2 For Tuesday | November 10, 2026

---

#1 CLT Airport Lease Approved. Here are the Key Provisions.

After two years of staff level negotiations, followed by months of contentious meetings and a back-and-forth dialogue in the media, we are happy to report than the airport operations lease was approved by the City Council 8 – 2.  

Here are some of the key provisions:

• This is a 10.5-year commitment running from January 1, 2027, through June 2037.

• The lease includes a 5-year extension option that can be triggered if airlines meet specific performance and development benchmarks.
• It unlocks a multi-billion-dollar ($2.1 Billion) infrastructure overhaul entirely funded by the signatory airlines (American Airlines currently operates at 90% of the gates) titled CLT BEYOND.
• Capital improvements are structured so that zero local tax dollars are used for funding.
• These funds are legally locked in to build a Concourse C gate expansion, a new passenger tunnel linking to the main terminal, airfield modernization, and an international arrivals area renovation.
• To encourage market competition, airlines must now utilize their gates an average of 5.5 times per day (up from 4.5 under the previous 2016 agreement).
• If a carrier fails to hit the 5.5-use daily average for three or more months out of a calendar year, the city retains the right to reclaim those gates on an annual basis and reassign them to competing airlines.
• It includes language which allows increased airline revenue sharing. Meaning the financial framework shifts the airport-airline revenue split to 55% for the city and 45% for the signatory airlines (up from the previous 40% airline share).
• The combined operating terms are projected to generate roughly $3 billion in total rent over the life of the lease.

Here’s a breakdown of the 8-2 vote in favor of the lease:

• Yes – Anderson, Graham, Mayo, Owens, Driggs, Mayfield, Watlington, Ajmera
• No – Mazuera Arias, Johnson
• Special Note – *Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell would have also been a yes but was out of town due to a long standing travel commitment confirmed prior to the scheduling of the vote.

My Take:  It’s fantastic to finally have the vote on this issue in the rearview mirror. Frankly, it shouldn’t have even reached this rancorous point which kept confusing the facts. For anyone who doesn’t know, the Charlotte City Council does not possess the legal authority, within the guidelines of this lease and its relationship to state law, to address the matters raised by the union. The union has been attempting to organize workers at the airport for the last several years and blurring the lines between the importance of the lease and the state of the workers isn’t productive. We know these laws could certainly change in the future as new leadership takes control at the General Assembly. But for now, I’m happy we came to our senses.

When it comes to workforce development, I should share that the city currently has several programs in place to assist those who desire to enter the trades as a career including the newly established Skilled to Build program aimed at preparing workers for the nearly $25 Billion of infrastructure projects that will take place within Mecklenburg County over the next 30 years. How about we use our civic energy on supporting the proactive measures instead of pushing narratives that stunt economic growth and limit prosperity?

---

#2 2026 State of Housing Summit Charlotte to Present Exclusive First-Look at Data.

Join developers, government officials and community stakeholders for an exclusive first look at the 2026 State of Housing in Charlotte report on Tuesday, Nov. 17. The report will be presented by Dr. Yongqiang Chu, Director of the Childress Klein Center for Real Estate, followed by an industry panel discussion addressing topics from the report.

Agenda

• 2-3 p.m. – State of Housing in Charlotte Report Presentation
• 3:10-4 p.m. – Moderated Panel Discussion
• 4-4:45 p.m. – Networking Reception

Location: In-person and virtual

The Dubois Center at UNC Charlotte Center City
320 E. 9th Street Charlotte, NC 28202

Virtual attendance will be via a shared Zoom link. Register to opt for ZOOM.

REGISTER NOW

After the presentation, join the discussion with panelists:

• Joan B. Goode, President, Canopy Realtor® Association, Canopy MLS, Canopy Housing Foundation
• Shawn Kennedy, President Kennedy Properties and Development
• Liz Ward ’14, Founder, Owner, GiveImpact
• Moderator: Chandler Lutz, Steven Ott Distinguished Scholar in Real Estate

Presented by the UNC Charlotte Belk College of Business, the largest business school in the state. Belk College offers undergraduate and graduate programs aligned with the industries that are shaping Charlotte’s economy.

REGISTER NOW

 

My Take:  First of all, a huge thank you to Canopy MLS for being a primary source of data for the report. This ongoing collaboration, where private industry provides a major university with real time regional housing data in order to generate reports that influence public policy decisions, has been unmatched elsewhere in the country.  We are proud of this partnership and plan to continue this effort long into the future.  I’d strongly encourage you to attend this year’s presentation as Dr. Chu intends to add a new enhancement to his report.  My lips are sealed about the details, but if you are an elected official or member of local government staff, you will want to be in the room.  

BACK TO LATEST NEWS