Rufus

It's either BOSS or TravisMathew, both of which I haven't heard of struggling lately...but, I wonder if one of them is moving to the VINCE space just two stores down since they are apparently moving. I would say BOSS would be the one moving, but I don't have any insider knowledge to confirm.

Honestly I like this building...I still call it the BTI Building from way back when. The real egregious buildings are on the other side of Lassiter Mill -- the fugly round building and the old while building on Rowan. I know the building on Rowan has been sold for potential development, but the round one is there to stay for the future. There had been talk of an 8-story building behind it in the parking lot, but that was before 2008.

Orvis is leaving Phillips Place for Strawberry Hill Shopping Center. This is a massive space, so I am assuming it will be split into multiple smaller units. Add in the two lingering vacant spaces, and Phillips Place could see some more new-to-market retailers as they continue their upscale transformation. Very intriguing. Any nuggets of information from others?

Would we consider BWI and IAD even though one is in Virginia?

This is because they are two different rail systems. Charlotte has Light Rail, which offers the ability to operate at street-grade, among other benefits. Chicago, London, Atlanta, New York all offer Rapid Transit and Heavy Rail. Someone else here has way more expertise in explaining the differences, but they are vastly different and light rail is the more popular of the two nowadays.

To the Billy Reid instance -- I think it was ahead of its time here. If you look at their stores now, it's wild that Charlotte doesn't have a store anymore. Every comparable metro has a Billy Reid, basically. But, when they were here in 2006, it was so ahead of what Southpark even thought they could host, and I think the price points scared people off. Now, I think they would make a killing here, although I no longer see them fitting in at SP. Rather, Philips Place or South End could be viable.

Take this with the tiniest grain of salt imaginable. This is essentially assuming equal growth rates for the next 70 years and I think we all know that isn't possible. Not saying Charlotte or others won't grow, but the rates given are not likely any time soon.

I'd be surprised to see BOSS leave. They have been in major expansion mode the last couple of years and have returned to some relevance. Leaving a market like Charlotte doesn't make sense with their other actions. Then again, Scotch & Soda came and went very quickly, so crazy things do happen.

Listen, this is a huge deal. Bal Harbor Shops are among the most exclusive shopping centers in the world. Their clientele is uber-wealthy. Whatever brands they bring will be amazing and exclusive. This is exciting to see since Raleigh doesn't really have a luxury market. The untapped potential is off the charts.

I'm referring to the section above the parking deck entrance of the Gantt...just in case that clarifying point helps haha. And if not...damn

That is WILD. I never noticed how large of an art piece it is. I wonder if it is larger than the blank wall on the new Duke building?

That opens two massive spaces in front of the "luxury" wing of Belk. This is a critical corridor IMO, and I would push to either move Chicos from the Nordstrom wing to one of the spaces, or go for a mid-luxury/upscale retailer not seen in Charlotte yet, like Club Monaco or Ted Baker. I would then take the old Chico's space, break it into two, put in Ferragamo and maybe something like Reformation. There are two smaller spots in the mall also open, and I would look at another jeweler like Breitling or IWC or Hublot. As for LV...I'd see them push for what Nashville has with the addition of fragrance, timepieces/jewelry, and maybe some apparel. Again, wild to think ZARA may be coming here and what the gymnastics will be to combine spaces.

I would assume, rather unfortunately, that if Dundon is awarded a franchise, the stadium will go where PNC Arena is for just this reason. PNC is accessible to more than just Raleigh, which means it reaches into the communities that would benefit either side with their attendance. I would be surprised to see DTR with the stadium.

Listen, I agree, but here in the age of research universities, it's about the haves and the have nots. UNC Chapel Hill, NC State, Duke all spend billions to bring in billions. They build fancy lab buildings, plaster the names of billionaire philanthropists over them, take in millions of research funding, pay their revenue-generating sports millions, build fancy conference centers and hotels and dormitories, and all in the name of getting more in return. And it's not just those guys. It's all of higher education, from the liberal colleges of Williams, Amherst, Pomona, etc. to the major publics like Michigan, Texas, Cal, to the private of Harvard and Yale. It's about brand. It's about getting people to fund them. And it's a nasty feedback loop. And you wonder why a place like Harvard, with an endowment of $50+ billion keeps begging as if they are destitute, doesn't offer admissions to a more diverse student body, or pay tax. I am a big believer that state university systems do way more than the Ivy League. I love the fact that places like UNC Pembroke, Elizabeth City State, UC Merced, UT-Rio Grande, and SUNY Oneonta offer a large majority of the population their first chance at a college education. I think we should be throwing money at these institutions instead of funding the same ones over and over. I think that's why I love UNC Charlotte so much because I attended, and I know it's giving an opportunity to so many for the first time. But the system sucks. It's broken -- big time. And it's not just North Carolina. It's the US and the world.

Not to make this into any more of a banter, but the state budget did have money for raises for all UNC employees. I don't know the full extent, nor if it meets the needs, but just clarifying. Again, I don't disagree with you, but I can understand the pressure the university is under to "compete" in the 21st Century.