Queen City Lush with Entertainment for Business Travelers
Charlotte offers scores of sports and recreational activities to keep even the most frequent business travelers entertained.
Because Charlotte, N.C., is the second-largest banking center in the nation and home to Bank of America, Wachovia, and six other Fortune 500 companies’ headquarters, The Queen City receives millions of business travelers each year. There need never be a dull moment during a visit.
The NFL’s Carolina Panthers have been playing in Charlotte since 1995. From September through December 2008 regular-season home games at Bank of America stadium offer fans battles against the Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons, Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints, Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Denver Broncos.
Lowe’s Motor Speedway is home to NASCAR. May and October are big months for the speedway. NASCAR Spring Cup Series races, NASCAR Nationwide Series races and a host of other racing events are held at the speedway. Celebrate the races and drivers in May during the Food Lion Speed Street festivities. For 15 years, Charlotte has transformed its Uptown area for NASCAR exhibits, simulators, three stages of live entertainment and music, and many more stands with food, drink, and giveaways.
Want to drive like the professionals? Lowes Motor Speedway offers six driving school experiences. Want to feel the thrill of driving 160 mph for three laps in a race car? The Richard Petty Driving Experience offers ride-alongs on days following Sprint Cup races.
The NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats have been playing in Charlotte since 2004. Regular season tickets are available for games during the months of November through April at the Time Warner Cable Arena in the heart of Uptown Charlotte.
The Ballantyne Resort boasts an extensive and elegant spa, with treatments, massages, steam rooms, saunas, and more. The resort is also home to a golf course dedicated to providing the region’s best total golfing experience, according to golf director Woody Allen.
The Wachovia Championship has been the PGA Tour’s stop in Charlotte since 2003. Held at Quail Hollow Club, the 2009 tournament dates are April 27 – May 3. Previous champions include Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Stewart Cink, Jim Furyk, Joey Sindelar, and David Toms.
The U.S. National Whitewater Center encompasses approximately 300 acres of woods along the Catawba River. This official Olympic athlete training site of the U.S. National Slalom Canoe/Kayak Team is open to the public for whitewater rafting, kayaking, mountain biking, trail hiking, and it includes a climbing center and ropes course.
The Charlotte Knights are the AAA minor-league baseball team of the Chicago White Sox. Afternoon and evening home games April to September feature games against minor league teams from the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, Atlanta Braves, Washington Nationals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Tampa Bay Rays, Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Indians, Philadelphia Phillies, Minnesota Twins, and Toronto Blue Jays. Promotional events include post-game fireworks, kids running the bases, dogs in the park, drink specials, and giveaways.
Carowinds is Charlotte’s theme and water park, with hair-raising roller coasters and thrill rides for grown-up kids, water rides for all ages, stage shows, and a Nickelodeon children’s park. The theme park is open daily in the summer, and on weekends during the spring and fall.
The ECHL Charlotte Checkers are an affiliate of the New York Rangers. Playing in Charlotte since 1993, the ice at Time Warner Cable Arena features hockey games October through April.
Charlotte’s Mecklenburg County greenway system comprises 33 miles of trails. These paved, gravel, and boardwalk paths are for walking, jogging, cycling, and skating. They are also buffers for streams and natural habitats for vegetation and wildlife. Greenway trail hiking is an easy way to exercise while appreciating the natural beauty tucked away in a booming metropolis.
Charlotte is a modern city with an abundance of events and activities to keep visitors thoroughly entertained.