More than 30 community leaders and Charlotte business owners gathered Tuesday, June 3 to discuss issues and opportunities facing the community. The Charlotte Economic Summit, centered around community revitalization, provided the framework for what could be a strategic plan to move the City of Charlotte forward.
While opinions on the issues facing the City varied, it was evident those in attendance were in agreement that action needs to be taken to revitalize Charlotte.
“It was encouraging to see there is a consensus that we really need to act,” said Garrett Bensinger, Charlotte Chamber of Commerce board president and one of the event organizers along with Barbara Fulton, from HGB, Don Sovey, form CanDo! and Bryan Myrkle from the City of Charlotte. “I think there is a group that is willing to work proactively towards improving our community and business climate.”
Tuesdays discussion centered on a number of local issues, including trends, risks and opportunities, how to attract young families to the region and how to create a vibrant business community.
Myrkle said he was pleased with the open and honest discussions that took place throughout the course of the meeting as well as those continued long after the official meeting had ended.
“There seemed to be a sense of urgency,” Myrkle said. “The sense I got is that people feel that whatever we’re going to do needs to be done in a timely fashion, with less time talking and strategizing and more time taking action.”
Myrkle said a number of topics were addressed, but the main areas identified as needing special attention included Charlotte Public Schools, downtown revitalization and marketing. Issues identified with the school district including improving the relationship between the district and the community and making sure Charlotte is one of the top performing districts in the region. Issues identified with downtown revitalization included too many vacant buildings as well as the appearance of some downtown properties. Issues related to marketing included the need to establish a community guide that highlights businesses and opportunities within the community.
Bensinger said the core group of organizers will get together to discuss next steps but envisions a second meeting taking place in July.
“The next step is gathering all of this information and identifying key concerns and opportunities,” he said. “We need to make sure everyone is on the same page moving forward.”
