Just throwing this out there. My girlfriend works at Carolina Place in one of the department stores. We also live in Pineville, so we go there frequently. The mall always seems to be busy to me. There are a few stores that have closed, but they seem to be replaced fairly quickly. You could make the argument that Barnes and Noble might be a draw, because it is the only mall in Charlotte with a B&N. I only mention it as a draw, because we have gone to a few events and book releases there. They draw decent crowds. In my unprofessional opinion, the mall seems to be doing fine and is usually busy. I agree that it is not very pedestrian friendly. My girlfriend walks to there from our apartment and the sidewalk situation is terrible. I definitely agree with the above improvements, but I don't get the sense that the mall is going downhill at all.