Welcome to Charlotte!
For decades, Charlotte has had a reputation as a financial and business hub with entertainment and culture as an afterthought. Those days are long past. While research, banking, healthcare, energy, and technology still make it a bustling center of commerce, this former little textile town is now a first-rate metropolis.
But growing up has not stripped Charlotte of its warmth and southern charm. The city has managed to hang on to the small-town feel that earned it the distinction as the most livable city from the U.S. Conference of Mayors.1
At our annual conferences in 1988 and 2003, we enjoyed many of the sights and sounds that Charlotte has to offer as an up-and-coming city in the Southeast. Still warmed by the memories we have from those events, we decided that Charlotte/Mecklenburg County would be the perfect place to celebrate our 100th anniversary in 2014—and even more so because 2014 also marks 50 years since the North Carolina City Managers Association unanimously decided to form a joint city and county managers association. And as if we needed even more reason to celebrate, in 2014 the ICMA Code of Ethics turns 90 years strong!
Why Charlotte? Why Not!
Among cities in the United States, Charlotte…
- Is the 2nd-largest banking center in the nation, controlling more than $2 trillion in assets
- Maintains superior AAA bond ratings for city operations with S&P, Fitch and Moody’s
- Is among “America’s Top 25 Arts Destinations” by American Style magazine
- Has been named "Tree City USA" for 31 years in a row by the National Arbor Day Foundation
- Ranks 2nd as a Best Value City” by Kiplinger’s
- Was rated as one of the "Best Cities for Small Business" by Entrepreneur magazine
- Ranks among the top 20 of "America's Most Wired Cities" (Forbes.com)
- Is home to the fastest growing airport in the U.S.
- Was named one of the "Top 10 Cities for African-Americans to Live" by Black Enterprise magazine
- Ranks 3rd in the Top 10 Green Cities (Liviability.com)
- Ranks 5th among the Fastest Growing Cities in the U.S. (Forbes.com).
Allan Ramsay
Portrait of Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1744-1818)
Just the Facts, Ma’am
Once called Charlottetowne, the city of Charlotte was named in 1762 in honor of the British queen Charlotte Sophia, while the county was named Mecklenburg to denote the region in Germany where Queen Charlotte Sophia was born.
The Charlotte, North Carolina, region is composed of 16 counties, including 4 in South Carolina. Located in the heart of the Southeast, within the southern Piedmont of North Carolina and along the state’s border with South Carolina, the city of Charlotte is a council manager city that serves as the hub of the region. It is the largest and most accessible city between Washington, D.C., and Dallas, Texas. Given its mid-Atlantic location, getting to Charlotte is easy from anywhere in the country or even the world—hence, its nickname, "the International Gateway to the South."
Attractions
Charlotte offers a variety of things to do and see, from high-end art, theater, and museums to high-energy racing, professional sports, and outdoor recreational opportunities; from wineries and endless dining options to breweries and down-home cooking.
Betchler Museum
Arts and culture
With more than a mile’s worth of cultural facilities—including museums, galleries, and performing arts venues—all within Center City alone, Charlotte has a commitment to the arts.
In 2010, the Levine Center for the Arts—encompassing the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Mint Museum Uptown, Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, and the 1,150-seat Knight Theater—became the heart of the Center City cultural corridor. Ballets by NC Dance Theatre, operas by Opera Carolina, and a wide variety of stage shows at NC Blumenthal Performing Arts Center and Ovens Auditorium are just a sampling of happenings in Center City. Neighborhoods beyond Center City, including NoDa and South End, embrace the arts as well with off-the-beaten-path venues that offer musical genres ranging from jazz to alt-rock and gallery crawls that show off masterpieces by local artists. And historical sites scattered throughout the region make for one-of-a-kind visitor experiences.
Carowinds
Family Friendly
Banking may have helped shape this city, but Charlotte’s playful side adds to the city’s unforgettable appeal. Planet Snoopy, as well as new thrill rides such as Windseeker and The Intimidator, are at Carowinds; May and October races are run at the Charlotte Motor Speedway; and the Duke Energy Broadway Lights performances can be found at NC Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. For animal enthusiasts, don’t miss the Lazy 5 Ranch for an up-close look at exotic animals and the Carolina Raptor Center for a lesson on birds of prey. With everything from fireworks-filled minor league baseball games to adrenaline-rushing adventures at the U.S. National Whitewater Center, Charlotte’s family-friendly attractions engage, excite, and exhilarate.
Lazy 5 Ranch
Great Wolf Lodge in Concord offers indoor waterpark fun, a spa to soothe the senses, themed restaurants, and much more. Discovery Place is the premier children’s science museum in the Southeast. Affordable hotels throughout Center City—such as the new Starwood concept Aloft, located in the mixed-use entertainment hub, the EpiCentre—make family getaways easy on the pocketbook.
Vineyards
Like a fine wine, North Carolina’s Piedmont vineyards have gotten better with age. Nestled among the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, this promising grape-growing terrain has been compared to France’s celebrated Burgundy region. With three American Viticultural Areas in the region—Yadkin Valley, Swan Creek, and Haw River Valley—the states ranks 10th in the nation for wine and grape production. Area wineries Childress Vineyards (owned by NASCAR’s Richard Childress), Shelton Vineyards, and Uwharrie Vineyards.
Dining and Nightlife
Charlotte’s dining options are practically endless: savor international cuisine or mouth-watering twists on American classics, regional favorites such as BBQ and fried pickles or worldly flavors served in upscale elegance. Charlotte is home to culinary leader Johnson & Wales University, which has had a flavorful impact on the city’s burgeoning culinary scene.; Visit Price’s Chicken Coop, a Bon Appétit magazine pick for the best fried chicken, or Thomas Street Tavern, one of Esquire Magazine’s best bars in America. New restaurants on the scene, such as Aria Tuscan Grill and The King’s Kitchen, add to Charlotte’s already flavorful menu.
And after dinner, check out the city’s bars, breweries, nightclubs, lounges, and live music venues.
US National Whitewater Zip Line
Sports and Recreation
Most Charlotteans like to play as hard as they work. This has shaped the city into a place where mountain bike trails meet expertly manicured golfing greens, where an afternoon of tubing along the shores of Lake Norman can be followed up by an evening of cheering for the Carolina Panthers, and where any working day can be complemented by a stroll through an oak-shaded park. Catch a fireworks display at a Saturday Knights baseball game, or watch the AHL Checkers take to the ice and the Bobcats shoot hoops at Time Warner Cable Arena. More sports teams, such as the Charlotte Hounds lacrosse team and the Charlotte Roller Girls roller derby team, provide entertainment outside the usual sporting events. With more than 14,000 acres of parks and 19 recreational centers, green space almost outweighs pavement in and around the city. At the U.S. National Whitewater Center, visitors can make waves on the largest man-made whitewater river in the world. The center also has 14 miles of rolling hiking, biking, and running trails; flatwater paddling on the Catawba River; one of the largest wall-climbing surfaces in the nation; eco-trekking; a MegaZip line; and adventure courses.
In addition, Charlotte has more than 40 public golf courses to choose from. Whether driving the impressive wetland-shrouded 15th hole of Rocky River Golf Club or teeing off at the newly renovated championship course at Ballantyne Hotel & Lodge, you’ll find a lot of links to your liking. Combine that with world-class sporting facilities such as Charlotte Motor Speedway (where three major NASCAR races are held and 80% of the Sprint Cup drivers call home) , Bank of America Stadium, and Time Warner Cable Arena.
Getting to Charlotte
By air: Nearly 60 percent of the country's population lives within a two-hour flight of Charlotte, and 6.9 million people live within a 100-mile radius of the city. Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), the national hub of US Airways, is the 14th-largest airport in the nation, home to 11 major airlines and 14 regional carriers that provide nonstop service to 179 cities.
By car: Charlotte’s highly efficient and growing interstate highway system offers drivers convenient access to the city: I-77 and I-85 connect Charlotte to cities in the Northeast, Southwest, and Midwest, while I-40, less than one hour north, provides an important east-west link with coast-to-coast access. Easy access is also available on U.S. routes 74, 29, and 21.
By train or bus: Amtrak provides daily passenger rail service on the North and South lines, which serve most of the United States. And Charlotte has excellent bus service, as Greyhound and Trailways serve the area with more than 350 arrivals and departures weekly.
Charlotte Convention Center
The Charlotte Convention Center, which opened in 1995, attracts more than half a million visitors each year.
The convention center has become one of a growing number of large convention facilities across the United States and the first in North Carolina to “go green.” In addition to using biodegradable cups made from corn products, the facility engages in substantial recycling, added environmentally friendly cleaning products, and introduced energy-saving initiatives.
The Charlotte Convention Center’s art collection represents the area’s rich North Carolina heritage and the beauty of the Piedmont region as well as artists from across the nation. Look up to take in the “Oculus Reflector” by nationally acclaimed artist James Carpenter. Paul Rousso’s painting Home Movie pays homage to the faces in Charlotte’s community with deconstructed and collage-like portraits.
Just seven miles from Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), the Charlotte Convention Center is also adjacent to the NASCAR Hall of Fame. For detailed information on things to see and do while you are in Charlotte, visit the Charlotte Convention and Visitors Bureau at charlottesgotalot.com.
Join us in 2014 for this year of celebrations in the Queen City.
Online registration and housing open June 2.
Stay Connected
Get the latest news by following the ICMA conference at @ICMAConference (tweet about the conference using #ICMA14) and like us on Facebook and click on the Conference Event and tell us if you are coming to Charlotte and see who is attending.; connect with fellow attendees through the Knowledge Network Conference Group to see who’s coming, make plans to meet up, or arrange to share a ride or a room. Visit the conference website!
New, Reduced Membership Dues
A new, reduced dues rate is available for CAOs/ACAOs, along with additional discounts for those in smaller communities, has been implemented. Learn more and be sure to join or renew today!
