Charlotte didn't land Amazon’s planned second headquarters project. But, the city is reportedly closing in on a deal with the online retailer for a sprawling new distribution center near the airport.
Charlotte City Council members are scheduled to vote Monday night on a plan to sell about 90 acres north of the airport for a proposed development dubbed “Project Quattro,” for $7.5 million. City documents identify the buyer as “CF Hippolyta Charlotte LLC.”
The Charlotte Observer reported last week that the company behind the deal is Amazon. The newspaper cited two unnamed officials familiar with the negotiations. The Observer said Amazon intends to build a 2.5 million square foot distribution center on the site near Tuckseegee Road, I-85 and I-485.
If council members approve, the City would commit to spending a total of more than $13 million for infrastructure improvements to support the project. That includes up to $9 million to be covered by a portion of city and county property tax collections over the next decade. Up to $4.4 million for road improvements would come from a city aviation fund.
A new Amazon distribution facility in west Charlotte would boost the retailer’s current facilities in the area, including a distribution center in Concord and another under construction in Kannapolis.
The property designated for the deal is owned by Charlotte-Douglas airport, and the sale requires approval from the Federal Aviation Administration.