225x704

Hi everyone, new here - sort of. Been lurking on UP for about 6 years but never join in on the conversations but I'm compelled to comment on this topic. I kind of agree with @1020AM on their sentiments around this recent topic but I'm not going to say people are bigots cause that's not fair but you should all be aware of the optics of this conversation. From the outside looking in, it appears to be thinly vailed racism. When you use words like GHETTO and blaming the rise in crime on the transit center - it's like you are targeting a particular demographic group for the cause of crime. I think everyones' concerns about the crime at the EpiCentre are valid but some of the comments are concerning. I've lived in Charlotte for 5 years, been living in ATL for the past year, but moving back next Saturday to my home in NoDa and what I've seen/heard going on at the EpiCentre seems to be what are the typical negatives of entertainment venues like that in larger cities. Most of the time, the EpiCentre is fine. I go to the movies there, and I use to workout at Golds and I never had any problems. Working in Uptown - I would walk pass the transit center all the time and was never bothered. I've actually had more issues on Tryon Street and parks over the transit center and Epi. I think this all comes down to security, increase security and this will be solved. Someone earlier made a comparison to Bourbon Street in Nola and I would agree with that. I'm from Nola and it's a mess. Growing up in New Orleans you were taught to be careful on Bourbon. Despite its historic significance - there really isn't anything, besides the buildings, historic about Bourbon, it's just a collection of bars. Yes, its in the French Quarter, and there is historic significance but still just a collection of bars. People have been shot, stabbed, robbed and raped on that street but it never stops people from goin. I believe despite it all, people feel safe because of amplified security. You see the cops on horses dragging anyone who causes problems out. So the Epi center, to me, seems to have a security issue to support its current retail mix. The issues could also be a culture clash. Epi is draw for a lot of people from different neighborhoods and they have different values and when you put them together, mixed with drugs and alcohol things are for sure going to go down. An argument over someone stepping on your shoe and not saying 'excuse me' can go from zero to 100 and the outcome could be someone gets in a fight, or stabbed especially if people are intoxicated. Me having lived in New York, Atlanta, San Fran, and Chicago - in my opinion the crimes that happen at the EpiCentre and in Uptown for that matter are minor in comparison. Yes, Charlotte is a smaller city in comparison but Charlotte isn't really a small town anymore, it's growing at a rapid clip and these are some of it's growing pains. Same concerns about crime at Northlake Mall was discussed a few years ago and the sky was falling then too, but the mall seems to be doing just fine and attracting people despite its pass issues with crime. Again, the concerns about crime are valid but it has more to do with a bunch of people from different walks of life in an enclosed space drinking trying have a good time and incidents sometimes happen. I just don't think it's fair to put it on the transit center when most issues happen at night when the center is barely operating. I think it's a security issue. My long winded 2 cents.