Charlotte Breaks Ground on $67M Eastland Sports Campus To Open in 2028

Charlotte officials broke ground on a $67 million sports complex at the Eastland Yards redevelopment site. The city is putting up $41.2 million. The private sector will cover the rest.

The Eastland Sports Campus will span 29 acres and include six full-size multipurpose athletic fields. There's also a 100,000-square-foot indoor facility with 10 basketball courts. The outdoor fields will accommodate soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, 7-on-7 football, and flag football.

The campus will also have health and wellness offices, an academic learning center, a STEM lab, food and beverage stations, bike paths, and green space. Construction will start up in the third quarter of 2026. The outdoor fields should open in early 2028, and the building by late 2028.

"This isn't going to just be about sports, it's going to be about opportunity," Mayor Vi Lyles said during the groundbreaking ceremony, according to WCNC.com.

"For decades, this side of town lost its biggest economic incubator, which was Eastland Mall," City Council member JD Mazuera Arias said. "And now we're finally revitalizing an economic engine, which is the Eastland Yards."

Project leaders estimate the campus will bring in $169 million in annual economic impact, create 500 jobs, and produce 126,000 to 130,000 hotel room nights each year. Robert Bolton of Bolton, Ivory & Cantey LLC, a managing partner, said the facility will offer 1,000 hours of free community use per year for the indoor space.

The development is being led by EDGE Sports Global, Charlotte Soccer Academy, Bolton, Ivory & Cantey LLC, and Southern Entertainment. CSA serves 8,500 kids. The organization is putting in $8 million and will use the site as a hub for their Uptown and Matthews players.

Per Axios, Jim Cantalupo, president of CSA, said that the club turns away 500 to 600 families a year due to a lack of space. Cantalupo said CSA has scholarships available to help economically disadvantaged players gain access to the sport.

Bolton, an Independence High School graduate, said the project will serve as an activator for the east side area. Talks are underway to add a hockey rink to the site. No decision has been made, and a timeline hasn't been set.

The sports campus is one of several projects at the 80-acre site, including affordable senior housing, a mixed-use apartment building, townhomes, single-family homes and a county park expected to open in 2026.