Central NC Cities Fighting for Larger Slice of Convention Business Pie

CHARLOTTE-Charlotte is a major destination city in the convention competition, but it must compete with Greensboro, Winston-Salem and High Point in the Triad, and Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill in the Triangle.

Greensboro, for instance, is centrally located, has an international airport and many other convenient facilities, with the Greensboro Coliseum offering 120,000 sf of meeting space. The city also boasts 14 full-service hotels and a golf course. Greensboro has just hosted the USA Track and Field National Conference, beating out Portland, OR, Miami and Atlantic City, NJ.

In recent years, some events have outgrown the coliseum’s 120,000 sf, according to management, and local officials are seeking funding for a 30,000-sf expansion. Charlotte’s convention center, on the other hand, has 280,000 sf of exhibit space and a 35,000-sf ballroom. Charlotte also has over 20,000 hotel rooms, more than any other city in the Carolinas. The city also offers a long list of restaurants, museums, sporting events and plenty of shopping. Getting there is another plus, with 500 fights serving the city daily.