210 Trade | EpiCentre

[RaleighHeelsfan]

Yeah, Epicenter is pretty lame. It is fun at night but the day time...it's just an eyesore. Very underwhelming in person(the backside of the place is a disaster). Lets hope for a nice hotel hotel on top (it our lifetime)...it would help a lot.

 

Any updates on the hotel???

 

I still haven't found a reason to go to the epicenter. I go other places uptown like concerts at Time Warner and....um.....well.....I guess thats it.  I do plan on taking the Concord Express in to the city one morning and literally spending the day uptown. 

Take in a movie or two, take some pictures, sit and watch people. Check out the ballpark and regular park across from it. Check out all the new construction, Go to the Bechtler and Mint. I think all of that could take up a day when you throw meals in. 

 

Edited September 28, 2015 by RaleighHeelsfan

[15895]

Yeah, Epicenter is pretty lame. It is fun at night but the day time...it's just an eyesore. Very underwhelming in person(the backside of the place is a disaster). Lets hope for a nice hotel hotel on top (it our lifetime)...it would help a lot.

 

Any updates on the hotel???

 

I disagree 100%. It's a single complex that has a large concentration of goods and services and has a sense of place. 

[RaleighHeelsfan]

I don't mean the place is bad. It is just ugly. It is a good thing to have though.

 

I disagree 100%. It's a single complex that has a large concentration of goods and services and has a sense of place. 

[Miesian Corners]

So is this hotel dead or what?

[Guest]

So is this hotel dead or what?

Nope. Not dead. Just going through a couple issues.

[uptownliving]

Just a side note....I went to SMG Theaters recently to watch a movie and noticed they have finally put some money into the place with all new leather seating and updated display monitors in the hallway and on the ticket counter. The place was really starting to look run down and neglected but now it looks a lot better. Of course the food remains the same. 

[cltcane]

Just a side note....I went to SMG Theaters recently to watch a movie and noticed they have finally put some money into the place with all new leather seating and updated display monitors in the hallway and on the ticket counter. The place was really starting to look run down and neglected but now it looks a lot better. Of course the food remains the same. 

Living a few blocks away, I take advantage of the $5 Groupons to see movies (but skip the food) there fairly frequently, and I agree the recent renovations are a huge improvement.  The old carpet was always filthy, and many of the equally-dirty upholstered seats were broken.  The new, easier-to-clean leather seats are narrower meaning more seats per theater (which is great because there used to be very few empty seats in the evenings and on weekends), carpet has been replaced throughout and by vinyl or laminate in the seating areas, and the self-service terminals have all been repaired/replaced cutting down on lines to purchase tickets using Groupons (there is a fee to reserve seats online).

[Guest]

We complain about Epicenter, but lets not forget that building that completely ignored its surroundings that sat there before. Though I admittedly miss those big giant pyramids. 

[SgtCampsalot]

^^What was that???

[Guest]

^^What was that???

The Old Charlotte Convention Center. Thats what Epicenter Replaced.

[cltcane]

The Old Charlotte Convention Center. Thats what Epicenter Replaced.

I remember when this was being torn down.  I was interning with Wachovia the summer after my sophomore year of college (2005), and I got a great view of the demolition from the Overstreet Mall bridge between BofA Plaza and BB&T Center on my near-daily trek with my manager from our office in the now Fifth Third Center to One Wachovia (Wells Fargo) for meetings.  That was the same summer construction started on Avenue, and we had to endure the constant sound of steel being driven into the ground for weeks.  Good memories!

[hinsp0]

I remember when this was being torn down.  I was interning with Wachovia the summer after my sophomore year of college (2005), and I got a great view of the demolition from the Overstreet Mall bridge between BofA Plaza and BB&T Center on my near-daily trek with my manager from our office in the now Fifth Third Center to One Wachovia (Wells Fargo) for meetings.  That was the same summer construction started on Avenue, and we had to endure the constant sound of steel being driven into the ground for weeks.  Good memories!

anyone remember going there for fanfest the last time Charlotte hosted the NBA all star game?

[Guest]

anyone remember going there for fanfest the last time Charlotte hosted the NBA all star game?

yessssss!!!!! I still have my shirt! It's kinda small now though...

[dcharlotte]

The old Convention Center should be the reason the city reforms zoning code or has requirements about how buildings interface with the street. Building such a large building only for it to be torn down years later is not only a waste of money, but generally these buildings sit dark for years prior to anything happening. Maybe they will learn soon enough. 

[Matthew.Brendan]

What lasted longer, (old) Convention Center or Tyvola Colosseum?

This town cracks me up. 

[southslider]

^The intersection of Kenilworth and Charlottetowne has been rebuilt three times in the last three decades.

[Deleted.]

The Old Charlotte Convention Center. Thats what Epicenter Replaced.

Thank God, the Epicenter replaced that thing. When was the Old Convention Center built and demolished? 

Edited October 10, 2015 by Piedmont767

[videtur quam contuor]

It almost was demolished by participants. As I recall, some time in the 80's there was a large Mary Kay Cosmetics convention held there. The main feature was a large dance on an upper level. They were all in a group doing the Bunny Hop, or something, and the concrete floor was deflecting seriously. The activity had to be suspended and engineers called who determined the structure was not designed for such a load. Really. I mean, a convention center. Obsolete by design.

[queensguy06]

If I'm not mistaken, I remember it was imploded.  I went and watched it, as did about 1,000 other people - pretty cool site to see.

EDIT: Ah, yes - here it is: Convention Center Implosion

Edited October 10, 2015 by queensguy06

[cltbwimob]

Nope. Not dead. Just going through a couple issues.

Like perhaps changing brands?  I am with Jayvee in that I don't really care for the idea that we should have two Residence Inns within blocks of each other.  Would much rather have a Renaissance/AC dual brand rather than a Residence Inn/AC hotel as a Renaissance would help add some coverage in the 4-star category, a category in which Charlotte is drastically underrepresented for a city its size.

[Guest]

Like perhaps changing brands?  I am with Jayvee in that I don't really care for the idea that we should have two Residence Inns within blocks of each other.  Would much rather have a Renaissance/AC dual brand rather than a Residence Inn/AC hotel as a Renaissance would help add some coverage in the 4-star category, a category in which Charlotte is drastically underrepresented for a city its size.

ding ding ding 

[cltcane]

Like perhaps changing brands?  I am with Jayvee in that I don't really care for the idea that we should have two Residence Inns within blocks of each other.  Would much rather have a Renaissance/AC dual brand rather than a Residence Inn/AC hotel as a Renaissance would help add some coverage in the 4-star category, a category in which Charlotte is drastically underrepresented for a city its size.

ding ding ding 

A Renaissance would be a welcome addition.  Solely from a hometown boosterism perspective, it's always frustrated me that almost every other city our size has considerably more 4-star hotels than we do.  I'm tired of friends saying "What do you mean there's no (blank) in Charlotte.  Even (blank) has one of those."  Looks like that will hopefully be changing soon.

[tozmervo]

Is the top of the epicentre really the best location for a 4-star hotel, though? It's always seemed like a love-Hate relationship between the Ritz and epicentre as it is.

[atlrvr]

I'm 97% certain it is still a Residence Inn.  Marriott is paying the owner of the current Residence Inn a $750k fee due to the introduction on close competition as soon as this breaks ground (air).

[CLTProductions]

I'm 97% certain it is still a Residence Inn.  Marriott is paying the owner of the current Residence Inn a $750k fee due to the introduction on close competition as soon as this breaks ground (air).

Hmmmm, interesting. I heard that a long time ago but that was right around the time the project got delayed....is this still the case?