Report: SwimMAC ditches Lake Norman aquatic center plans

Charlotte-based SwimMAC Carolina has canceled plans for a $5 million aquatic center at the LangTree at the Lake mixed-use community on Lake Norman in southern Iredell County, a LangTree official told the Mooresville Tribune.

SwimMac cited “organizational changes and financial forecasts” for no longer pursuing the center, Mark Lockman of LangTree owner RL West told the Tribune. LangTree is “not actively engaged with SwimMAC at present to construct an aquatic facility,” he said.

The center would have included a 50-meter Olympic-size competition pool, a 50-meter training pool and seating for more than 1,500 spectators.

The complex would have been built at the same time of a Doubletree by Hilton hotel and conference center, but the Doubletree brand is no longer being considered there, Lockman told the Tribune. He said a hotel developer is working with other hotel companies for the LangTree site.

Dave Marsh, SwimMAC CEO and head coach of the 2016 U.S. Olympic women’s swim team, did not reply to several requests for comment from the Observer in recent weeks.

Marsh touted the LangTree swimming complex to Mooresville area civic groups when the non-profit SwimMAC launched a capital campaign for the center in 2014. Funds from the $6 million campaign also were to renovate and expand SwimMAC’s training center on Providence Road and improve other community-based facilities.

In May 2015, Charlotte-based hotel developer Pharos Hospitality announced a $500,000 gift to SwimMAC’s campaign, the Observer reported at the time. Pharos planned to develop the 151-room Doubletree.

Also that month, SwimMAC Carolina announced that the organization had signed an agreement with RL West for the donation of 4 acres for the aquatic center, the Observer reported

“There’s been recent information that makes it clear that we’re one of the least-available pool facilities in the country as far as per capita,” Marsh said at a news conference announcing the agreement. “But this land-donation agreement between SwimMAC and RL West means that organizations like us, as well public entities, are aware of the need for pools.

“If we’re going to have Charlotte be a sustainable leader in swimming, that will be the next thing we need: the ability to have pool space and training space.”

RL West is “still communicating with SwimMAC” and will discuss other RL West properties in Mooresville with the group “when they are ready,” Lockman told the Tribune. “We still want to see them (in Mooresville), and we hope we can work that out.”

This story was originally published September 17, 2016 at 5:18 PM with the headline "Report: SwimMAC ditches Lake Norman aquatic center plans."