American Airlines hits a rough patch (free version)
Plus: Commissioners push Atrium for more details on promises related to The Pearl; latest Census data shows what fueled county's growth; 2 Ballantyne burger spots closing; 5-year Covid look-back
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Editor’s note: This is a shorter, free version of The Charlotte Ledger sent to people on our free sign-up list. The complete version for paying members went out 15 minutes ago. It included:
The full story looking at troubles facing American Airlines — Charlotte’s dominant airline is experiencing turbulence because after a fatal crash and economic uncertainty, bookings are down, stock is dropping, and the industry is on edge. What does this mean for travel out of CLT?
A look at some tough questions county commissioners are asking about Atrium’s $1.5B medical district. County leaders aren’t convinced Atrium is delivering on its promises. Are jobs, affordable housing, and tax benefits really coming, or is this project benefiting the powerful at taxpayers’ expense? Ledger medical writer Michelle Crouch has the info.
A smart breakdown of census numbers that explain Mecklenburg’s population hike. Charlotte is growing faster than it has in years, but it’s not just from out-of-state newcomers. The Ledger’s Tony Mecia explains who’s moving in, and how will it reshape housing, transit, and schools.
News of a big Ballantyne burger bust: Two long-time hamburger joints are closing in the 28277 zip code, and we have the details.
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Charlotte’s dominant carrier says passengers are holding off booking travel after January crash; economic uncertainty, government cutbacks also cited
American Airlines accounts for about 90% of passengers at Charlotte’s airport. January’s crash in Washington has some potential travelers holding off, the airline said this week.
by Tony Mecia and Ted Reed
On Jan. 23, American Airlines CEO Robert Isom was riding high. In a phone call with industry analysts, he touted higher-than-expected profits for 2024 — a year that Charlotte’s dominant airline had record revenues.
“American’s got a lot of momentum,” he said at the time.
Just six days later, American flight 5342 collided with a military helicopter over the Potomac River while about to land at Reagan Washington National Airport, killing all 64 aboard, plus three on the helicopter. Three weeks later, a Delta Air Lines flight flipped over after landing in Toronto, further spooking fliers.
At an industry conference this week, airline CEOs said potential passengers are starting to hold off from flying — a result, they said, of a number of factors, including highly publicized crashes, economic weakness, bad weather and a pullback in spending related to federal government cutbacks. It’s a rare slowdown in passengers, following years of a robust recovery in travel coming out of the pandemic — and American seems to be feeling it more than its competitors.
Atrium touts progress on The Pearl medical innovation district — but some county commissioners press for specifics on the benefits Atrium promised
At a Mecklenburg County meeting this week, Atrium Health highlighted its progress on The Pearl, its $1.5B medical innovation district anchored by the city’s first four-year medical school that’s set to open this summer.
Collin Lane, senior vice president of facilities management for Atrium parent Advocate, hailed the project as a “model for what a public-private partnership should look like,” congratulating the county commissioners for investing in an initiative that will “create life-changing education and employment opportunities for our community and … establish this community as a life sciences, medical device and health sciences leader.”
But some commissioners weren’t ready to take a victory lap just yet.
Related Ledger article:
Growing faster: Mecklenburg added 30,000 residents last year, the most since 2007 — but not in the way you might think
New census numbers out this week show that Mecklenburg County added more residents in the last year than in any other year since 2007 — and about a 50% faster clip than the average from the last decade.
We all know the Charlotte area is growing. But the Census Bureau’s new numbers show us exactly how much — and of course there are big implications for our infrastructure: schools, roads/transit, housing.
◼️ Mecklenburg added about 30,000 people in the year ending July 1, 2024, for an estimated population of 1,206,285. That is the most people added in a year since 2007. Mecklenburg averaged about 20,000 a year from 2010 to 2023.
◼️ Mecklenburg is still No. 2 in population in NC behind Wake County (Raleigh), which added 29,000 people in the last year.
So where are all these people coming from?
Bye-bye to two Ballantyne burger businesses
It’s closing time for two Ballantyne-area hamburger restaurants that have been around for more than a decade.
5 years ago in The Ledger: As Covid closes in, a sense of calm at a Matthews retirement home. Later in the day, Cooper closes schools.
From the March 14, 2020, Ledger article “Inside a Matthews retirement home, a sense of calm.” It looked at how Covid was playing out at Plantation Estates in Matthews, which has since been renamed Matthews Glen.
Toward the end of a frantic week, Edith Patton wasn’t worried.
The 85-year-old resident of Plantation Estates in Matthews was in high spirits, as she chatted about her favorite things to do — and how life has changed as news of the coronavirus spread.
“One of the advantages of long life for many of us is we’ve been through tough times before,” said Patton, a retired church administrator. …
Across the Charlotte region this week, news connected to the spread of the coronavirus moved quickly and in ways that were unanticipated as recently as a week ago. And nowhere are the stakes higher than inside retirement communities such as Plantation Estates. …
While the rest of the Charlotte area seemed busy cleaning out grocery store shelves and texting each other with the latest closings and cancellations, some residents at Plantation Estates seemed to take the news in stride. …
[Patton] has not noticed widespread concern about the coronavirus among her peers, though they are staying informed and aware of what is going on. “I think most of us are calmly entering this period.”
“It really hasn’t sunk in how it’s going to change our lives for a while,” she said, “so I’m not really depressed about it, but wary.”
Later in the day, we published a breaking news alert, “Gov. Cooper closes schools starting Monday”:
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and other public school districts in North Carolina will close starting Monday, Gov. Roy Cooper said at a news conference today.
Cooper said he is signing an executive order closing schools across the state for at least two weeks. The order also bans gatherings of more than 100 people. …
“Our lives have been turned upside down by this pandemic,” Cooper said. “But we will get through this.”
“Hindsight is 20/20. I don’t want any regrets in our rear view mirror when this pandemic stops.”
You might be interested in these Charlotte events: Ballantyne Reimagined discussion, women’s health film, women in multifamily celebration, workplace trends webinar
Events submitted by readers to The Ledger’s events board:
MARCH 20: “Bringing to Life the Vision of Ballantyne Reimagined,” 8-9:30 a.m., AC Hotel Charlotte Ballantyne, 14819 Ballantyne Village Way, 16th floor. Join South Charlotte Partners for a behind-the-scenes look at Ballantyne Reimagined, a transformative project that has evolved a former golf course into The Bowl at Ballantyne, a vibrant new dining, retail and entertainment district for the South Charlotte region. The conversation will feature local executives who worked on the project: John Barton, president of Northwood Office; and Ned Curran, founder of Stone Cottage Advisors; with a discussion moderated by The Ledger’s Tony Mecia. $25 in advance, $35 at the door.
MARCH 22: “FREE Community Impact Film Series — Women’s Health,” 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at The Independent Picture House, 4237 Raleigh Street, Charlotte. IPH’s Community Impact Film Series sparks dialogue and builds bridges between people and organizations through the power of film. The Women’s Health event will be an energetic gathering that’ll kick off with wellness workshops, screenings of an award-winning documentary about menopause “The M Factor,” a panel discussion with filmmakers and women’s health community leaders and resource fair. Free.
MARCH 24: “Celebrating Women in the Queen City,” 6-8:30 p.m. at Lenny Boy Brewing, 3000 South Tryon St., Charlotte. The third-annual Celebrating Women in the Queen City event will honor women in the multifamily industry. The event will feature a live podcast with two panels of influential leaders, along with a Finishing Touches drive in partnership with Dress for Success Charlotte to support women re-entering the workforce. We will be collecting jewelry, handbags, and shoes. $10.
MARCH 25-27: “Trends in the Workplace 2025: A Free Webinar Series,” 10-11 a.m., virtual. Join The Charlotte Ledger and Catapult Employers Association for a free three-part webinar series for an hour a day breaking down the biggest workplace trends of 2025. This isn’t a boring lecture—it’s a real, unfiltered conversation about what’s ahead, what’s working and what steps you can take in your workplace. Free; registration required.
➡️ List your event on the Ledger events board.
In brief
School fight: The family of a female Muslim student at Ardrey Kell High School who was injured in a fight during school is calling for hate crime charges to be filed against the male student involved in the incident, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police say they have turned the incident report over to the FBI. The girl’s family says the fight resulted in her needing surgery to repair injuries to her face. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools officials say they followed all policies and procedures, including involving law enforcement. Both students were suspended from school following the fight. (Observer)
Carbon reduction bill: A new bill filed in the N.C. General Assembly by state Senate leader Phil Berger would roll back Duke Energy's goal of a 70% carbon reduction by 2030, while leaving the goal of net-zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 intact. The bill would also change how Duke can adjust electricity rates for users to cover the costs of building new power plants. (Axios)
New United Way CEO: United Way of Greater Charlotte has appointed Kathryn Firmin-Sellers as its new president and CEO. Firmin-Sellers has been with the organization for nearly a decade and has served as interim CEO since July 2024. Before joining United Way, she spent 11 years as chief operating officer at Safe Alliance, a nonprofit for domestic violence and sexual assault survivors, according to a press release.
Man extradited from Paris: A man who left for Paris after a crash in Cabarrus County that killed three of his family members last September has been extradited to the U.S. and is expected to appear in court today. Solomon Gheorghe, 20, was arrested in Paris a few weeks after a crash. The U.S. Marshals Service brought him to Cabarrus County on Wednesday, where he’s being held under a $2M bond. Deputies say he was driving a van when he swerved into oncoming traffic on N.C. Highway 24/27.
Not just fun and games? Union County Sheriff Eddie Cathey is urging parents to talk to their teens about the “senior assassin” game that involves high schoolers targeting their classmates with water guns. Cathey warns that the game poses serious risks, as teens dressed in dark clothing and sneaking around homes at night could be mistaken for criminals, potentially resulting in dangerous encounters. (The Ledger wrote about the game in an article last week.) (Queen City News)
Lovin’ Life tickets: Single-day tickets to the Lovin’ Life Music Fest go on sale at 10 a.m. today. This week, organizers released a day-by-day schedule for the festival, which will feature artists including Gwen Stefani, Benson Boone, Pitbull, Weezer, Dave Matthews, Teddy Swims and Ludacris. (WCNC)
Erin go bragh: Charlotte’s St. Patrick’s Day festival and parade kicks off at 10 a.m. Saturday between MLK and Brooklyn Village Avenue on Tryon Street. (CharlotteStPats.com)
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