or one night next week, Charlotte becomes the center of the soccer world: the MLS All-Star Game lands at Bank of America Stadium on July 29 — MLS's best vs. Liga MX — and Lionel Messi has been named to the squad. We dig into why it's bigger than a game: the spotlight, the economic impact, and whether Charlotte has quietly become a real soccer city. Plus: the growth-vs-neighborhoods housing fight, the new transit tax, and the summer street-takeover crackdown. And a hook worth staying for — Charlotte Restaurant Week starts Friday.

CLT Daily — Charlotte's independent daily briefing. New episodes every morning. cltdaily.com

Sources this episode: Axios Charlotte, WBTV, WRAL, Queen City News, and public records.

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