Charlotte City Council deferred action on a traffic-control services contract tied to events at the Spectrum Center on Nov. 10, directing staff to report back with a clearer accounting of costs and whether the city should seek a cost‑sharing arrangement with the arena’s operator. The item originated from a city procurement to provide traffic‑mitigation services the city has funded since 2005.

Council member Luana Mayfield, who moved the deferral, said she wanted figures showing “how much is Spectrum contributing to the cost of this traffic mitigation and why is the city absorbing the financial request?” She told colleagues that rising city costs and recent investments in the arena made it appropriate to revisit whether the long‑standing arrangement should be adjusted.

City Manager Marcus Jones said staff will research contract terms and return to council with the requested details; he cautioned that any change must respect existing agreements. Council member Ed Driggs said a broader renegotiation with the arena operators should be handled in a separate forum and should not delay appointing a vendor when the contract requires it. Council members split on timing: some expressed concern that a two‑week deferral would not harm operations, while others warned that discussions about long‑standing agreements could be misunderstood by partners.

After a procedural mix‑up in which the clerk initially did not record the first vote attempt, the council formally recorded the deferral and directed the manager and city attorney to provide contract language and recommended next steps. No formal budget action was taken at the meeting.

Next steps: staff will return with the breakdown of current city costs for event traffic mitigation, any contract language that allocates costs, and options for a cost‑sharing model for council consideration.