CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Slowly but surely change is making its way to Eastland Mall. City council is moving forward with a new proposal anchored by an FC Barcelona soccer academy along with housing, a hotel, office staff and a multicultural market.

  • City staff discussed moving forward with a “due diligence agreement” with the master developers Monday
  • Developers said it'll be months before they know exactly how much money they might need from the city
  • The economic development committee will review the agreement in two weeks before it goes to a full council vote on Oct. 22

“We want to make that community bigger and better but we also want the community around it to integrate into [it] so it's a community within a community,” said David LeFevre, Eastland Community Development, Inc.

During an economic development committee meeting Monday, city staff discussed moving forward with a “due diligence agreement” with the master developers: Crosland Southeast/Eastland Community Development, Inc. to revamp the remaining 69 acres at the former mall site.

But some city leaders wanted more clarity about the city's role in this deal.

“I'm not comfortable with cost sharing in there because again, we need to keep reiterating how much we have already invested,” said LaWana Mayfield, (D) Charlotte City Council.

“I just can’t right now in good conscience make a commitment without knowing what we'll be liable for with this agreement,” said Ed Driggs, (R) Charlotte City Council.

Tim Sittema, managing partner for Crosland Southeast, said it'll be months before they know exactly how much money they might need from the city.

“Before we can even talk about what kind of public investment dollars might be required in order to move forward with the redevelopment, we have to do our job first to see what the private sector can underwrite and pay for on its own,” said Sittema.

The economic development committee will review the due diligence agreement in two weeks before it goes to a full council vote on Oct. 22.