Land Swap Could Force New CMS Budget Problems

The future of Charlotte Mecklenburg School’s Education Center in Uptown Charlotte is now up in the air.

Mecklenburg County and the school district signed a deal for CMS to sell the building to the county for $13 million. It would be part of a new mixed-used development called Brooklyn Village.

Now, the county says it can't pay, but still wants the district out of the building by December 2010.

"County staff informed CMS staff that the county does not have the promised funding for replacement office space," Superintendent Peter Gorman wrote in a memo to county leaders.

CMS leaders said they understand money is tight, but don't like the alternative of cutting school construction.

"We didn't want to stop any of the six schools that will open this year or the high schools that will after or any of the remodels in their completion or finishing," Gorman said.

County Manager Harry Jones sent out his own memo Thursday night promising, "The county will fulfill its obligation to pay $13.75 million to replace administrative office space."

The dilemma came just hours after learning the state will give the district the money it needs to hire some teachers back.