Roanoke Rapids land developer Michael Dunlow confirmed this afternoon that he and Chicago businessman Lafayette Gatling are negotiating a deal for Gatling to buy land around the Roanoke Rapids Theatre.

An auction this morning to settle the estate of the late George Ragsdale, one of the initial partners in the Carolina Crossroads development, demonstrated there is little hope for immediate development until the economy turns but optimism that it will turn.

The Carolina Crossroads outdoor music venue has been sold to group of investors, according to Michael Dunlow, a local developer.