Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotte(/ˈʃɑːrlət/SHAR-lət) is themost populous cityin theU.S. stateofNorth Carolinaand thecounty seatofMecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the2020 census,making Charlotte the15th-most populous cityin the United States, the seventh-most populous city inthe South, and the second-most populous city in theSoutheastbehindJacksonville, Florida. Charlotte is the cultural, economic, and transportation center of theCharlotte metropolitan area, whose estimated 2023 population of 2,805,115 ranked22nd in the United States.TheCharlotte metropolitan areais part of an 18-county market region andcombined statistical areawith an estimated population of 3,387,115 as of 2023.
Between 2004 and 2014, Charlotte was among the country's fastest-growing metropolitan areas, with 888,000 new residents.Based on U.S. census data from 2005 to 2015, Charlotte tops the U.S. in millennial population growth.Throughout the 2020s, it has remained one of the fastest-growing major cities in the United States.Residents of Charlotte are referred to as "Charlotteans".
Charlotte is home to the corporate headquarters ofBank of America,Honeywell,Truist Financial, and theEast Coastheadquarters ofWells Fargo, which, when combined with other Charlotte-based financial institutions, makes the city the second-largest banking center in the nation.
Charlotte's notable attractions include three professional sports teams, theCarolina Panthersof theNFL, theCharlotte Hornetsof theNBA, andCharlotte FCofMLS. The city is also home to theNASCAR Hall of Fame,Opera Carolina,Charlotte Symphony,Charlotte Ballet, Children's Theatre of Charlotte,Mint Museum,Harvey B. Gantt Center,Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, theBilly Graham Library,Levine Museum of the New South,Charlotte Museum of History,Carowindsamusement park, andU.S. National Whitewater Center.
Charlotte has ahumid subtropical climate. It is located several miles east of theCatawba Riverand southeast ofLake Norman, the largest human-made lake in North Carolina.Lake WylieandMountain Island Lakeare two smaller human-made lakes located near the city.As of 2024, 66% of the city's area is occupied by green spaces.The city ranks 1st in the United States and 29th in the world in the ranking of the greenest cities on the planet.
TheCatawba Indianswere the first known historic tribe to settle Mecklenburg County in the Charlotte area and were first recorded around 1567, according to  Spanish records.
By 1759, half the Catawba tribe had died fromsmallpox, an endemic disease among European colonists, which the Catawba had no naturalimmunityagainst. At the time of their largest population, the Catawba population was 10,000. But by 1826, the Catawba population dropped to 110.
The city of Charlotte was developed first by a wave of migration ofScots-IrishPresbyterians, orUlster-Scotsettlers fromUlster, who dominated the culture of the Southern Piedmont Region and made up the principal founding population in the backcountry.German immigrantsalso settled in the area before theAmerican Revolutionary War, but in smaller numbers. They still contributed greatly to the early foundations of the region.
Mecklenburg County was initially part ofBath County(1696 to 1729) of the New Hanover Precinct, which becameNew Hanover Countyin 1729. The western portion of New Hanover split intoBladen Countyin 1734, and its western portion split intoAnson Countyin 1750. Mecklenburg County was formed from Anson County in 1762. Further apportionment was made in 1792, after the American Revolutionary War, withCabarrus Countyformed from Mecklenburg.
In 1842,Union Countyformed from Mecklenburg's southeastern portion and a western portion of Anson County. These areas were all part of one of the original six judicial/military districts of North Carolina known as theSalisbury District.
The area that is now Charlotte was first settled by European colonists around 1755 when Thomas Spratt and his family settled near what is now the Elizabeth neighborhood.Thomas Polk(great-uncle ofPresidentJames K. Polk), who later married Thomas Spratt's daughter, built his house by the intersection of twoNative Americantrading paths between theYadkinandCatawbarivers.One path ran north–south and was part of theGreat Wagon Road; the second path ran east–west along what is now Trade Street.
Nicknamed the "Queen City",like its county a few years earlier, Charlotte was named in honor ofCharlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, who had become thequeen consort of Great Britain and Irelandin 1761, seven years before the town's incorporation.A second nickname derives from theAmerican Revolutionary War, when British commander GeneralCharles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallisoccupied the city but was driven out by hostile residents. He wrote that Charlotte was "ahornet's nest of rebellion", leading to the nickname "The Hornet's Nest".
Within decades of Polk's settling, the area grew to become the Town of Charlotte,incorporatedin 1768.Though chartered as Charlotte, the name appears as a form of "Charlottesburgh" on many maps until around 1800.A form of "Charlottetown" also appears on maps of British origin depicting General Cornwallis' route of invasion.The crossroads in Piedmont became the heart ofUptown Charlotte. In 1770, surveyors marked the streets in agrid patternfor future development. The east–west trading path became Trade Street, and the Great Wagon Road became Tryon Street, in honor ofWilliam Tryon, a royal governor of colonial North Carolina.Theintersection of Trade and Tryonis commonly known today as "Trade and Tryon", or simply "The Square",and formally as "Independence Square".
While surveying the boundary between the Carolinas in 1772,William Moultriestopped in Charlotte, whose five or six houses were "very ordinary built of logs".
Local leaders came together in 1775 and signed theMecklenburg Resolves, more popularly known as theMecklenburg Declaration of Independence. While not a true declaration of independence fromBritishrule, it is among the first such declarations that eventually led to theAmerican Revolution. May 20, the traditional date of the signing of the declaration, is celebrated annually in Charlotte as "MecDec", with musket and cannon fire by reenactors in Independence Square. North Carolina'sstate flagandstate sealalso bear the date.
Charlotte is traditionally considered the home of SouthernPresbyterianism, but in the 19th century, numerous churches, including Presbyterian,Baptist,Methodist,Episcopal,Lutheran, andRoman Catholicformed, eventually giving Charlotte the nickname, "The City of Churches".
In 1799, in nearby Cabarrus County, 12-year-oldConrad Reedfound a 17- pound rock, which his family used as a doorstop. Three years later, a jeweler determined it was nearly solid gold, paying the family a paltry $3.50.The first documented gold find in the United States of any consequence set off the nation's firstgold rush. Many veins of gold were found in the area throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, leading to the 1837 founding of theCharlotte Mint.North Carolina was the chief producer of gold in the United States, until the Sierra Nevada found in 1848,although the volume mined in the Charlotte area was dwarfed by subsequent rushes.
Some groups stillpan for goldoccasionally in local streams and creeks. TheReed Gold Mineoperated until 1912.The Charlotte Mint was active until 1861 whenConfederateforces seized it at the outbreak of theCivil War. The mint was not reopened at the war's end, but the building, albeit in a different location, now houses theMint Museum of Art.
The city's first boom came after the Civil War, as Charlotte became a cotton processing center and railroad hub. By the 1880s, Charlotte sat astride the Southern Railway mainline fromAtlantatoWashington, D.C.Farmers from miles around would bring cotton to the railroad platform in Uptown. Local promotors began building textile factories, starting with the 1881 Charlotte Cotton Mill that still stands at Graham and 5th streets.
Charlotte's city population at the1890 censusgrew to 11,557.
In 1910, Charlotte surpassedWilmingtonto become North Carolina's largest city with 34,014 residents.
The population grew again duringWorld War I, when the U.S. government establishedCamp Greene, north of present-day Wilkinson Boulevard. The camp supported 40,000 soldiers, with many troops and suppliers staying after the war, launching urbanization that eventually overtook older cities along thePiedmont Crescent. In the1920 census, Charlotte fell to being the state's second largest city,Winston-Salemwith 48,395 people, had two thousand more people than Charlotte. Charlotte would pass Winston-Salem in population by the1930 census, and has remained North Carolina's largest city since.
Until 1958, theSeaboard Air Line Railroadoperated a daily passenger train from itsown station(which had opened in 1896) toWilmington.
The city's modern-day banking industry achieved prominence in the 1970s and 1980s, largely under the leadership offinancierHugh McColl. McColl transformedNorth Carolina National Bank(NCNB) into a formidable national bank that through aggressive acquisitions eventually merged with BankAmerica to becomeBank of America.First Union, laterWachoviain 2001, experienced similar growth before it was acquired bySan Francisco–basedWells Fargoin 2008. Measured by control of assets, Charlotte became the second largest banking headquarters in the United States afterNew York City.
On September 22, 1989, the city was hit byHurricane Hugo. With sustained winds of 69 mph (111 km/h) and gusts of 87 mph (140 km/h),Hugo caused massive property damage, destroyed 80,000 trees, and knocked out electrical power to most of the population. Residents were without power for weeks, schools were closed for a week or more, and the cleanup took months. The city was caught unprepared; Charlotte is 200 miles (320 km) inland, and residents from coastal areas in both Carolinas often wait out hurricanes in Charlotte.
In December 2002, Charlotte and much of central North Carolina were hit by anice stormthat resulted in more than 1.3 million people losing power.During an abnormally cold December, many were without power for weeks. Many of the city'sBradford peartrees split apart under the weight of the ice.
In August 2015 and September 2016, the city experienced several days of protests related to thepolice shootingsofJonathan FerrellandKeith Scott.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 312.00 square miles (808.1 km), of which 310.02 square miles (802.9 km) is land and 1.98 square miles (5.1 km) (0.63%) is water.Charlotte is thetwenty-sixth-most expansive city in the United Statesand lies at an elevation of 751 feet (229 m). Charlotte constitutes most ofMecklenburg Countyin the CarolinaPiedmont.Uptown Charlottesits atop a long rise between two creeks, Sugar Creek and Irwin Creek, and was built on thegunniesof the St. Catherine's and Rudisillgoldmines.Charlotte is 25 miles (40 km) southwest ofConcord;26 miles (42 km) northeast ofRock Hill, South Carolina;83 miles (134 km) southwest ofGreensboro;135 miles (217 km) west ofFayetteville;and 165 miles (266 km) southwest ofRaleigh, thestate capital.
Though the Catawba River and its lakes lie several miles west, there are no significant bodies of water or other geological features near the city center.Consequently, development has neither been constrained nor helped by waterways or ports that have contributed to many cities of similar size. The lack of these obstructions has contributed to Charlotte's growth as a highway, rail, and air transportation hub.
Charlotte has 199 neighborhoods radiating in all directions fromUptown.Biddleville, the primary historic center of Charlotte'sAfrican Americancommunity, is west of Uptown, starting at theJohnson C. Smith Universitycampus and extending to the airport.East of The Plaza and north of Central Avenue,Plaza-Midwoodis known for its international population, including Eastern Europeans,Greeks,Middle-Easterners, andHispanics.North Tryon and the Sugar Creek area include severalAsian Americancommunities.NoDa(North Davidson), north of Uptown, is an emerging center for arts and entertainment.Myers Park,Dilworth, andEastoverare home to some of Charlotte's most affluent, oldest and largest houses, on tree-lined boulevards, withFreedom Parknearby.
TheSouthParkarea offers shopping, dining, and multifamily housing.Far South Boulevard is home to a large Hispanic community.Many students, researchers, and affiliated professionals live nearUNC Charlottein the northeast area known asUniversity City.
The large area known as Southeast Charlotte is home to many golf communities, luxury developments, churches, the Jewish community center, and private schools. As undeveloped land within Mecklenburg has become scarce, many of these communities have expanded intoWeddingtonandWaxhawinUnion County.Ballantyne, in the south of Charlotte, and nearly every area on the I‑485 perimeter, has experienced rapid growth over the past ten years.TheSteele Creekneighborhood which is primarily in Mecklenburg county is located within minutes near Uptown Charlotte.
Since the 1980s in particular, Uptown Charlotte has undergone massive construction of buildings, housingBank of America,Wells Fargo,Hearst Corporation, andDuke Energy, several hotels, and multiple condominium developments.
Latta Parkwas created in 1891 as an amusement park.
Bryant Parkwas established in the 1930s and is one of the earliest small-scale public parks in Charlotte. It is the only green space remaining in West Morehead Street's industrial sector.
The 120-acre (49 ha)Park Road Parkis a prominent landmark near the SouthPark area.Park Road Park features eight basketball courts, two horseshoe pits, six baseball fields, five picnic shelters, volleyball courts, playgrounds, trails, tennis courts, and an 11-acre (4.5 ha) lake.The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Parks & Recreation Department operates 36 tennis facilities and the 12 lighted tennis courts at the park.In September 2013, the 5.4-acre (2.2 ha)Romare Bearden Parkopened to the public.
The urban section ofLittle Sugar Creek Greenwaywas completed in 2012. Inspired in part by theSan Antonio River Walk, and integral to Charlotte's extensive urban park system, it is "a huge milestone" according to Gwen Cook, greenway planner for Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation.However, the Little Sugar Creek Greenway bears no relation to the San Antonio River Walk. The Little Sugar Creek Greenway is prone to flooding during thunderstorms and periods of heavy rain. Creation of Little Sugar Creek Greenway cost $43 million and was controversial because it required the forced acquisition of several established local businesses.
The city of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County began purchasing flood-prone homes in the 1990s. Voluntary buyouts of 700 households have created around 200 acres (81 ha)s of open land that can flood safely, thereby saving an estimated $28 million in flood damage and emergency rescues.
McAlpine Creek Parkand integrated McAlpine Creek Greenway constructed in 1978 was the first greenway built in the western piedmont of North Carolina.
Like much of the Piedmont region of the southeastern United States, Charlotte has ahumid subtropical climate(KöppenCfa), with four distinct seasons. Charlotte is part of USDAhardiness zone8a, transitioning to 7b in the suburbs in all directions except the south.The following narrative reflects 1991–2020 climate data. Winters are short and fairly mild, with a normal January daily mean temperature of 42.1 °F (5.6 °C). On occasion the temperature can fall below 20 °F (−6.7 °C) but Charlotte also enjoys multiple warm winter days in excess of 65 °F (18.3 °C).On average, there are 59 nights per year that drop to or below freezing, and only 1.5 days that fail to rise above freezing.
Precipitation is evenly distributed through the year. Only August stands out as a slightly wetter month, averaging 4.35 inches of rainfall. Summers are hot and humid, with a normal July daily mean temperature of 80.1 °F (26.7 °C).Hot and humid days can arrive as early as May and last to the end of September. There is an average of 44 days per year with highs at or above 90 °F (32 °C).Official record temperatures range from 104 °F (40 °C) recorded six times on 6 September 1954, 9–10 August 2007 andJune 29 to July 1, 2012, down to −5 °F (−21 °C) recorded onDecember 30, 1880,February 14, 1899andJanuary 21, 1985.The record cold daily maximum is 14 °F (−10 °C) onFebruary 12 and 13, 1899.The record warm daily minimum is 82 °F (28 °C) on August 13, 1881.The average window for freezing temperatures is November 5 to March 30, allowing a growing season of 220 days.
Charlotte is directly in the path of subtropical moisture from theGulf of Mexicoas it heads up the eastern seaboard, thus the city receives ample precipitation throughout the year but also many clear, sunny days. Precipitation is generally less frequent in autumn than in spring.On average, Charlotte receives 43.60 inches (1,110 mm) of precipitation annually, evenly distributed throughout the year. Annual precipitation has historically ranged from 26.23 in (666 mm) in 2001 to 68.44 in (1,738 mm) in 1884.
There is an average of 3.5 inches (8.9 cm) of snow, mainly in January and February and rarely December or March, with more frequent ice storms and sleet mixed in with rain. Seasonal snowfall has historically ranged from trace amounts in 2011–12 to 22.6 in (57 cm) in 1959–60.Snow and ice storms can have a major impact on the area, as they often pull tree limbs down onto power lines and make driving hazardous. Snow has been recorded a small number of times in April, most recently on April 2, 2019.
As of 2020, the Charlotte metropolitan area as a whole is noted for having one of the worstweather radargaps among any majorU.S. East Coast city, with little to no coverage in a roughly quadrilateral area spanningConcord,Salisburyand much 
ofStatesville.As the nearestNWS-ownedNEXRADis located inGreer, South Carolina, more than 80 mi (130 km) to the west-southwest of Charlotte, this deficit is particularly problematic duringsevere thunderstormortornadoepisodes.The current lowest angle of the radar, based in Greer, is quite far above the surface over Charlotte, so thevelocitiesmeasurement for detectingrotationscannot be below mid-level in potential tornado-forming storms and thus cannot indicate whether said rotation extends closer to the ground (below 5,000 ft (1,500 m)).
In the2020 census, there were 874,579 people, 342,448 households, and 195,614 families living in the city. In 2019, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates showed 885,708 residents living within Charlotte's city limitsand 1,093,901 in Mecklenburg County.Thecombined statistical area, or trade area, ofCharlotte–Concord–Gastonia, NC–SChad an estimated population of 3,387,115 in 2023.Figures from the more comprehensive 2010 census show Charlotte'spopulation densitywas 2,457 per square mile (949/km). There were 319,918 housing units at an average density of 1,074.6 per square mile (414.9/km).
In 1970, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Charlotte's population as 30.2% Black and 68.9% White.In 2020, 39.72% of the population was non-Hispanic white, 32.5% Black or African American, 0.25% Native American, 7.02% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 4.15% other or mixed, and 16.32% Hispanic or Latin American of any race. This reflected the national demographic shift as Hispanic or Latinos and Asians increased in population.
In 2020, the median income for a household in Charlotte was $48,670. The median income for a family was $59,452. Males had a median income of $38,767 versus $29,218 for females. Theper capita incomefor Charlotte was $29,825. The percentage of the population living at or below thepoverty linewas 10.6%, with 7.8% of families living at or below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 13.8% of those under the age of 18 and 9.7% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Charlotte has been historicallyProtestantand remains predominantly Protestant today. It is the birthplace ofBilly Graham, and is also the historic seat ofSouthern Presbyterianism. The changing demographics of the city's increasing population have brought scores of new denominations and faiths.TheBilly Graham Evangelistic Association,Wycliffe Bible Translators'JAARSCenter,SIMMissions Organization, and The Christian Research Institute make their homes in the Charlotte general area.In 2018, Charlotte proper had over 700 places of worship.
ThePresbyterian Church (USA)is now the fourth largest denomination in Charlotte, with 68,000 members and 206 congregations. The second largest Presbyterian denomination, thePresbyterian Church in Americahas 43 churches and 12,000 members, followed by theAssociate Reformed Presbyterian Churchwith 63 churches and 9,500 members.
TheBaptist Peace Fellowship of North Americais headquartered in Charlotte, and bothReformed Theological SeminaryandGordon-Conwell Theological Seminaryhave campuses there; more recently, thereligious studiesacademic departments of Charlotte's local colleges and universities have also grown considerably.
TheAdvent Christian Churchis headquartered in Charlotte. TheWestern North Carolina Annual Conferenceof theUnited Methodist Churchis also headquartered in Charlotte.
The largestProtestantchurch in Charlotte, by attendance, isElevation Church, a Southern Baptist church founded by lead pastorSteven Furtick. The church has over 15,000 congregants at nine Charlotte locations.
Charlotte'sCathedral of Saint Patrickis the seat of the bishop of theRoman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte, the head of which is Rev.Peter Joseph Jugis.St. Matthew Parish, located in theBallantyneneighborhood, is the largest Catholic parish with over 30,000 parishioners.Charlotte is home to ~28,000 Catholics.
TheGreek Orthodox Church's cathedral for North Carolina,Holy Trinity Cathedral, is located in Charlotte.
Charlotte has the largestJewishpopulation in the Carolinas.Shalom Park in south Charlotte is the hub of the Jewish community, featuring two synagogues,Temple Israeland Temple Beth El, as well as a community center, the Charlotte Jewish Day School for grades K–5, and the headquarters of theCharlotte Jewish News.
Most African Americans in Charlotte are Baptists affiliated with theNational Baptist Convention, the largest predominantly African American denomination in the United States. African American Methodists are largely affiliated with either theAfrican Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, headquartered in Charlotte, or theAfrican Methodist Episcopal Church. African American Pentecostals are represented by several organizations such as theUnited House of Prayer for All People,Church of God in Christ, and theUnited Holy Church of America.
As of 2013, 51.91% of people in Charlotte practice religion on a regular basis, making it the second most religious city in North Carolina afterWinston-Salem. The largest religion in Charlotte isChristianity, withBaptists(13.26%) having the largest number of adherents. The second largest Christian group are theRoman Catholics(9.43%), followed byMethodists(8.02%) andPresbyterians(5.25%). Other Christian affiliates includePentecostals(2.50%),Lutherans(1.30%),Episcopalians(1.20%),Latter-Day Saints(0.84%), and other Christian (8.87%) churches, including theEastern Orthodoxandnon-denominationalcongregations.Judaism(0.57%) is the second largest religion after Christianity, followed byEastern religions(0.34%) andIslam(0.32%).
Charlotte is the second-largest banking center in the United States, afterNew York City.
Bank of America, the second-largest financial institution by total assets in the United States, is headquartered in Charlotte.It is also home toTruist Financial, the nation's sixth-largest financial institution.
Charlotte also has become a large employment center for major banks not headquartered in Charlotte:
Other large companies, such asMicrosoftandCentene Corporation, operate their East Coast headquarters in Charlotte.In November 2018,Honeywellmoved its corporate headquarters to Charlotte.In June 2019,Lowe'sannounced it will be building itsLowe's Global Technology Centerworth $153 million, which is set to be complete in 2021 and will be headquartered inSouth Endneighborhood in Charlotte.In 2019,Dole Food Companyrelocated its headquarters to Charlotte from California, and expanded its presence in Charlotte with its merger with Ireland-based Total Produce in February 2021.On May 25, 2021, it was announced that Charlotte would become the East Coast headquarters ofCredit Karma.Cedar Fair's corporate office is located in southwest Charlotte.On September 20, 2022, theAtlantic Coast Conference(ACC) announced it will be relocating its headquarters from nearbyGreensboroto Charlotte in 2023.On July 12, 2023, railcar companyTTXannounced it will move its corporate headquarters to Charlotte.
As of 2019, Charlotte has sevenFortune 500companies in its metropolitan area, including, in order of their rank:Bank of America,Honeywell,Nucor,Lowe's,Duke Energy,Sonic Automotive, andBrighthouse Financial.The Charlotte area includes a diverse range of businesses, including foodstuffs such asHarris Teeter,Snyder's-Lance,Dentsply Sirona,Carolina FoodsInc.,Bojangles,Food Lion,Salsarita's Fresh Mexican Grill,Compass GroupUSA,Krispy Kreme, Inc.,andCoca-Cola Consolidated Inc.(Charlotte being the nation's second largest Coca-Cola bottler);packaging companySealed Air,financial services companyDixon Hughes Goodman,online leading marketplaceLendingTree, chemical companyAlbemarle Corporation,Lawn and garden equipment makerWORX, door and window makerJELD-WEN,motor and transportation companies such asRSC Brands,Continental Tire the Americas, LLC.,Meineke Car Care Centers, retail companiesBelk,Cato CorporationandRack Room Shoes, along with a wide array of other businesses.
Charlotte is the major center of the U.S. motorsports industry, housing the US's onlyFormula Oneteam,Haas F1,multiple teams and offices ofNASCAR, theNASCAR Hall of Fame, andCharlotte Motor Speedwayin Concord.Approximately 75% of the NASCAR industry's race teams, employees and drivers are based nearby.The large presence of the racing technology industry and the newly builtNHRAdragstrip,zMAX DragwayatConcord, are influencing other top professionaldrag racersto move their shops to Charlotte as well.
Located in the western part of Mecklenburg County is theU.S. National Whitewater Center, which consists of human-made rapids of varying degrees, and is open to the public year-round.
The Charlotte Region has a major base of energy-oriented organizations and has become known as "Charlotte USA – The New Energy Capital".In the region there are more than 240 companies directly tied to the energy sector, collectively employing more than 26,400. Since 2007 more than 4,000 energy sector jobs have been announced. Major energy players in Charlotte includeAREVA,Duke Energy, Electric Power Research Institute, Fluor, Metso Power, Piedmont Natural Gas,Albemarle Corp,Siemens Energy, Shaw Group, Toshiba, URS Corp., and Westinghouse.TheUniversity of North Carolina at Charlottehas a reputation in energy education and research, and its Energy Production and Infrastructure Center (EPIC) trains energy engineers and conducts research.Over the last couple of years, Charlotte has become a hub in theInformation technologyindustry.
The area is an increasingly growing trucking and freight transportation hub for the East Coast. There are a couple of reasons for this growth. First, Charlotte's close proximity to major Interstates 40, 85, 77 or 95. Second, geographically it is also positioned within a 650-mile drive to 53% of the US population.A number of Charlotte-based logistics companies have experienced a lot of recent growth. There are few notable expansions in the last ten years that have helped to create Charlotte as a logistics hub. In December 2015 FedEx announced plans to build a number of warehouse buildings in aConcord, North Carolinabusiness park to locate 800 jobs there.In August 2016 Red Classic, Coke Consolidated transportation subsidiary, announced they would be hiring for an additional 300 jobs between August 2016 and the end of 2017.The company as of August 2022 has 357 local employees.In October 2022XPO, Inc.has spun off RXO into a separate company that is a truckload brokerage. The new company has 750 local employees and $4.7 billion in annual revenueAlso in October 2022 Armstrong Transport Group formerly located in theUniversity areaafter relocating toSouth Endwould be adding 100 jobs to its current local headcount of 125.Others logistics companies that have are large Charlotte presence are Maersk North America with 800 employees, Zenith Global Logisitics with 720 employees, Cargo Transporters with 650 employees,Southeastern Freight LinesInc. with 517 employees,Distribution Technology with 400 employees, and Transportation Insight LLC with 375 local employees.
Charlotte has seen a major construction boom in recent years.Zillowidentified the city as the "hottest housing market" in 2023.Numerous residential units continue to be built uptown, including over 20 skyscrapers under construction, recently completed, or in the planning stage.Many new restaurants, bars and clubs now operate in the Uptown area.Several projects are transforming the Midtown Charlotte/Elizabetharea.Population increases has also brought aboutgentrificationin the city, particularly in predominantlyAfrican-Americanneighborhoods such asBiddlevilleandCherry.
In 2013,Forbesnamed Charlotte among its list of Best Places for Business and Careers.Charlotte was listed as the 20th largest city in the US, and the 60th fastest growing city in the US between 2000 and 2008.
The Charlotte region is home to many annual festivals and special events.The Carolina Renaissance Festivaloperates on Saturdays and Sundays each October and November. Located near the intersection ofNC 73and Poplar Tent Road, the Carolina Renaissance Festival is one of the largest renaissance themed events in the country. It features 11 stages of outdoor variety entertainment, a 22-acre village marketplace, an interactive circus, an arts and crafts fair, a jousting tournament, and a feast, all rolled into one non-stop, day-long family adventure.
The Yiasou Greek Festival is a Greek Festival. It began in 1978 and since then has become one of Charlotte's largest cultural events.The Yiasou (the Greek word for Hello, Goodbye and Cheers) Greek Festival features Hellenic cultural exhibits, authentic Greek cuisine and homemade pastries, entertainment, live music and dancing, wine tastings, art, shopping and more.
Taste of Charlotte is a three-day festival offering samples from area restaurants, live entertainment and children's activities. Located on Tryon Street, Taste of Charlotte spans six city blocks from Stonewall to 5th Street.
Moo and Brew Fest is an annual craft beer and burger festival that is the largest in North Carolina, held each April and includes various national musical acts.
Breakaway Music Festival is a music festival which takes place at the NC Music Factory and consists of hip hop and electronic music artists and DJs.
Heroes Conventionis an annual comic book convention held in June at the Charlotte Convention Center. Founded in 1982, it is one of the oldest and largest independent comic book conventions in the United States.
CharlottePrideis an annual LGBT event held in August. In 2019, the event attracted 200,000 people to Uptown Charlotte.The event's parade became Charlotte's largest annual parade in 2017.
Charlotte Turkey Trot is an annual 5k & 8k running marathon hosted everyThanksgiving, it is also the largest running event in the state of North Carolina.
Charlotte also has theCharlotte Regional Farmers Marketwhere local farmers sell theirproduce.
Three annual arts and cultural festivals celebrating visual and performing arts are hosted throughout the Charlotte region: BOOM Charlottehosted in the Camp North End area, the Charlotte International Arts Festivalhosted in Ballantyne, and Charlotte SHOUT!hosted in Uptown.
Charlotte is "... the largest metropolitan area in the United States without a zoo".The Charlotte Zoo initiative is a proposal to allocate 250 acres (101 ha) of natural North Carolina land to be dedicated to the zoological foundation, which was incorporated in 2008. On August 18, 2012, Channel 14 News says that the initiative is "... still a few years away" and the plot of land is "... just seven miles from the center of uptown". According to the news channel, "... the zoo will cost roughly $300 million, and will be completely privately-funded."The Charlotte Observer references two other zoos, theRiverbanks Zoo and Gardenand theNorth Carolina Zoological Parkas two "great zoos" that are accessible from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area, both roughly more than 70 miles away.
Charlotte is also served by theSea Life Charlotte-ConcordAquarium in the nearby city ofConcord. The aquarium is 30,000 square feet in size, and is part of theConcord Mills mall. The aquarium opened on February 20, 2014.
TheCharlotte Mecklenburg Libraryserves the Charlotte area with a large collection (more than 1.5 million) of books, CDs and DVDs at 15 locations in the city of Charlotte, with branches in the surrounding towns ofMatthews,Mint Hill,Huntersville,CorneliusandDavidson. All locations provide free access to Internet-enabled computers and WiFi, and a library card from one location is accepted at all 20 locations.
Although the library's roots go back to theCharlotte Literary and Library Association,founded on January 16, 1891,the state-charteredCarnegie Library, which opened on the current North Tryon site of the Main Library, was the first non-subscription library opened to members of the public in the city of Charlotte. The philanthropistAndrew Carnegiedonated $25,000 for a library building, on the condition that the city of Charlotte donate a site and $2,500 per year for books and salaries,and that the state grant a charter for the library. All conditions were met, and the Charlotte Carnegie Library opened in an imposing classical building on July 2, 1903.
The 1903 state charter also required that a library be opened for the disenfranchised African-American population of Charlotte. This was completed in 1905 with the opening of theBrevard Street Library for Negroes, an independent library in Brooklyn, a historically black area of Charlotte, on the corner of Brevard and East Second Streets (now Martin Luther King Boulevard).The Brevard Street Library was the first library for African Americans in the state of North Carolina,and some sources say in the southeast.The library was closed in 1961 when the Brooklyn neighborhood in Second Ward was redeveloped, but its role as a cultural center for African-Americans in Charlotte is continued by the Beatties Ford and West Boulevard branches of the library system, as well as by Charlotte's African-American Cultural Center.
Charlotte is home to theCarolina Panthersof the National Football League (NFL), theCharlotte Hornetsof the National Basketball Association (NBA), andCharlotte FCofMajor League Soccer(MLS).The Panthers have been located in Charlotte since the team's creation in 1995, and the current Hornets franchise has been located in Charlotte since its creation in 1988 (with the exception of the2002-03and2003-04seasons).The Panthers and Charlotte FC play their home games inBank of America Stadium, while the Hornets play in theSpectrum Center.The Panthers have won six division titles from (1996, 2003, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015) and two NFC championships in 2003 and 2015.Carolina has reached the Super Bowl twice but has been unsuccessful in both losing to theNew England PatriotsinSuper Bowl XXXVIIIin 2004 and against theDenver BroncosinSuper Bowl 50in 2016.The original Hornets NBA franchise was established in 1988 as an expansion team,but it relocated toNew Orleans,Louisianain 2002 after animosity grew between the team's fans and principal ownerGeorge Shinn.The NBA quickly granted Charlotte an expansion franchise following the departure of the Hornets and the new franchise, the Charlotte Bobcats, began to play in 2004.The team retook the Hornets name when the New Orleans–based team renamed itself theNew Orleans Pelicansin 2013.The name change became official on May 20, 2014.On the same day, the franchise reclaimed the history and records of the original 1988–2002 Hornets.MLS awarded its expansion team to Charlotte in 2019, which began play as Charlotte FC in 2022.
Charlotte is represented in professionalice hockeyby theCharlotte Checkersand in professionalbaseballat theTriple-Alevel by theCharlotte Knights.Since 1999, the Knights has been the Triple-A Affiliate of theChicago White Sox.
TheCharlotte Independenceare a minor professional soccer club who play inUSL League Onethe third tier of US professional soccer.The Independence play their home matches atAmerican Legion Memorial Stadium
The city is also the home of theNational Junior College Athletic Association(NJCAA) headquarters. The NJCAA is the second-largest national intercollegiate athletic organization in the United States with over 500 member schools in 43 states.TheBig South Conferenceis also headquartered in Charlotte. Founded in 1983, the Big South Conference has 11 member institutions with over 19 different sports and completes in the NCAA's Division I.TheAtlantic Coast Conference(ACC) also has its headquarters in Charlotte. Founded in 1954, the ACC has 15 member institutions 4 of whom are located in the state of North Carolina with over 28 different sports and competes in NCAA's Division I.
Over the years, Charlotte has hosted many international, collegiate, and professional sporting events. In professional basketball, the city hosted theNBA All-Star Gametwice in1991at the oldCharlotte Coliseumand most recently in2019atSpectrum Center.In collegiate sports, Charlotte hosts theACC Championship GameandDuke's Mayo Bowl.The city has also been the host manyACC men's basketball tournamentsmost recently in2019.In 2021, Charlotte hosted theACC baseball tournament.In 2017, Charlotte hosted thePGA Championshipat theQuail Hollow Cluband is set to host again by 2025.Charlotte will also host the2022 Presidents Cup.In 1994, Charlotte hosted theFinal Four.
Since 1931,Jim Crockett Promotionshas been a full-fledgedprofessional wrestlingperformer, based in the North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia states, and has been calledMid-Atlantic Wrestling.National Wrestling Alliance,World Championship Wrestling,WWEhas big matches, and manypay-per-viewevent. Many professional wrestlers living.
Currently, the city is home to two universities that participate inNCAA Division IAthletics: theCharlotte 49ersof theUniversity of North Carolina at Charlotte, as well as theQueens RoyalsofQueens University of Charlotte, who announced their transition fromNCAA Division IIto Division I on May 7, 2022.Charlottehas participated in 11 NCAAmen's basketballtournaments, 14 NCAAmen's soccertournaments, and thefootball teamparticipated in their first bowl game in 2019 just six years after starting their program.
Johnson C. Smith Universityparticipates at theNCAA Division IIlevel.Johnson and Wales Universityparticipate in theUSCAA.
Charlotte has acouncil–managerform of government. ThemayorandCharlotte City Councilare elected every two years, with noterm limits. The mayor isex officiochair of the City Council, and only votes in case of a tie. Unlike other mayors in council–manager systems, Charlotte's mayor has the power tovetoordinancespassed by the council; the council can override a mayoral veto by a vote of seven of its ten members.The Council appoints acity managerto serve as chief administrative officer.
Unlike some other cities and towns in North Carolina, elections are held on a partisan basis.Vi Lyles, aDemocratelected in 2017, became the 59th mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina. She was elected to her third term in 2022.
Patrick Cannon, a Democrat, was sworn in as mayor on December 2, 2013.On March 26, 2014, Cannon was arrested on public corruption charges. Later the same day, he resigned as mayor.Mayor Pro TemMichael Barnesserved as Acting Mayor until April 7, when the City Council selected State SenatorDan Clodfelter, also a Democrat, to serve the remainder of Cannon's term.Former Mecklenburg County Commission chairwomanJennifer Robertsdefeated Clodfelter in the 2015 Democratic primary and went on to win the general election, becoming the first Democratic woman to be elected to the post.She was ousted in the 2017 Democratic primary by Mayor Pro TemVi Lyles, who later defeated Republican City Councilman Kenny Smith in the general election to become Mayor of Charlotte.
Historically, voters have been friendly to moderates of both parties. However, in recent years, Charlotte has swung heavily to the Democrats. Republican strength is concentrated in the southeastern portion of the city, while Democratic strength is concentrated in the south-central, eastern, and northern areas.The city had a Republican mayor from 1987 to 2009.
The Charlotte City Council has 11 members (7 from districts and 4at-large). Democrats control the council with a 9-to-2 advantage, winning all 4 of the at-large seats in the November 2013, 2015, and 2017 municipal elections. While the City Council is responsible for passing ordinances, the city's budget, and other policies, all decisions can be overridden by theNorth Carolina General Assembly, since North Carolina municipalities do not havehome rule. While municipal powers have been broadly construed since the 1960s, the General Assembly still retains considerable authority over local matters.
Charlotte is split between twocongressional districtson the federal level. The northern half of the city is in the12th district, represented by DemocratAlma Adams. The southern half is in the14th district, represented by DemocratJeff Jackson.Charlotte is represented by ten members of theNorth Carolina House of Representatives,Mary Gardner Belk(D-88th),Terry M. Brown Jr.(D-92nd),Nasif Majeed(D-99th),John Autry(D-100th),Carolyn Logan(D-101st),Becky Carney(D-102nd),Brandon Lofton(D-104th),Wesley Harris(D-105th),Carla Cunningham(D-106th), andKelly Alexander(D-107th), and six members of theNorth Carolina Senate,Mujtaba A. Mohammed(D-38th),DeAndrea Salvador(D-39th),Joyce Waddell(D-40th),Rachel Hunt(D-42nd),Vickie Sawyer(R-37th), andNatasha Marcus(D-41st).
Charlotte was selected in 2011 to host the2012 Democratic National Convention, which was held at theSpectrum Center.It began September 4, 2012, and ended on September 6, 2012.In 2018, Charlotte was chosen to host theRepublican National Conventionin August 2020.Due to theCOVID-19 pandemic in the United Statesmost events were not held in Charlotte.
The city's public school system,Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, is the second largest in North Carolina and 17th largest in the nation.In 2009, it won the NAEP Awards, the Nation's Report Card for urban school systems with top honors among 18 city systems for fourth grade math, second place among eighth graders.An estimated 144,000 students are taught in 164 separate elementary, middle, and high schools.Charlotte is also home to many private and independent schools, includingBritish School of Charlotte,Charlotte Catholic High School,Charlotte Christian School,Charlotte Country Day School,Charlotte Islamic Academy,Charlotte Latin School,Grace Academy,Providence Day School,Hickory Grove Christian School,Northside Christian Academy,Southlake Christian Academy,andUnited Faith Christian Academy.
Charlotte is home to a number of universities and colleges such asCentral Piedmont Community College,Johnson C. Smith University,Johnson & Wales University,Queens University of Charlotte, and theUniversity of North Carolina at Charlotte.Several notable colleges are located in the metropolitan suburbs. Located in nearbyDavidson, North Carolina isDavidson College.Additional colleges in the area includeBelmont Abbey Collegein the suburb ofBelmont, North Carolina,Gaston Collegewith its main campus in the suburb ofDallas, North CarolinaandWingate Universityin the suburb ofWingate, North Carolina.Also nearby areWinthrop University, Clinton Junior College,York Technical CollegeinRock Hill, South Carolina, andGardner-Webb UniversityinBoiling Springs, North Carolinain the westernmost part of theCharlotte area.
UNC Charlotte is the city's largest university. It is located inUniversity City, the northeastern portion of Charlotte, which is also home toUniversity Research Park, a 3,200 acres (13 km) research and corporate park. With more than 30,000 students, UNC Charlotte is the second largest university in the state system.
Central Piedmont Community College is the largestcommunity collegeinthe Carolinas, with more than 70,000 students each year and 6 campuses throughout the Charlotte-Mecklenburg region.CPCC is part of the statewideNorth Carolina Community College System.
The Charlotte School of Law opened its doors in Charlotte in 2006 and was fully accredited by the American Bar Association in 2011. The law school offered theJuris Doctordegree but the Bar association rescinded the accreditation in 2017. Charlotte School of Law, once the largest law school in the Carolinas, has ceased to operate.
Pfeiffer Universityhas a satellite campus in Charlotte.Wake Forest University, with its main campus inWinston-Salem, North Carolina, also operates a satellite campus of its Babcock Graduate School of Management in the Uptown area.On March 24, 2021, it was announcedWake Forest School of Medicinewould expand a 20-acre campus in Charlotte by 2024.TheConnecticut School of Broadcasting,DeVry University, andECPI Universityall have branches in Charlotte.TheUniversal Technical Institutehas the NASCAR Technical Institute in nearbyMooresville, serving the Charlotte area.Montreat College(Charlotte) maintains a School of Professional and Adult Studies in the city. Additionally,Union Presbyterian Seminaryhas a non-residential campus offering the Master of Arts in Christian Education, and theMaster of Divinityin Charlotte near the Beverley Woods area.
TheNorth Carolina Research Campus, a 350-acrebiotechnologyhub located northeast of Charlotte in the city ofKannapolis, is a public-private venture including eight universities, one community college, theDavid H. Murdock Research Institute(DHMRI), theU.S. Department of Agriculture(USDA) and corporate entities that collaborate to advance the fields of human health, nutrition and agriculture. Partnering educational organizations include UNC Charlotte andRowan-Cabarrus Community College, from the Charlotte region, as well asAppalachian State University,University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,Duke University,University of North Carolina at Greensboro,North Carolina A&T State University,Shaw University,North Carolina Central UniversityandNorth Carolina State University.The research campus is part of a larger effort by leaders in the Charlotte area to attract energy, health, and other knowledge-based industries that contribute to North Carolina's strength in biotechnology.
Charlotte has one major daily newspaper,The Charlotte Observer.It boasts the largest circulation in North Carolinaand South Carolina.
Charlotte is the 24th largest radio market in the nation, according toNielsen Audio. While major groups likeiHeartMediaandUrban Onehave stations serving Charlotte, several smaller groups also own and operate stations in the area.The localNational Public Radionews affiliate isWFAE News, which sponsors a number of podcasts and radio shows.
According toNielsen Media Research, Charlotte is the 22nd largest television market in the nation (as of the 2016–2017 season) and the largest in the state of North Carolina.Major television stations located in Charlotte includeCBSaffiliateWBTV3 (the oldest television station in the Carolinas),ABCaffiliateWSOC-TV9,NBCaffiliateWCNC-TV36,CWaffiliateWCCB18,andPBSmember stationWTVI42.One cable sports network is headquartered in Charlotte: theESPN-controlledSEC Network.Raycom Sportsis also headquartered in Charlotte.
Other stations serving the Charlotte market includeFoxaffiliateWJZY46 inBelmont,UNC-TV/PBSmember station WUNG-TV 58 inConcord,independentstationWAXN-TV64 (a sister to WSOC-TV) inKannapolis, and two stations inRock Hill, South Carolina:MyNetworkTVaffiliateWMYT-TV55 (a sister to WJZY)andPBSmember stationWNSC-TV30. Additionally,INSPis headquartered in nearbyIndian Land, South Carolina.
In 2020,CNNestablished a Charlotte bureau spearheaded by national correspondent Dianne Gallagher.
Cable television customers are served bySpectrum, which offers a localized feed ofRaleigh-basedSpectrum News North Carolina.
Emergency medical services for the city of Charlotte are provided by Mecklenburg EMS Agency (MEDIC). MEDIC received over 160,000 calls in 2022 and transported over 107,000 patients in Mecklenburg County.The agency employs over 600 paramedics, EMTs, EMDs and admin staff.
In addition to dispatching MEDIC's EMS calls, the agency also dispatches all county fire calls outside of the city of Charlotte.
Hospitals in Charlotte includeAtrium Health Mercy,Atrium Health Pineville,Atrium Health University City,Carolinas ContinueCare Pineville,Atrium HealthCarolinas Medical Center/ Levine Children's, Novant Health Charlotte Orthopedic Hospital,Novant Health Hemby Children's Hospital,and Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center.Charlotte-Mecklenburg Hospital Authority is the public hospital authority of Mecklenburg County.
TheCharlotte Fire Departmentprovides fire suppression, emergency medical services, public education, hazardous materials (HAZMAT) mitigation, technical rescues, and fire prevention and inspection with 1,164 personnel. Forty-three fire stations are strategically scattered throughout Charlotte to provide a reasonable response time to emergencies in the city limits.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) is a combined jurisdiction agency. The CMPD has law enforcement jurisdiction in both the city of Charlotte and the few unincorporated areas left in Mecklenburg County. The other small towns maintain their own law enforcement agencies for their own jurisdictions. The department consists of approximately 1,700 sworn law enforcement officers, 550 civilian personnel, and more than 400 volunteers.
An average of 4,939 vehicles are stolen every year in Charlotte.
According to the Congressional Quarterly Press; '2008 City Crime Rankings: Crime in Metropolitan America,' Charlotte, North Carolina ranks as the 62nd most dangerous city larger than 75,000 inhabitants.However, the entire Charlotte-Gastonia Metropolitan Statistical Area ranked as 27th most dangerous out of 338 metro areas.
Charlotte has a municipal waste system consisting of trash pickup, water distribution, and waste treatment. There are five waste water treatment plants operated by Charlotte Water (previously Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utility Department).Charlotte has abiosolidsprogram.Some Chester residents spoke out against the program on February 26, 2013.Charlotte's sludge is handled, transported, and spread on farm fields in Chester by a company called Synagro, a wholly owned subsidiary of theCarlyle GroupCharlotte's sludge is of the "CLASS B" variety, which means it still contains detectable levels of pathogens.
The city of Charlotte has a lower than average percentage of households without a car. In 2015, 7.4 percent of Charlotte households lacked a car, and decreased to 6 percent in 2016. The national average was 8.7 percent in 2016. Charlotte averaged 1.65 cars per household in 2016, compared to a national average of 1.8.
TheCharlotte Area Transit System(CATS) is the agency responsible for operating mass transit in the Charlotte metropolitan area, carrying over 16 million riders annually. Established in 1999 and administered as a department of the city of Charlotte, CATS operateslight railtransit,streetcar,express buses,local buses, and special bus services serving Charlotte and the surrounding area in addition to other programs such asvanpool.
CATS' rail arm, LYNX Rapid Transit Services, comprises two lines as of fall 2020. The Blue Line is an 18.9‑mile line north–south light rail line running throughSouth End,Center City,NoDa, andUniversity City.TheCityLYNX Gold Linestreetcar, Phase 1 of which opened in 2015, is under Phase 2 construction as of fall 2020. When completed, the Gold Line will link the Beatties Ford neighborhood through Uptown and then south and east to the Elizabeth neighborhood.TheLYNX Silver Line, a light rail line in the pre-project development phase as of fall 2020, will link the southeastern suburbs ofMatthews,Stallings, andIndian TrailwithUptown Charlotteand the future Charlotte Gateway Station before extending west toCharlotte Douglas International Airportand across the Catawba River toBelmontin Gaston County.
The bulk of CATS ridership is derived from its extensive bus network, which has its main hub at the Charlotte Transportation Center in Uptown, which also connects to the Blue and Gold lines. Other bus hubs are located at community transit centers in SouthPark, Eastland, and at Rosa Parks Place. CATS operates express buses to outlying parts of the city and some commuter bus to the northern suburbs in the Lake Norman area under the MetroRAPID umbrella.
A 2011 study byWalk Scoreranked Charlotte the 49th most walkable of the 50 largest cities in the United States.
Charlotte's central location between the population centers of theNortheastandSoutheasthas made it a transportation focal point and primary distribution center, with two major interstate highways,I-85andI-77, intersecting near the city's center. The latter highway also connects to the population centers of theRust Belt.
Charlotte'sbeltway, designatedI-485and simply called "485" by local residents, was under construction for over 20 years, but funding problems slowed its progress.The final segment was finished in mid-2015.I-485 has a total circumference of approximately 67 mi (108 km). Within the city, theI-277loop freeway encircles Charlotte's uptown (usually referred to by its two separate sections, theJohn Belk Freewayand the Brookshire Freeway) whileCharlotte Route 4links major roads in a loop between I-277 and I-485.Independence Freeway, which carriesU.S. 74and links downtown with the Matthews area, is undergoing an expansion and widening in the eastern part of the city.
In 2011,Charlotte Douglas International Airportwas the sixth-busiest airport in both the U.S. and the world overall as measured by traffic (aircraft movements).The airport handled just over 50 million travellers in 2019, as well as many domestic and international carriers includingAir Canada,Lufthansa, andVolaris. It is a major hub forAmerican Airlines, having historically been a hub for its predecessorsUS AirwaysandPiedmont Airlines.Nonstop flights are available to many destinations across the United States,Canada,Central America, theCaribbean,Europe,Mexico, andSouth America.The145th Airlift WingofNorth Carolina Air National Guardis also located east of the airport.
Charlotte is served daily by threeAmtrakroutes with ten daily trips from a station on North Tryon Street, just outside downtown.
Charlotte is also served by bothGreyhoundand low-cost curbside carrierMegabus. Charlotte is a service stop for Greyhound routes running to Atlanta, Detroit,Jacksonville, New York and Philadelphia. It is also a stop for buses running out of Megabus' hub in Atlanta, with connections to Megabus' northeastern routes out of New York.
The city is planning a new centralized downtown multimodal station calledGateway Station. It is expected to house Amtrak, Greyhound and the future LYNX Red Line.It is under construction at the former site of the Greyhound station; Greyhound is currently operating from a temporary station nearby.
Charlotte'ssister citiesare: