Charlotte's newest shopping mall complex, Charlotte Premium Outlets, will open its doors on Thursday morning. The mall has more than 100 stores and will host a four-day grand opening that's expected to draw large crowds -- and a lot of traffic -- near Steele Creek Road and I-485 in southwest Charlotte.
The mall expects the opening to be so popular that they're providing shuttles for customers to overflow parking lots and helping customers park.
Local and state transportation officials say they expect heavy congestion this weekend during the grand opening. CDOT, NCDOT and the North Carolina Highway Patrol will be monitoring and managing traffic. Last month, CATS extended its bus route to Charlotte Premium Outlets to help employees and shoppers access the mall.