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Trump says a Queen City tower will bear his name

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- "The Donald" stopped in Charlotte Sunday saying that future Trump developments are definitely on his radar.  

"I would definitely come back to Charlotte," said Trump. "I like Charlotte a lot. It's a great place."

A twin-tower Trump development attracted a lot of attention two years ago, when city leaders confirmed the millionaire-developer would build one of his well-known projects here. 

Donald Trump

A "Trump Charlotte" Web site shows what the two buildings would have looked like, including one that would have been the Queen City’s tallest tower. Another Web site detailing skyscrapers in Charlotte listed its location as the corner of South Tryon and East Stonewall Streets in uptown.

The project never left the drawing board, Trump said, because he had a gut feeling about the banking crisis.

"A couple of years ago I had a little premonition that if one of those banks went a little bit off it would really hurt," said Trump.  "And not only did one of them go off, they both went off."

To him, that meant spending a lot of money to build the project wouldn't be a good investment, even though his children -- both business partners -- were excited about it.

"I was less enthusiastic, because of pricing, all because of pricing, but pricing has become a lot more reasonable," he explained.

Then he added that he has something similar to the live-work-play project in the works. It would be a combination residential and commercial development, like the towers would have been, and it might be soon.

"I'm looking at buying something very interesting," said Trump. "And if it happens, (it would be) over the next few months."

Some who work in the uptown development business are skeptical that a great deal will take place. Others said that if Trump follows through, they'll be enthusiastic, too.

"I think he's a smart investor," said Charlotte City Council member Edwin Peacock. "And I'm all for it if it's going to bring jobs."