Lyles said. “I think we are a place for every type of activity possible and soccer certainly is a definitive one for us.”
[WATCH BELOW: City of Charlotte files plans for old Eastland Mall site
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