Charlotte Bobcats Arena

[CarolinaDaydreamin]

Yeah, it means that section of downtown. I have written extensively in the street retail section on this topic. You can refer to that thread to clear up the confusion.

[monsoon]

Yeah, I believe thats what you did in fact say, and mean. But how about the area around Johnson and Wales and Gateway Center.

[49er]

The arena was indeed a missed opportunity. The retail we got is no more than token at best. if you look at the lineal footage of street level space 360 degrees around the building and then look at the amount of retail actually designed in, its miniscule. I also thought an outward facing sports bar was to be along 5th, but I suppose the bobcats wanted it to face the interior because it never materialized.

[Charlotte_native]

To anyone that lives downtown and spends a lot of time there, I think we could all list many areas and pockets all over that are far from dead. Any given night (excluding obnoxiously hot or rainy nights) you will find people all over. Plenty of them are there just getting drunk, plenty aren't. Even if they are there getting drunk, isn't that what is happening in most cities with districts that people flock to at night? Painting all of downtown with one big brush just doesn't work any more.

Furthermore, come down some weekend day (weekdays are obvious, the streets are constantly packed with workers) and see how many tourists, conventioneers, and strollers are filling the sidewalks. During the week many restaurants now require reservations for tables even. The only days that is particularly "dead" for almost all areas downtown is Sunday -- and that is about to change with football season.

The sidewalks around Fuel and Pita Pit are no more crowded at night than 5th, 6th, 7th, most of Tryon, and all around Connelly's, The Attic, Ri-Ra, Cosmos, Alley Cat, etc. Not trying to compare this activity with anywhere else or any other city, but to say that all, or most, other areas of downtown are essentially dead simply isn't true.

Add to that the activity during the day and at night in and around Gateway (and it is summer with no summer school for Johnson and Wales even) and even the "isolated" areas are busy.

If you aren't aware of activity downtown, visit on random nights or saturday afternoon. You might surprise yourself. To those of us that live there, start taking random pictures -- I will -- it isn't hard to find people and subjects for them.

The arena was indeed a missed opportunity. The retail we got is no more than token at best. if you look at the lineal footage of street level space 360 degrees around the building and then look at the amount of retail actually designed in, its miniscule. I also thought an outward facing sports bar was to be along 5th, but I suppose the bobcats wanted it to face the interior because it never materialized.

[49er]

I wasnt speaking to whether the current retail is doing well, it just opened, things take time. My point is that this building could have provided more of the physical street level retail space that downtown desparately needs. There are too many blank walls.

[HopHead]

To anyone that lives downtown and spends a lot of time there, I think we could all list many areas and pockets all over that are far from dead. Any given night (excluding obnoxiously hot or rainy nights) you will find people all over. Plenty of them are there just getting drunk, plenty aren't. Even if they are there getting drunk, isn't that what is happening in most cities with districts that people flock to at night? Painting all of downtown with one big brush just doesn't work any more.

Furthermore, come down some weekend day (weekdays are obvious, the streets are constantly packed with workers) and see how many tourists, conventioneers, and strollers are filling the sidewalks. During the week many restaurants now require reservations for tables even. The only days that is particularly "dead" for almost all areas downtown is Sunday -- and that is about to change with football season.

The sidewalks around Fuel and Pita Pit are no more crowded at night than 5th, 6th, 7th, most of Tryon, and all around Connelly's, The Attic, Ri-Ra, Cosmos, Alley Cat, etc. Not trying to compare this activity with anywhere else or any other city, but to say that all, or most, other areas of downtown are essentially dead simply isn't true.

Add to that the activity during the day and at night in and around Gateway (and it is summer with no summer school for Johnson and Wales even) and even the "isolated" areas are busy.

If you aren't aware of activity downtown, visit on random nights or saturday afternoon. You might surprise yourself. To those of us that live there, start taking random pictures -- I will -- it isn't hard to find people and subjects for them.

This venue and the block won't be nearly as dead in 2 or 3 years. When they build out 2nd Ward and build more in 1st Ward it will be nestled between lots of residents and lots of development. As it sits now it is at the edge of the activity of center city -- once people in those wards have to walk past it to get to Tryon or the Square, the retail spaces will do much better, and that is what they were planning on when the opened these, not really the anticipation that TODAY they would be slammed and busy.

[Raintree21]

Have they considered opening up the restaurant inside the arena on nights other than game nights?

[Charlotte_native]

Getting back to the topic of Bobcats Arena, has anyone heard anything new on securing a corporate sponsor for the arena?

[HopHead]

I didn't realize they were looking -- it would be interesting to see what pans out from that if they are. I would assume there would be plenty of interest.

Side note for NBA fans (I'm not one really): what will the fallout for the league be if the current ref scandal goes deeper than one man with no ethics?

[Justadude]

The arena was indeed a missed opportunity. The retail we got is no more than token at best. if you look at the lineal footage of street level space 360 degrees around the building and then look at the amount of retail actually designed in, its miniscule. I also thought an outward facing sports bar was to be along 5th, but I suppose the bobcats wanted it to face the interior because it never materialized.

[uptownliving]

I went to the Baskin Robbins tonight for the first time and there were just as many people there as the times I have been to the one in 4th Ward. The service wasn't as good as the one 4th Ward. There were only 2 workers taking orders for about 7 people in line. Whereas there have been at least 4 workers at the one in 4th Ward. After experienceing this place myself I beleive that if they work out the service kinks then this locatoin will do just fine.

[BUILDIT]

the mci center now verizon now that i am thinking about it did do it a little bit better, restuarants at every corner and such but hey it was in a more dense location (not surrounded by surface lots and parking garages) and I am very proud to go into the bobcats arena to support the team, it really is a very nice arena

[HopHead]

the mci center now verizon now that i am thinking about it did do it a little bit better, restuarants at every corner and such but hey it was in a more dense location (not surrounded by surface lots and parking garages) and I am very proud to go into the bobcats arena to support the team, it really is a very nice arena

[Charlotte_native]

Speaking of which, why don't we have any in Charlotte? Were there every any BW3s here?

[Justadude]

There's one in University City near the Harris/Tryon intersection. It's on the second floor of a shopping center, interestingly positioned next to a small and easily-overlooked graveyard. It seems to do good business.

[Raintree21]

And one at Sardis Road North and Independence. It's no longer called BW3's. The name of the restaurant is Buffalo Wild Wings.

[HopHead]

Sweet... I'll have to check them out. The people around me obviously don't know about Buffalo Wild Wings (aka BW3s).

[Andyc545]

Buffalo Wild Wings is my favorite place to eat. I've been there 3 days last week alone at the University Location. I am an expert on BWW's. We have 2 in Charlotte - Independence at Independence Pointe and the University City Location, yes next to that spooky old graveyard. Interesting graveyard if you ever get a chance to see it and read some of the stones. Mainly from the early 1900's. The University Location is packed on the weekends, and usually busy at dinner time. It would be a hit if they decided to expand one at the arena, or almost anywhere downtown.

[New Name]

They built an urban "B-Dubs" (as it was called - BW3's - or Buffalo Wild Wings) in Richmond while I was living there. It was a huge hit - partly because it was in a city that was populated mostly by college kids, but from an urbanist standpoint, it was a great use of an abandoned building - they retrofit an old tobacco warehouse on Main Street beneath a spaghetti-junction of interstate and train bridges. It was just down the hill from the center buisness district and leading into The Bottom (which is the nightclub hotspot). The area had been a series dark, polluted gravel lots with abandoned warehouses, but by bringing in hundred of people a night and car headlights and infrastructure, they connected downtown to The Bottom for pedestrians. I am sure they didn't realize it when building there, but they did a great deed for the city of Richmond - and I ain't just talkin about their WINGS!

[HopHead]

They built an urban "B-Dubs" (as it was called - BW3's - or Buffalo Wild Wings) in Richmond while I was living there. It was a huge hit - partly because it was in a city that was populated mostly by college kids, but from an urbanist standpoint, it was a great use of an abandoned building - they retrofit an old tobacco warehouse on Main Street beneath a spaghetti-junction of interstate and train bridges. It was just down the hill from the center buisness district and leading into The Bottom (which is the nightclub hotspot). The area had been a series dark, polluted gravel lots with abandoned warehouses, but by bringing in hundred of people a night and car headlights and infrastructure, they connected downtown to The Bottom for pedestrians. I am sure they didn't realize it when building there, but they did a great deed for the city of Richmond - and I ain't just talkin about their WINGS!

[New Name]

I actually moved here from Richmond and went to "B-Dubs" on a weekly basis. The one downtown was great until there were some shootings. After that I quit going to that location and stayed in the west end. Like some people on this board mentioned, I definitely think a Buffalo Wild Wings by the Bobcats arena would be great. That would be instant hit during basketball season for home games, not to mention another great place to enjoy some wings and drink frosty cold beverages.

[Andyc545]

Does anyone know if Fox Sports Grill is in or out of the Epicenter? This is a close alternative.

[New Name]

It's part of the Epicenter Complex. I believe there is one of these in vegas, and they have tv's in the bathroom!!! Also, I think I saw one up in Niagara, if I'm not mistaken.

[Andyc545]

Oops, clarification: Is it confirmed that the complex with in fact still have Fox Grill? There were rumors months ago that maybe it wouldn't be in the final product.

[JerseyBoy]

True though it has been forever since they were announced as one of the first tenants two-three years ago. I would imagine they are getting quite impatient.