CHARLOTTE — Construction is well underway at Eastland Yards. It’s the city’s hope that people will be living there next year.
But the entire site will still take several years to come to fruition, and as Charlotte City Council found out this week, several more million dollars as well.
“I think we need to take our time and really make sure we are doing all of our due diligence,” Councilmember Dimple Ajmera said.
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City staff says another $5 million to $15 million may be needed to complete the complex. That’s the 20 acres of the site that will be home to indoor and outdoor sports.
Charlotte City Council already committed $30 million in October and some leaders are shocked more money may already be needed.
“This conversation seems a little on the line of being disrespectful unless we can clearly state who, what, when, where, and why,” Councilmember LaWana Slack-Mayfield said.
“I just think this was a poor way to present this to us,” Councilman Ed Driggs said.
Councilmembers want to know how much the private sector is contributing.
Staff urged them to keep in mind that they asked that two proposals be combined into one project, so there will be some moving parts.
Councilman Tariq Bokhari agrees.
“Everyone who accepted that challenge knew it would cost more,” he said.
Staff is expected to bring all of this back up in the new year.
(WATCH BELOW: Meck Co. promises millions for park at old Eastland Mall site)
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