Leaders meet during closed-door meeting about airport bill

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte City Council held a closed door meeting for two hours Monday night to discuss its legal options on Charlotte Douglas Airport.

But some city officials, including Intergovernmental Relations Manager Dana Fenton, say they believe the new bill has its own weaknesses.

Councilman Michael Barnes said he's not sure the new airport bill, passed Friday, is much better than the original one passed eight days before it.

The new bill gives control of Charlotte Douglas Airport to a new, 13-member commission, but it keeps bonds and ownership with the city.

Those are two things the first airport bill did not do and two of the reasons the city filed a lawsuit on it.

Barnes called Thursday, which is when the city and state sides will be back in court for a hearing in the case, a "pivotal day" for the city.

Senator Bob Rucho said lawmakers had several attorneys vet this new airport bill so that it would be less susceptible to a lawsuit. He cited the bonds and ownership issues said he believes the bill is "significantly less vulnerable" to another legal challenge.

"It would be fool hardy for the city to do that," he said. "A lot of their concerns have been eliminated."