CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte City Council voted unanimously, 11-0, Monday night to rezone the old Eastland Mall site for the city's new Major League Soccer team headquarters.
The rezoning will also allow for new housing and commercial development, but some people argue the plans will hurt more than help the area.
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Theodore Williams owns the Charlotte Open Air Market, which uses part of the mall site every weekend.
He said thousands of people shop at the market, which includes more than 100 vendors and a dozen food trucks.
"The impact on the community is just awesome. The market just keeps growing and growing and growing," Williams said. "It provides an atmosphere for small businesses to start."
But construction of an MLS headquarters, new housing and commercial development will displace the market.
Williams said the city promised to relocate the market during construction, but it doesn't address what he felt is the main problem. He and others believe the development will price out homeowners, renters and small business owners.
He added many families rely on the market to find cheaper essentials while many of the vendors use the money they make to support their own families.
"This is the perfect environment, and we're losing sight of what actually built this country," he said. "What built this country is small business, not these corporations that are ripping off our people."
City leaders including Mayor Vi Lyles and Councilman Matt Newton, who represent the area, said the development will be good for the city, but Williams argued it'll hurt those who live and work around the site.
"I wish our leaders, Vi Lyles, that hasn't come out here, Matt Newton, that hasn't come out here, I wish you guys would come out here since you represent the people, come out here and see what this market is about," Williams said. "You're doing more harm than you are helping our community by doing this."
Even with the necessary regulatory approvals, construction wouldn't begin until this winter and would last several years.
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