As a barometer, Wheeler compares Charlotte to Indianapolis. Both have NFL and NBA franchises, minor league baseball and auto racing. Further, Indianapolis has some of the same drawbacks for tourism as Charlotte. They have done a wonderful job, better than any other city of attracting events. Most sports events are primarily local.
Most fans come from the area.
It is exactly the opposite here. Fifty percent of our fans come from 250 miles away. A retired auto executive's wife, who has lived in Indianapolis and Charlotte, said at Tuesday night's UAW-GM Teamwork parade that her socialite friends in Indy always went to the race. I think Charlotte still associates racing with the rednecks. If you weren't going to the race in Indianapolis, you were nobody.