Freedom Park

Another money surprise this week.

this time at Discovery Place, where construction on their newly built nature museum near Freedom Park was concluded in April, but the museum still has not opened, and it's believed that may be because Discovery Place is likely going to be unable to repay a $14.6 million loan from Mecklenburg County and may default.

Mecklenburg County commissioners read the organization, the Riot Act, and threatened to take control of the museum's operations.

The loan is due in full on October 27th, but commissioners seemed caught off guard when they learned about this, Nick.

unable to make this payment? Well, I will say that actually Discovery Place was saying that they weren't sure that they could come up with the money even during the discussion when they were asking commissioners for the money back in December of 2023.

I mean, the backstory to this is that, you know, Discovery Place wanted to build a new nature museum.

You might remember the old nature museum by Freedom Park.

They wanted to build something new.

Okay, not the, well, I believe it's just that nature center.

at Freedom Park, their nature museum.

So here's the story from the Charlotte Observer, Mary Ramsey reporting, Mecklenburg County Commissioners blasted Discovery Place over its handling of county money for its nature museum.

This happened Tuesday.

And the county is now threatening to take control of the museum's operations and hold Discovery Place in default for millions of dollars.

The issue stems from about $14.6 million that the county agreed to loan Discovery Place in early 2024.

So over two years ago, two and a half years ago, okay? And they made the loan to help cover the cost of the building, the construction of a revamped nature museum in Freedom Park.

The county owns the property.

Ha, ha, ha.

The issue stems from about $14.6 million the county agreed to loan Discovery Place in early 2024 to help cover the building of a revamped nature museum in Freedom Park.

The county owns the property and the facility on Sterling Road near the Dilworth and Myers Park neighborhoods.

Discovery Place opened the museum since they've operated that since they opened back in 1947.