Plan Your Meetings

Watch for:

• The 135-room aloft Hotel Charlotte Ballantyne is scheduled to open in July 2009.
• A new Hilton Garden Inn is expected to open in early September 2008 with 120 guest rooms and 6,000 square feet of meeting space.
• The Renaissance Charlotte Suites Hotel has completed a multi-million dollar renovation, which includes new carpeting in the meeting space, remodeled suites, new furniture and artwork and enhancements to the restaurant and lounge.

What you should know

Charlotte’s Center City neighborhood has exploded over the past few years; within walking distance of the convention center are hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, the N.C. Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, the Charlotte Bobcats Arena, museums and historic sites. The new NASCAR Hall of Fame is scheduled to open in late 2009/early 2010. Restaurants and galleries also are found in the historic South End and edgy NoDa neighborhoods.

What will surprise you

Charlotte was named one of the “Top 50 Cities that Sizzle” by Nation’s Restaurant News Magazine for its vibrant array of dining and nightlife options. Black Enterprise named Charlotte one of the “Top 10 Cities for African-Americans to Live, Work and Play”; BET.com ranked it one of the best cities for African-American families. Ladies Home Journal ranked it one of the Top 20 cities for women based on criteria they say women care about most (crime, lifestyle, education, jobs, health, child care, politics and the economy).

Watch for:

• The Orchid Conservatory at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, an 8,000-sq. ft., five-story crystalline structure displaying orchids and tropical plants is now open.
• The Renaissance Charlotte Suites Hotel is undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation of its 275 guest rooms, meeting space and common areas.

Want to cheer on hometown heroes?

What’s your pleasure? Charlotte has major-league football (Carolina Panthers), basketball (Charlotte Bobcats) and hockey (Charlotte Checkers) teams; AAA baseball (Charlotte Knights); and NASCAR races. Groups can reserve special party suites and banquet facilities, or hire sports figures for special events; check with individual stadiums and team management offices for details. Charlotte will be the home of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, scheduled to break ground this year.

Want to surround your group with culture?

The Mint Museum of Art and the Mint Museum of Craft + Design are available for private group functions and seminars. The Afro-American Cultural Center has gallery and outdoor function space for groups of up to 300 people. Discovery Place’s galleries are filled with interactive science exhibits; an IMAX theater, nature museum and children’s museum also are available. The North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center presents touring Broadway shows, concerts and family events; the complex has four performance halls/theaters, three galleries, and meeting and classroom space. The Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte presents edgier shows such as “The Great American Trailer Park Musical” and “Hedwig and the Angry Inch.” In September, Charlotte Shout is a month-long festival of art, culture and community.

Want to learn more about the city?

Historian Dr. Tom Hanchett, from the Levine Museum of the New South, gives lighthearted lessons about local history and cultural quirks; the museum also offers walking tours. Enjoy galleries, music and strolls through Charlotte’s arty NoDa neighborhood (first and third Fridays). Historic South End’s gallery crawls are on the first Friday of every month. Tour the Carolina Raptor Center’s bird hospital and see first-hand what it takes to conserve birds of prey. Experience plantation life at the Latta Plantation and Nature Preserve. Groups also can explore Charlotte’s historic neighborhoods by trolley.