The future of uptown Charlotte’s Epicentre could be decided this week
By Jodie Valade
Once the focal point of nightlight in uptown Charlotte, Epicentre in Charlotte is in foreclosure and will be auctioned Thursday.
Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez
mrodriguez@charlotteobserver.com
The fate of the Epicentre is expected to be decided this week.
Once the hottest entertainment complex for nightlife in uptown Charlotte, Epicentre will be sold to the highest bidder Thursday.
Epicentre, at 201 E. Trade St., fell into receivership last summer after defaulting on its $85 million loan with lender Deutsche Bank Trust Co. Foreclosure proceedings started in March.
The public auction will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday at Mecklenburg County Courthouse. The three-story, one-block center with retail, restaurants and entertainment venues will be sold “as is” to the highest bidder for cash, according to court documents.
CMS budget request
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools will present its fiscal year 2023 budget request to the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday. CMS is requesting $578.4 million from the county, and this is no rubber-stamp approval process.
Last year, the county board attempted to withhold $56 million in funding unless CMS presented a plan to improve racial equity in schools and to boost its lowest-performing schools.
Withholding $56 million would have forced the district to operate without about 11% of the county’s $531 million appropriation to CMS, and about 3% of its total fiscal year 2021 budget.
The CMS operating budget request includes $578.4 million from Mecklenburg County, an increase of a little more than $40.4 million over the current year after officials trimmed about $1 million from the original request.
The Charlotte Observer will hold a live event Wednesday, May 11.
Join the Observer’s virtual live event on corporate landlords Wednesday
The Charlotte Observer will host a free, virtual live event Wednesday featuring the journalists who worked on Security for Sale, our recent investigation on corporate landlords buying home rental properties in North Carolina.
Join us at 7 p.m. to hear the Observer’s Payton Guion and Gordon Rago, along with the (Raleigh) News & Observer’s Tyler Dukes, discuss the inner workings of this industry, and how that affects people who live where these corporate investors own.
Register for the event and submit questions in advance at bit.ly/securityforsaleevent. It can be streamed from that page, and on the Observer’s YouTube and Facebook pages.
Final week of early voting
This is the final week of early voting for the primary election, with early voting sites closing May 14 at 3 p.m. Offices on the ballot include U.S. Senator, U.S. House of Representatives, Charlotte City Council, and Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners, among others.
The primary election is May 17.
City, county government
Charlotte City Council: The council will hold a hybrid council business meeting and fiscal year 2023 budget public hearing at 5 p.m. Monday. The meetings will be broadcast on the Government Channel and the city’s Facebook and YouTube pages.
Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners: The board will meet at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday for a budget public policy meeting that includes budget requests from CMS and Central Piedmont Community College. The meeting can be watched on the Government Channel or online at watch.mecknc.gov.
Scott and Seth Avett, shown here in 2018, will perform with the Avett Brothers on Monday at The Fillmore. Jeff Siner jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
▪ Watch the Avett Brothers on Monday at The Fillmore, where they’re holding a private benefit concert for the Jimmie Johnson Foundation, which assists children, families and communities in need. Tickets start at $200. https://bit.ly/3ykK82S
▪ On Tuesday, relax with a craft beer and enjoy an intimate orchestra experience featuring classical and contemporary tunes from the Charlotte Symphony at On Tap! at NoDa Brewing Company. $20. Purchase tickets online. 7-8 p.m. https://bit.ly/3y8HUU9
▪ Meet local professionals and small business owners on Thursday at The Dunhill hotel for a happy hour event hosted by “Grapes, Grains & Conversations,” a networking group for professionals and small business owners who share a love of wine and spirits. Free. Register via Eventbrite. https://bit.ly/3y4T2kT
The Charlotte Knights start a six-game homestand against the Indianapolis Indians on Tuesday. Alex Slitz alslitz@charlotteobserver.com
Don’t miss
▪ The Tony Award-winning Broadway musical “Hamilton” concludes its run at Belk Theater with performances throughout the week. Many shows are sold out, but some tickets remain. More information at blumenthalarts.org.
▪ The Charlotte Checkers host the Bridgeport Islanders in Round 2 of the AHL Calder Cup Playoffs with Game 3 on Saturday at Bojangles Coliseum. More information at gocheckers.com.
▪ The Charlotte Knights host the Indianapolis Indians for a six-game homestand that includes Star Wars Day on Tuesday and fireworks on both Friday and Saturday. More information at milb.com/charlotte-knights.
▪ Tim McGraw brings the McGraw Tour 2022 to PNC Music Pavilion on Thursday. Tickets start at $29. More information at concerts.livenation.com.
