The Developer

Developer Rick Lazes is an inventor, entrepreneur, and artist. Currently focusing on his sculpture work in wood and plastics, Rick Lazes has had a multifaceted career in entertainment and product development. He holds several patents for innovative technology including the AutoBoom, a state-of-the-art technology employed for mitigating offshore oil spills. One of his companies was the largest private contractor on the BP oil spill and responsible for the successful mitigation of the worst offshore oil spill in history. His professional career includes his work in the entertainment industry, in which he has has produced hundreds of concerts and live music festivals in over 30 states, as well as TV shows for HBO and Cinemax. A current resident of Lake Norman, NC, Lazes is currently developing a 40-acre entertainment complex in downtown Charlotte. This complex, the NC Music Factory, boasts Live Nation as its anchor tenant which operates the Fillmore Charlotte and the Uptown Amphitheatre. With 200,000 square feet of restaurants and nightclubs, the NC Music Factory also houses Silver Hammer Studios, Charlotte’s largest soundstage and the site of several films and television productions including Talladega Nights, Homeland, Shallow Hal, and Hunger Games.