THIS IS A PRODUCTION OF THE PBS CHARLOTTE.

>> THIS WEEK ON OFF THE RECORD MORE CASES AND MORE PLACES RETHINKING THE BACK DOOR PLANS WE TALK ABOUT MASKING ON THE JOB AND WHY THERE WERE VACCINE PROTESTERS AT THE HOSPITAL THIS WEEK.

THE POLICE PROTESTERS SETTLE A LAWSUIT BUT FILE ANOTHER ONE.

ALSO IT'S A REDO AFTER THE CITY COUNCIL TALKING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FIVE YEARS ABOUT WHO LOCAL PROTECTIONS AGAINST DISCRIMINATION.

MEANWHILE PROTECTION AGAINST EVICTION IS BACK FOR A LITTLE BIT.

A FEW EXTRA MONTHS TO MAKE THE RENT.

THE AIRPORT BOUNCING BACK AFTER A BAD DEAR YOU TO COVID.

AND THE LATEST ON THE FUNDING FOR THE MALL.

A LOT TO TALK ABOUT NEXT ON PBS CHARLOTTE.

THAN FROM THE PBS CHARLOTTE STUDIOS I'M JEFF SONIER AND WE ARE OFF THE RECORD TALKING ABOUT THE STORIES THAT YOU'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS WEEK.

YOU ARE GOING TO RECOGNIZE THE NAMES AND FACES AROUND OUR VIRTUAL TABLE.

ELI FROM THE CHARLOTTE URBAN INSTITUTE.

CHRISTINA FROM THE CHARLOTTE LEDGER ALL JOINING US TODAY.

YOU CAN ALSO JOIN THE CONVERSATION AT HOME JUST E-MAIL YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS TO OFF THE RECORD.

EVERY WEEK IT SEEMS LIKE WE START OUT TALKING ABOUT COVID PROBABLY BECAUSE IT AFFECTS EVERYBODY IN SOME WAY SHAPE OR FORM.

A LOT OF THE PLANS AND A LOT OF THE EMPLOYERS LAYING OUT PLANS THAT ARE GOING TO CHANGE BECAUSE OF ALL THIS UNFORESEEN CHANGES WITHIN THE VIRUS ITSELF.

I KNOW ELI IS ON CAMPUS AND THAT'S A PLACE THAT HAS HAD TO ADJUST IT'S BACK TO WORK PLANS CAN YOU TALK A BIT ABOUT WHAT'S THAT LIKE FOR ME EMPLOYEE POINT OF VIEW?

>> WE STARTED COMING BACK TO THE OFFICE AT THE BEGINNING OF JULY.

SINCE THEN OF COURSE WITH THE CHANGES IN THIS VARIANT AND RISING CASELOADS LOCALLY WE'VE SEEN IT SYSTEMWIDE GUIDANCE THIS WEEK THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO EITHER GET VACCINATED OR GET TESTED WEEKLY WITH UPCOMING FALL SEMESTER ALSO THERE IS AN ON CAMPUS INDOOR MASK REQUIREMENTS THAT IS NOW IN PLACE.

UNLESS YOU ARE IN A PRIVATE SPACE YOU NEED TO WEAR A MASK.

PEOPLE ARE ADAPTING TO THIS BUT IT'S A BIT DISORIENTING FRANKLY IT FEELS LIKE WE ARE IN SUMMER 2020 IN SOME WAYS WITH THE UNCERTAINTY.

I KNOW A LOT OF WORKPLACES ACROSS CHARLOTTE AND ACROSS THE NATION ARE GRAPPLING WITH WHETHER TO MANDATE VACCINES OR TAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH WHERE WE DO SOME WEEKLY TESTING OR YOU NEED TO WEAR A MASK INDEFINITELY IF YOU AREN'T VACCINATED.

IT FEELS LIKE WE ARE TAKING IN UNFORTUNATE STEP BACK AND REALLY JUST BRINGING BACK MEMORIES OF ONE YEAR AGO.

I KNOW THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AS YOU MENTIONED ALSO HAVING TO READJUST THEIR PLANS I KNOW THE LEDGER HAS TALKED WITH SOME OF THESE BIG EMPLOYERS ABOUT HOW IT TO MAKE THIS WORK OR HOW TO DO THIS ON THE FLY.

>> IT'S EXTREMELY FLUID I KNOW A LOT OF COMPANIES WERE TARGETING EFFECT BEFORE THIS VARIANT WAS AN ISSUE THEY WERE TARGETING SEPTEMBER.

WE COULD BE BACK IN SCHOOL.

EMPLOYEES WOULD HOPEFULLY BE VACCINATED BY THEN.

THIS GOES DOWN TO INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES THAT RELY ON THE WORKERS THAT HAVE BEEN WAITING DESPERATELY FOR THEM TO COME BACK.

WE HEARD LATE THIS WEEK THAT WELLS FARGO IS DELAYING THEIR PLANS BY ONE WEEK AND THEY ARE ALSO DELAYING THEIR PLANS TO BRING EMPLOYEES BACK IT MAKES YOU WONDER WHETHER THEY'VE GONE TO A MORE REMOTE OR HYBRID WORK CONCEPTS MAYBE IT'S GOING TO BE THE FUTURE AND IN THE NEAR-TERM WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHERE THE BUSINESS ENTITY IS CURRENTLY ON HOW TO GET BACK TO WHERE THEY WERE BEFORE ALL OF THIS STARTED.

>> I THINK THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY ARE GOING TO CHANGE THROUGH THE ENTIRE EXPERIENCE.

TO THINK IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT FOR THEM JUST MAKING PLANS IN COMMUNICATING THE PLANS WITHOUT HAVING TO CHANGE THEM.

I THINK AT THIS POINT THEY ARE REALLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE BUT ALSO MAINTAIN AND THOSE OFFICE CULTURES THAT THEY HAVE A FIRST SO LONG.

>> I THINK THERE'S ALSO AN AMAZING DIFFERENCE THIS TIME AROUND WHICH IS BEFORE WE HAD THIS EXPECTATION THAT EVERYTHING WOULD BE GOING BACK TO NORMAL BY NELL AND IN SOME WAYS WE AREN'T SEEING THE SAME LEVELS OF DEATHS THAT WE WERE EARLIER BUT WE ARE STARTING TO SEE INFECTION NUMBERS IN NORTH CAROLINA.

I THINK THAT THIS WILL RETURN THE SLIDE BACKWARDS AND MAKES IT FEEL MORE DIFFICULT THAN IT WAS BEFORE BECAUSE WE WERE SO CLOSE TO NORMALCY WHATEVER THAT MEANS.

WE WERE RIGHT THERE AND I THINK IT WAS DIFFICULT TO WATCH THIS BACKUP.

>> I ALSO THINK THAT ONE THING THAT'S REALLY DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS SITUATION THAT IS THE LABOR MARKET BEING SO TIGHT.

PLACES ARE HESITANT TO BRING PEOPLE BACK.

TO BRING PEOPLE BACK FIVE DAYS A WEEK PEOPLE HAVE SAID THEY ARE USED TO WORKING REMOTE AND THEY MAY EVEN LEAVE THEIR JOBS IF THEY HAVE TO GO BACK EVERY DAY FROM 9-5.

I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER CONSIDERATION TO BEYOND JUST A HEALTH ISSUE.

>> THE EXPECTATION IS THAT YOU WOULD COME BACK TO A NORMAL OR SOMEWHAT NORMAL WORKPLACE BUT WE ARE HEARING THIS WEEK THAT THEY ARE GOING TO REQUIRE MASKS ENDORSED.

AND THEN WE SEE THE PUSHBACK FROM HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES THESE SUPPORTERS MEETING AT THE FREEDOM PARK MARCHING DOWN TO THE HOSPITAL AND PROTESTING THE DECISION TO MANDATE THE VACCINE FOR ALL HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES.

IT IS INTERESTING TO SEE THE EMPLOYERS WALKING A FINE LINE THAT THEY TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE SAFEST OPTION IS FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES BUT ALSO WHAT IS THE BEST FOR THE BUSINESS ITSELF.

>> WHEN IT COMES TO HEALTHCARE THEY'RE NOT JUST DEALING WITH THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE BUT THEY ALSO HAVE TO DEAL WITH STAFFING ISSUES THAT BEEN CONTENDING WITH THE LAST YEAR OF THE PANDEMIC.

IF THEY HAVE PEOPLE THAT AREN'T VACCINATED THAT ARE GETTING SICK FOR A LONG SEGMENTS OF TIME THIS PUTS A BIG STRAIN ON THOSE RESOURCES THAT THEY'VE ALREADY IN SOME CASE FACED SHORTAGES WITHIN MANY HOSPITAL SYSTEMS.

I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED TO SEE THIS AND I HOPE HEALTHCARE WORKERS STAY RESPONSIBLE.

>> ATRIUM IS SUCH A HUGE COMPANY WITH A HUGE COMPANY THAT'S GOING TO BE A DIVERSITY OF OPINIONS.

GET YOUR VACCINE IF YOU HAVEN'T BACKED OVER 31st YOU RISK TERMINATION.

WITH ANY ORGANIZATION LIKE THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO FEEL DIFFERENT WAYS AND IT'S DEFINITELY SHOCKING.

THIS JUST GOES TO SHOW THE DIVERSITY OF OPINIONS AND IN A LARGE COMPANY LIKE THAT.

>> THEY HAVE SAID THEY'VE HAD A 200 PERCENT INCREASE IN HOSPITALIZATION.

99 PERCENT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE HOSPITALIZED NOW ARE THE UNVACCINATED.

IT'S DIFFICULT FOR THE HOSPITAL OR POOR HEALTH PEOPLE IN GENERAL TO SAY GET VACCINATED AND PROTECT YOURSELF.

WHEN THE EMPLOYEES ONLY 605 PERCENT OF THEM HAVE BEEN VACCINATED AND THAT'S IN PART WHY THEY HAVE MANDATED THIS IS A REQUIREMENT FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES.

IT'S NOT GOING TO GO AWAY ANYTIME SOON I HOPE BY NOW WE MAY BE TALKING ABOUT LIFE AFTER THE PANDEMIC BUT WE SEEM TO BE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS.

WE WILL REVISIT THIS IN A FUTURE SHOW I'M SURE.

LET'S REVISIT A TOPIC WE TALKED ABOUT LAST WEEK.

THE CITY COUNCIL IS MOVING FORWARD ON THIS AND APPARENTLY THEY ARE ALMOST READY TO VOTE ON THIS.

TO TALK ABOUT IT FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS WEEK ABOUT A POTENTIALLY CONTROVERSIAL SUBJECT THAT WAS REMARKABLY CIVIL.

YOUR THOUGHTS ON HOW THEY ARE MOVING FORWARD ON THIS AND WHAT THEY ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH RAY COMPLEX.

>> IT'S SUCH A DIFFERENT PLANET THAN BACK IN 2015 WHEN THE LAST NONDISCRIMINATION ORDINANCE LED TO PASSAGE AND ALL OF THE CLASH FROM BUSINESSES LAST TIME AROUND IT IS REALLY REMARKABLE THAT WE ARE SEEING SUCH A GRIEVANCE THERE WERE CERTAIN POINTS IN THE ORDINANCE THE PEOPLE DISAGREED ON WHAT SIZE EMPLOYER IT SHOULD APPLY TO HOW STRONG SHOULD THE PENALTY BE IN THERE REALLY WAS AN OVERWHELMING SUCCESS THEY ALL AGREED THIS IS A NECESSARY STEP THERE WAS A PROPOSAL FOR A VERY LONG TIME THAT CAME FROM THE DEMOCRATIC LEADERS ON COUNCIL.

IT REALLY IS INTERESTING TO SEE.

IT IS GOING TO BE SCHEDULED FOR A VOTE ON MONDAY.

WE WILL SEE IF THIS REMAINS ANOTHER WERE SOME DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT TO PUSH THIS OFF JUST A BIT AND WORK ON THIS JUST A BIT MORE.

I THINK ONE BIG THING THAT IS DIFFERENT IS THAT THEY AREN'T GOING AT THIS ALONE.

THERE HAVE BEEN AROUND TEN OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN NORTH CAROLINA THAT BUT HOW ARE WE THIS SINCE THE PROVISIONS IT'S GOING TO BE A COMPROMISE BILL THAT WAS PASSED.

THEY ARE ALL DOING THIS AT ONCE.

>> I THINK LAST TIME AROUND IN 2015 FOR WHATEVER THEY WERE DISCUSSING THIS THE ENTIRE ISSUE WAS FRAMED BY THIS PUBLIC HEARING THAT I WAS AT AND THAT I COVERED THE TIME.

FOR THE OBSERVER AND THERE WERE I THINK ABOUT 5.5 HOURS OF PUBLIC TESTIMONY FEEDBACK MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE TALKED FOR A FEW MINUTES EACH.

MANY AGAINST IT MANY NOT FROM THE AREA MANY FROM SURROUNDING AREAS.

IT WAS JUST A CIRCUS OF OPPOSITION THAT ALL CONVERGE ON THE CITY COUNCIL IN THIS TIME AROUND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFERENT AND THEY KEEP COMING BACK TO THIS.

FRANKLY PEOPLE HAVE SO MUCH ELSE ON THEIR MIND THIS AND SO MUCH CONTROVERSY SINCE THEN I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE THOSE PEOPLE ESPECIALLY CONVERGING ON THE CITY COUNCIL TO VOICE THEIR OPPOSITION LIKE LAST TIME AROUND THE MAJOR PUSHBACK IS THE REASON WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING THIS WAY.

YOU GET THE SENSE THEY DON'T HAVE A TASTE FOR IT THIS TIME AROUND AS THEY DID FIVE YEARS AGO AND THE CITY MANAGER IN THE CITY ATTORNEY HAVE WARNED THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE LAWSUITS AND THERE MAY BE CHALLENGES TO THIS.

AS YOU HAVE MENTIONED AND EVERYBODY HAS MENTIONED THE PUBLIC'S NEED TO BE MORE ACCEPTING AND TOLERANT OF WHAT HELPFUL WAS DOING THIS TIME AROUND VERSUS WHAT THEY WERE TRYING TO DO LAST TIME AROUND.

WE WILL HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC THIS COMING MONDAY AS WELL AS CITY COUNCIL VOTE ON THIS WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO STEP FORWARD AND SAY THEIR PIECE.

THE GOOD OLD DAYS OF THOSE 5.5 HOUR PUBLIC HEARINGS AREN'T SO GOOD.

WE WILL SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE ON MONDAY AS THEY REVISIT THIS THING FOR THE FINAL TIME.

>> EVICTIONS BACK IN THE NEWS THIS WEEK.

THEY REVERSED THEMSELVES TEMPORARILY ON THE PEOPLE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HARDSHIPS CAN GET A BREAK ON RENT FOR THAT MORTGAGE PAYMENT.

AND HOW YOU'VE WRITTEN ABOUT THE LAST FEW WEEKS BUT I'M SURPRISED WHAT THEY DID.

A GOOD SURPRISE FOR PEOPLE TRYING TO HANG ONTO THEIR HOMES.

>> THERE WAS DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN CONGRESS AND THE WHITE HOUSE OVER WHO SHOULD BE THE ONE TO HAVE A MORATORIUM THERE WAS A SUPREME COURT RULING THAT HAD SAID ESSENTIALLY THAT THEY NEEDED THIS TO EXPIRE AT THE END OF JULY THERE WAS CONCERN THAT IF THE WHITE HOUSE EXTENDED THIS ONCE AGAIN IT COULD BE ACTION AND THERE IS EXPECTED TO BE LEGAL ACTION ALREADY JUST AFTER THIS WAS PASSED.

IT APPLIES TO ALL COUNTIES SUBSTANTIAL OR HIGH RATES OF TRANSMISSION IN NORTH CAROLINA I THINK THAT'S FOUR IN THE EASTERN PART OF THE STATE IT CERTAINLY APPLIES HERE AND IT WOULD RUN THROUGH OCTOBER 3rd.

IT'S A BIT MORE LIMITED BUT AS I SAID OVER 90 PERCENT OF THE COUNTIES IN THE US THIS FALL WOULD FALL UNDER THIS BECAUSE OF THE HIGH TRANSMISSION RATES.

ONE THING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT AS THINGS GET BETTER WHICH THEY HOPEFULLY DO THEY WOULD NOT ACTUALLY APPLY ANYMORE IF THE COUNTY FELL OUT OF THIS HIGH TRANSMISSION RATE.

IT'S DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO KEEP UP YOUR PROBABLY NOT CHECKING THE DASHBOARD EVERYDAY.

FOR NOW THERE ARE PROTECTIONS AND WE ARE GOING TO SEE HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO LAST.

>> THINK ANYBODY THAT'S CHALLENGED IN KEEPING THEIR HOMES IF THE STATUS QUO BECAUSE IT MEANS THEY DON'T HAVE TO MOVE AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO GET FORCED OUT I WAS SURPRISED ON HOW MUCH FUNDING IS STILL AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE THAT FACE THIS CHALLENGE ONLY ABOUT HALF OF THE POOL HAS ACTUALLY FOUND ITS WAY INTO THE HANDS OF THE POCKETS OF PEOPLE IN THE TROUBLE THAT IS CORRECT.

AT THE AIRPORT THAT CAME OUT AT THE END OF JUNE AND CHARLOTTE ACTUALLY 52 PERCENT IS QUITE AN IMPROVEMENT OVER A LOT OF CITIES WHICH HAVE DISTRIBUTED 0 PERCENT OF THE MONEY FROM FIVE OR 10 PERCENT OF THE MONEY.

IT'S REALLY BEEN A BIG PUSH FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THEY'VE REALLY BEEN PUSHING THAT THIS MONEY MAY COME OUT QUICKLY AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE THE TO SET UP INFRASTRUCTURE THAT DOES NOT EXIST.

WE WENT TO A NONPROFIT AND THIS JUST SHOW THERE WAS NO PIPELINE TO DISTRIBUTE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FUNDING IN THESE INDIVIDUAL CITIES.

I THINK THAT ALSO UNDERSCORED THE HOUSING CRISIS THAT EXISTED BEFORE THE PANDEMIC AND A LACK OF A PLAN TO HELP PEOPLE AT THE NEXT LEVEL AND THIS HAS REALLY EXEMPLIFIED THIS.

>> THE LAST QUICK QUESTION I WILL TOSS OUT TO ANYBODY.

THE MORATORIUMS ARE JUST KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THIS GOES AWAY ARGUABLY BECAUSE THEY AREN'T NEEDED ANYMORE BUT ALSO THAT'S WHEN THE BILL COMES DUE CORRECT?

THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF WHAT'S GOING TO BE A MUCH LARGER PROBLEM WAS THE ACTUAL MORATORIUM EXPIRES ONCE AND FOR ALL.

>> I THINK WE'VE SEEN DANIEL'S POINT THAT THIS IS REALLY AN ONGOING CRISIS.

THIS IS CERTAINLY TRUE AND WE HAVE RECORD HIGH HOME PRICES IN CHARLOTTE.

RENT PRICES ARE VERY HIGH AS WELL.

I WAS JUST LOOKING AT THE MALL AREA FOR THE REDEVELOPMENTí, A STUDIO APARTMENTND A OPENING IN KEENELAND IS SUPPOSED TO RENT FOR A PROJECTED $1,100.

WHEN YOU HAVE NEW HOUSING COMING ON LINE AT THAT EXPENSIVE PRICE IN A PART OF THE CITY THAT HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN RELATIVELY AFFORDABLE IT JUST SHOWS YOU THIS IS AN ONGOING CRISIS NATIONWIDE IF THE SAME STORY.

THERE ARE VARIOUS ESTIMATES BUT THEY ALL PLACE US SOMEWHERE IN THE MILLIONS OF HOUSING UNITS SHORT OF WHERE WE NEED TO BE.

THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT STARTED WITH COVID.

IT'S REALLY JUST A CONTINUATION OF THE SAME PRICE AS WE'VE BEEN IN FOR A A WHILE KNOW WHEN IT COMES TO HOUSING AFFORDABILITY.

>> I'M JUST GOING TO SAY THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT JUST HAPPENED AND OFF THE OVERNIGHT AND IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT THE CITY IS GOING TO HAVE TO GRAPPLE WITH FOR YEARS AND YEARS TO COME I THINK MAYBE IT'S GOOD THAT IT'S NOW ON THE FOREFRONT I THINK WE NEED THIS ON THE FRONT BURNER AND IT'S CERTAINLY AN EMERGENCY SITUATION.

MAY BE GOING FORWARD WE CAN RETAIN SOME OF THIS MOMENTUM AND THE ATTENTION THAT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN DURING THIS TIME.

>> A SAD SITUATION FOR PEOPLE IN THIS SITUATION BUT FOR NOW AT LEAST THEY HAVE TIME TO FIGURE THIS OUT.

I GUESS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ALL AWAY UP TO THE FEDERAL LEVEL HAVE TIME TO FIGURE THIS OUT TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO TOO PERMANENTLY FIGURE THINGS OUT IN THE LONG-TERM FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE STRUGGLING TO KEEP A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS.

>> YOU WROTE ABOUT THE AIRPORT AND THAT THE AIRPORT WAS RELEASING INFORMATION ABOUT HOW BAD LAST YEAR IT REALLY WAS HELD AT CHARLOTTE DOUGLAS.

>> CAN YOU TALK A BIT ABOUT WHERE WE WERE VERSUS WHERE WE ARE?

AND MAYBE SAY WIFE'S HOPEFULLY GOOD NEWS GOING FORWARD NOT JUST FOR THE AIRPORT FOR EVERY INDUSTRY THAT DOES DEPEND ON THE AIRPORT EXPECTS IF ANYBODY HAS BEEN ON AN AIRPLANE THIS SUMMER YOU MIGHT THINK WE ARE BACK TO NORMAL AND I LOOKED AT THE DATA FROM JUNE THIS YEAR UNTIL JUNE BETWEEN A 2019 AND JUNE 2021.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER GETTING ON AND OFF CLAIMS IT'S ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME AS IT WAS IN 2019.

THE DIFFERENCE IS MOST OF THOSE TRAVELERS ARE LEISURE TRAVELERS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF LOW COST.

FOR THESE AIRLINES STILL A HUGE GHOST UNTIL THEY GET BUSINESS TRAVEL BACK AND WHO KNOWS WHEN THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

THE AIRPORT DID RELEASE SOME FIGURES THIS WEEK SAYING THAT REVENUES IN 2020 WAS DOWN ABOUT 19 PERCENT.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BIG REVENUE GENERATORS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PARKING REVENUE WHICH WAS DOWN ABOUT 60 PERCENT THE BIG MONEY MAKERS FOR THE AIRPORT IS GOING TO BE A LOT A TOUGH ONE FOR THEM WE DETERMINED THAT BUSINESS TRAVEL IS GOING TO BE A HUGE DEAL FOR THE AIRLINES AND THE AIRPORT.

ONCE THESE LEISURE TRAVELERS STOPPED TRAVELING THE AIRPORT GOING TO EMPTY OUT QUITE A BIT AS THE BUSINESSPEOPLE ARE BACK IN THE SKIES I JUST THINK WITH THE AMERICANS SAYING THEY LOST ABOUT $1 BILLION IN THE LAST QUARTER.

IT'S A HUGE IMPACT CONTINUING AND NOBODY EXACTLY KNOWS WHEN IT'S GOING TO END.

>> THAT IS THE.

>> FACTOR I GUESS THE BUSINESS TRAVELERS THAT REALLY ARE THE BREAD AND BUTTER OF THE AIRLINE.

IN PARTICULAR IN CHARLOTTE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE TRANSFER FLIGHTS AND A LOT OF THESE BIG INDUSTRIES AND THE BANKS ARE NOT DOING TO TRAVEL TO USE THE TO DO IN AND OUT OF CHARLOTTE OR ANYWHERE FOR THAT MATTER.

>> I THINK THIS REALLY IN ADDITION TO THE BUSINESS TRAVEL COMING BACK THAT'S GOING TO BE BIG.

CHARLOTTE DOUGLAS IS ALSO VERY WELL-POSITIONED FOR WEATHERING THE STORM LIKE THIS.

THAT ALSO RETAINED A VERY HIGH CASH RESERVES THERE'S A LOT OF CASH ON HAND TO COVER THOSE OPERATING COSTS.

IN PREPARATION FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS SO I THINK THIS PLAYED TO THE AIRPORT'S STRENGTHS.

THEY'RE ALSO NOT NOT SLOWING DOWN THEIR EXPANSION PLANS.

SO WE ARE REALLY IN THIS CITY AS A COMMUNITY MAKING A BIG BET ON AIR TRAVEL COMING BACK AND REMAINING STRONG IF YOU TALK TO PEOPLE IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY THEY WILL TALK YOUR EAR OFF ABOUT THE AIRPORT AND ITS IMPORTANCE AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THAT WAY.

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE WATCHING THIS QUITE CLOSELY.

>> NEW GATES OPEN AT THE AIRPORT BY THE END OF THIS YEAR OBVIOUSLY FROM THE AIR FORCE POINT OF VIEW THEY SEE LAST YEAR AS A YEAR THAT WON'T BE REPEATED GOING FORWARD.

AGAIN THAT'S NOT ENTIRELY UP TO THEM IT DOES DEPEND ON THE BUSINESSES IN THE LEISURE TRAVELERS THAT SO FAR HAVE MADE THE AIRPORT LOOK WHAT IT USED TO LOOK.

I REMEMBER THOSE EMPTY PARKING LOTS IT WAS THE STRANGEST THING OF ALL COMING BY THE AIRPORT AND SEEING ALL THE ACRES OF CONCRETE WITH NO CARS THERE.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE MALL SPEAKING OF ACRES OF CONCRETE THE COUNTY COMMISSION IS VOTING ITS SHARE OF PUBLIC FUNDING TOWARDS WHAT WE ALL HOPE IS GOING TO BE A REDEVELOPMENT THAT BREATHES NEW LIFE INTO WHAT USED TO BE A MAJOR ECONOMIC CENTER WHERE ARE WE ON EASTLAND AND HOW SIGNIFICANT IS WITH THE COUNTY COMMISSION DID THIS WEEK?

>> GO-AHEAD.

I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THIS WEEK THE COUNTY COMMISSION APPROVED $7 MILLION IN TAX INCENTIVES TO REDEVELOP THE MALL IS GOING TO BE A MIXED SPACE THAT'S GOING TO BE MIXED INCOME HOUSING PARKS AND GREEN WASTE.

IS GOING TO BE A SOCCER TRAINING FACILITY THE PEOPLE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT.

LIKE YOU SAID IT'S BEEN A BIG PLOT OF NOTHING FOR A VERY LONG TIME WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE OVER THE YEARS HAVING IDEAS PLANS AND DREAMS FOR THIS.

I THINK THERE IS EVEN DISCUSSION ABOUT PUTTING SOME SORT OF VIDEO STUDIO IN THERE.

PEOPLE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE IDEA OF IT TURNING INTO SOMETHING.

'S PLANS ARE CERTAINLY VERY SIGNIFICANT.

IN SOME WAYS I THOUGHT MAYBE I WAS WATCHING A PREVIEW OF THE STADIUM NEGOTIATIONS.

THERE WAS A MINI CONTROVERSY WHERE THEY WERE ASKING FOR NO PET SPACE.

THEY WERE SAYING THEY SHOULDN'T NEGOTIATE AT THE END LIKE THIS SO THERE WAS A BIT OF BACK AND FORTH OVER THIS.

THEY DID SAY THEY DON'T WANT MR. WE NEED TO HAVE THIS DURING THE MEETING.

I FELT AS IF I WAS GETTING A SNEAK PREVIEW INTO WHAT WE WERE SEEING WHEN IT COMES TIME TO REALLY GET INTO THOSE NEGOTIATIONS ABOUT BANK OF AMERICA STADIUM.

>> LIFT TO BE LAST WORK THIS WEEK.

>> I THINK THIS IS CERTAINLY AN IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD WITH THE TELLING STEP IS GOING TO BE THE CITY COUNCIL.

THEY ARE GOING TO WORK THROUGH THINGS LIKE THE NUMBER OF AFFORDABLE UNITS WHICH I THINK IS A QUICK GLIMPSE FROM THE SWEET.

PARK SPACE AND ALL OF THESE PUBLIC AMENITIES.

THE PUBLIC WHEN YOU CAN PULL OUT OF A DEVELOPER BECAUSE IT'S GOVERNMENT OWNED LAND.

I THINK THAT COULD BE THE BIG FLASHPOINT ALSO I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE LOOKING TOWARDS THE EAST SIDE WHICH IS ALSO IN A VERY VULNERABLE POSITION.

IT DOESN'T REALLY INCLUDE ANY HOUSING I BELIEVE AT 30 PERCENT UP TO 50 PERCENT IT WILL ALL END WITH 80 PERCENT OR MORE OF THE MEDIAN INCOME.

AT THERE IS GOING TO BE SOME DISCUSSIONS AROUND HOW TO REDEVELOP THE AREA WHICH EVERYBODY WANTS TO SEE BUT WITHOUT PUSHING ANYBODY ELSE.

>> THIS IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION WE ARE OUT OF TIME BUT I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR JOINING US AROUND THE TABLE AND EU AT HOME AS WELL.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT THIS WEEK JUST SEND THEM TO OFF THE RECORD.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AT HOME AND WE WILL SEE YOU NEXT THEM.