Sensational Sports and Recreation

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WITH THE NBA'S CHARLOTTE BOBCATS and NFL’s Carolina Panthers calling Charlotte home, this city is the pinnacle for professional sports — as well as recreation and tourism. Whether it’s a mountain bike ride along a trail or world-class golf at the Quail Hollow Championship, 50 laps in the pool or 600 laps at Charlotte Motor Speedway, there is something for everyone. Charlotte spectators can cheer the home team in just about any sport as well as enjoy the city’s many beautiful parks, specialized facilities, annual festivals and other community events.

The city’s mild climate makes it perfect for outdoor activities and competitive events most of the year. Charlotte hosts many foot races (5K and 10K) annually, and a marathon has been run every year in Charlotte since 1977. For those who need variety in their competitive workout, Mecklenburg County is home to three major triathlons, which each year attract a total of 1,750 participants.

The Catawba River and its system of man-made lakes provide many activities for water lovers. The river is home to the new U.S. National Whitewater Center, which was the training grounds for Olympic athletes. Located just 30 minutes north of the city, Lake Norman has 520 miles of shoreline and is the state’s largest man-made lake. Sailing, wind surfing, power boating and fishing are just a few of the activities to be enjoyed on this 34 mile long lake.


Spectacular Spectator Sports
Charlotte is a national sports hub, home to NFL, NBA, NASCAR, AIFA, AAA Baseball and an NHL/AHL affiliate.

NFL — The Carolina Panthers
www.panthers.com
Bank of America Stadium, in downtown Charlotte, has 73,778 seats with a typical total annual attendance of more than 670,000 fans.. The $187 million state-of-the-art facility, designed specifically with football in mind, gives every spectator a clear view of the playing field.

This team began when NFL owners unanimously selected Carolina as the 29th NFL franchise on October 26, 1993. Just ten years later, in 2003, the Panthers won the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles and proceeded to play in Super Bowl XXXVIII against the New England Patriots. In 2005, the Panthers finished 13-6 and made their third trip to the NFC championship in just 11 seasons as a franchise. Their successes continue, the 2008 average attendance was 72,319 which was one of the highest in the NFL for that season.


NASCAR — stock car racing
www.charlottemotorspeedway.com
www.nascarhall.com
Charlotte is the “pit stop” for all things NASCAR and was chosen as the home of the new NASCAR Hall of Fame and Museum in 2006. The $195 million dollar facility opened in 2010, and is located in the heart of downtown Charlotte.
Charlotte Motor Speedway is the largest sports facility in the Southeast and recognized as one of the finest NASCAR facilities in the U.S. It is also used for race team testing and automobile manufacturing research. The Speedway has 165,000 permanent seats and capacity for nearly 40,000 more spectators in the infield of the 1.5-mile super speedway. As one of the busiest sports facilities in the country, Charlotte Motor Speedway hosts three series of racing:

Sprint Cup Series: NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, Coca-Cola 600, and Bank of America 500; Nationwide Series: Wendy’s 300 and Dollar General 300 and the Craftsman Truck Series: North Carolina Education Lottery 200.

The Coca-Cola 600 has the second-largest attendance of all sporting events in the nation.


NBA — The Charlotte Bobcats
www.nba.com/bobcats
The Charlotte Bobcats were established in 2004 as an NBA expansion team. The NBA granted Charlotte an expansion team to begin play in 2004; it made history being owned by Robert Johnson, the founder of Black Entertainment Television, and the first majority black owner in major professional sports. In March 2010, NBA legend and North Carolina native, Michael Jordan became the majority owner of the Bobcats. A little later that year the Bobcats made their first NBA playoff appearance.

The Bobcats’ home is the $260 million Time Warner Cable Arena built in the center city, it supports not only the Bobcats, but also the Charlotte Checkers (NHL). The arena is also used as a concert venue with large shows such as the Rolling Stones and U2.


Baseball — The Charlotte Knights
www.charlotteknights.com
The Charlotte Knights are the Chicago White Sox’s AAA affiliate, so watching a game in Charlotte is just one step below major league. Games are held at Knights Stadium, a $15 million, 10,000-seat facility opened in 1990. Plans are, however, underway to build a new stadium in downtown Charlotte.


Hockey — The Charlotte Checkers
www.gocheckers.com
The Charlotte Checkers have moved from the ECHL to the American Hockey League and are now affiliated with the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes and the ECHL’s Florida Everblades. The Checkers recently celebrated their 16th anniversary in the Queen City.

During this time, 25 Checkers players rose through the ranks to reach the NHL. It is this type of talent that propelled the team to the 1995-’96 ECHL’s Riley Cup championship. The Checkers play their 36 home games in the Time Warner Cable Arena for an average of more than 6,800 fans.


Golf — The Quail Hollow Championship
www.quailhollowchampionship.com
Golf lovers are fortunate to have the PGA’s Quail Hollow Championship played in Charlotte each year during the first week in May.

The Quail Hollow Championship is one of the top events on the PGA TOUR, where such prestigious players as Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk and Vijay Singh compete at Charlotte’s Quail Hollow Country Club. Over its five years, the Championship has raised over $9.4 million for charity.

In addition, the Augusta National is not too far away for Masters’ enthusiasts. Nor is the Verizon Heritage at Harbour Town Links in Hilton Head.

Soccer — Charlotte Eagles and Lady Eagles
www.charlotteeagles.com
The Charlotte Eagles are a men’s soccer team that plays in the Second Division of the United Soccer League (USL). It is the second toughest division and the foundation of professional soccer in the United States.

The Charlotte Lady Eagles play in the W-League of the USL where in their first year of play (2001), they were the W-2 National champions.  Both Eagles’ games can be attended at various soccer fields in the Charlotte area.


Arena Football — The Carolina Speed
www.carolinaspeed.com
The Carolina Speed, a minor-league arena football team, began their third season in March 2009. The Speed is one of 17 teams in the American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) and plays in the Eastern Conference — East Division. The Speed play their home games in Bojangles’ Coliseum located in downtown Charlotte. 

Competitive Class Act: Collegiate Sports

College Football — The Meineke Car Care Bowl
www.meinekecarcarebowl.com
The Meineke Car Care Bowl game pits an ACC team against a Big East team. The first game hosted in Charlotte (Virginia vs. West Virginia) set a record for the largest crowd at 75,535 attendees, making it the second highest attended inaugural bowl game in NCAA history. The Bowl has averaged over 62,000 attendees per year over its seven-year history.


College Basketball — The CIAA Tournament
www.ciaatournament.org
The 63rd Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) tournament was hosted in downtown Charlotte in 2008, and returned in 2009 and is scheduled to remain in Charlotte over the next few years. More than 180,000 fans attended the 2009 CIAA Tournament.

The tournament is made up of 10 historically Black colleges situated on the East Coast. The CIAA, and the tournament’s goal is to raise money for CIAA scholarship funds. The CIAA is more than a basketball tournament, it also features various entertainment and well-known celebrities.

First-Class Tourism Facilities

US National Whitewater Center
www.usnwc.org
The U.S. National Whitewater Center (USNWC) is an outdoor adventure center along the Catawba River, that provides the world’s most unique outdoor recreation and environmental learning experience. The USNWC is just 15 minutes from downtown Charlotte. Since its opening, Olympic-caliber athletes, weekend warriors and casual observers are able to experience this world class sports and training center. The facility includes hiking and mountain biking trails, Eco Trekking, a high ropes course, a 57 foot climbing tower, a zip line and flat and whitewater kayaking.


Carowinds Amusement Park
www.carowinds.com
Located on the North and South Carolina border, this 112 acre theme park offers more than 100 breathtaking rides, such as Nighthawk, the park’s tallest rollercoaster, as well as water parks. Carowinds has a variety of shows and attractions at the recently renovated Palladium; kids can enjoy Nickelodeon™ Central, a theme area based on characters and shows from the popular children’s brand.

Another amphitheater, Verizon Amphitheatre, opened in 1991. This 19,000-seat facility hosts a variety of entertainment including rock concerts, Broadway shows and classical programs.

Robust Recreational Options
Charlotte also has a wealth of opportunities for those who want to participate rather than watch. A great place to start is at the area’s parks:

Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department
(704) 336-3854 or (704) 336-7600
Mecklenburg County has more than 200 parks with tennis courts, swimming pools, golf courses, community centers, bowling alleys, picnic areas, ball fields, fitness trails, mountain biking, fishing, soccer fields, disc golf courses, playground equipment, skate parks, a dirt bike track and an indoor water park which opened in 2002. Specialized facilities include the Latta Plantation Park with its equestrian center, raptor center and canoeing. Numerous organized sports programs are available to residents of all ages.

For information concerning the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Park and Recreation Programs, call (704) 336-3854 or visit www.parkandrec.com. A Parks Locator Map can be found at: http://maps.co.mecklenburg.nc.us/website/parklocator

Swimming and Gyms at the Aquatic Center are operated by the Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation Department. Featuring a 50-meter pool and a 25-yard pool with handicap accessibility, this outstanding facility offers an incredibly wide variety of programs for all ages and abilities. Charlotte also offers other public and private facilities for swimming. Visit the “Park and Rec” department at www.charmeck.org for further information.

The YMCA of Greater Charlotte is one of the largest YMCA programs in the country with 19 facilities and over 150,000 members (www.ymcacharlotte.org). The metro area is also home to a variety of private gyms, indoor rock walls, in-line and ice hockey rinks and many other facilities to stay active all year long.

Queen City Croquet Club
www.moerfoundation.org/qccc.php
New to Charlotte, the Queen City Croquet Club offers lessons, equipment and tournaments at various country clubs and golf courses in the Charlotte area. The organization is non-profit and works with local communities and businesses.

Golf
An avid golfer does not have to drive far to find quality golfing in the Charlotte area. Two of Golf Digest top courses in North Carolina are in Charlotte at the Charlotte Country Club and Quail Hollow. Charlotte has 21 private and 69 public and semi-private golf courses.

Disc “Frisbee” Golf
The Charlotte area has become a haven for disc golf and has 22 disc golf courses for the public to enjoy. The Charlotte region hosts at least two major tournaments a year and currently has the most and finest quality courses of any city in the U.S.

Mountains or Beach: Only Two Hours Away
There are an unlimited number of attractions within hours of Charlotte. For those who love to stroll amidst natural splendor and view spectacular mountain scenery, a drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway is less than two hours away. The North Carolina Mountains are also home to several ski and snowboarding areas that offer fun and challenging slopes. Adventure in the mountains continues throughout the year with whitewater rafting hitting its peak season in the spring and rock climbing, backpacking, camping and mountain biking trips possible almost year round.

In addition, the golf capital of the world is but a short two hour trip to the Pinehurst-Southern Pines area. Steeped in tradition, the eight courses of Pinehurst proper are renowned for their quality and subtleties. Their premier course, Pinehurst No. 2, is rated as one of the finest greens in the world.


Cuisine and Culture is Always on the Calendar
Charlotteans love to socialize and celebrate; as a result, the community calendar is full of events (www.charlottesgotalot.com). These include Speed Street, a huge outdoor festival held downtown in conjunction with NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 race. The Carolina Renaissance Festival and the Loch Norman Highland Games are hosted in nearby Huntersville. If one likes fall colors, the Festival in the Park features arts, crafts, music and entertainment in a setting of full fall colors. Cultural celebrations occur at different times throughout the year, including Greek, Italian, Indian, Native-American, Latino and Asian festivals. Taste of Charlotte Festival each year celebrates local cuisine and attracts top celebrity chefs to the area, and the Charlotte Shout Festival also offers a celebration of the arts and culinary exploration.

To receive a free brochure about North Carolina’s many exciting and diverse attractions, call 1-800-VISIT NC or go to  www.visitnc.com.