CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Another win for Ballantyne as Wingate University announced a big move Wednesday.
The university will move its Masters in Business Administration program to the corporate park.
Wingate will move its 600 students and staff out of their Matthews campus and into Ballantyne on Aug. 1.
They said it gives students more parking and more room to expand.
Wingate's new campus will take up 14,000 square feet in the Harris Building in the Ballantyne Corporate Park.
Robert Supernaw with Wingate University said it makes sense.
"Clearly this is one of the business hubs of the economic engine in Charlotte," Supernaw said.
Charlotte city councilman Warren Cooksey represented this district and sees the appeal for Wingate.
"(It's a) very mobile, very new population, new people moving in all the time," Cooksey said.
But good news for Ballantyne is bad news for business at the Depot Shopping Center in Matthews, where Wingate's current MBA program is shutting down
Debbie Stewart just opened her clothing shop here in April and says the campus was one reason why.
"We actually altered our hours for Wingate students two nights a week," Stewart said. "It will affect my business."
Wingate will also move its sports administration program to Ballantyne and hinted Wednesday it may be just the beginning.
"Several others things we aren't ready to talk about yet, but we are considering several other options," Supernaw said.
Wingate said any programs that move to Ballantyne will be graduate-level programs.
WSOC
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