Retail remains the untapped market in the uptown, despite a multitude of successes in office leasing, residential development, and the arts, Charlotte Center City Partners' Michael Smith says.

Michael told a recent gathering of the Charlotte Chamber that there's more than $500M in annual retail sales potential going to the ?burbs, describing the dilemma as an ?uncracked mystery.? (If uptown had a store named "Uncracked Mystery," that might help with business.)

Retailers usually follow residential development and other attractions, which the uptown and its sister district South End each have in abundance. There's pro sporting events, the convention center, and the symphony, and the uptown residential population has jumped 191% in the past five years. ?But we're missing opportunities right now,? Michael says. Center City Partners, in conjunction with other uptown stakeholders, is attempting to bring more ?opportunistic retail? to the center city, especially at the street level, he says. On a related subject, Bisnow will be covering the ICSC RECON show in Las Vegas live May 22-25. Contact Charlotte reporter Lee Howardwith your retail and restaurant story ideas. To sponsor one of those issues, contact our local sales rep Darla Bennett.