CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The $1.5 billion dollar Innovation District, anchored by Charlotte's first medical school, will likely bring thousands of jobs once it's built. Leaders and community members are hoping for more of a commitment to hiring local before promising taxpayer money towards the project.
Atrium Health and developer Wexford Science & Technology are asking for $75 million of taxpayer money to help pay for the infrastructure for the district that would be built near the intersection of South McDowell and Baxter Streets in the Dilworth and Midtown neighborhoods.
Construction is set to begin in 2022, according to the plans, and it could open as soon as 2024.
PREVIOUSLY: Meck Co. leaders question the need of taxpayer money for medical school, innovation district
But before leaders promise public money, some want more information and a commitment when it comes to job opportunities.
"We need to really commit to the local workforce that's here," said Sebastian Feculak, a resident of Charlotte for nearly 15 years who works with ironworkers.
"We're talking about generational impact here," he added.
The project is expected to bring 11,500 jobs over 15 years, with nearly 2,000 of them created by 2025.
Feculak said he just doesn't want local workers to be passed up by others out of town.
"A lot of that tax money goes to those individuals (workers) - they might be coming from Texas, Florida, California to work on a project which we see all the time," he explained.
However, some leaders, like Charlotte City Councilman Tariq Bokhari, disagree.
"Like different groups around town that have said, oh well this big money is gonna be here --- what are you going to do for my neighborhood for my interest. I'm tired of it," he said as he blasted the concerns raised by some.
He trusts the project and those leading it will continue to serve the Charlotte community with jobs and upward mobility from the project.
"Trust our partners that have shown us no reason not to trust them that they're doing the right thing," Bokhari said.
We wondered, based on the thousands of jobs that would become available, are there enough workers here in Charlotte to fill them?
We asked Dr. Cheryl Richards, PhD., the CEO of Catapult. That's the employers association for North Carolina.
She said the types of jobs in the medical, technology, and research fields would pique interest from some who already live here.
"There's opportunity across a broad spectrum," she said. "This is nothing but good news for our community because it creates new opportunity."
The new project would also bring competition to Charlotte, likely hiring people from out of town and those who already live here.
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"We don't necessarily have people sitting around looking for jobs. It's a match of what the jobs are and what the skills are and then, what the individual wants and is looking for," Richards said, noting the current unemployment rate for Charlotte is lower than the national rate.
Atrium Health said they are committed to providing educational opportunities, jobs, and service to the Charlotte community through the district, and said when the Innovation Quarter was built in Winston Salem, 70% of workers who helped develop it were hired from the area.
Charlotte and Mecklenburg County leaders are expected to vote on the public funds portion of the project by the end of the year.
Contact Hunter Sáenz at hsaenz@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.