Four Big WINS for Charlotte
Charlotte has had quite a year! The last 12 months have been good for the city, starting with the July, 2018 announcement that Charlotte would host the Republican National Convention in 2020. This signalled to the world that Charlotte had come back to its true nature, a pro-business town. I say true nature because Charlotte is heavily Democratic and elected in 2016 a Democrat for Mayor in Vi Lyles. But the real color in Charlotte is not Blue or Red, but Green. She is progressive in nature but has proven over and over that it is business first that matters, and she has quiickly become Charlotte’s greatest political asset. The local buinesses have responded too, more on that later. As for Lyles, she is a rising star in the Democratic Party.
The fall announcement that Honeywell, a Fortune 100 company would become Charlotte’s 7th HQ, by moving its New Jersey home office’s to Charlotte was further proof, Charlotte, INC had returned. Honeywell plans to invest over $248M in the region. The move is beginning now, with over 750 jobs being added to the local economy at an average of $85,000/year. Thank you Honeywell, we look forward to welcoming you and your families.
The mid February NBA All-Star game Uptown at the Spectrum Center was a huge success, and highlighted the city of Charlotte to an international
audience. The event went off without a hitch, was aired in 215 countries and broadcast in 49 languages- amazing, Charlotte couldn’t buy this publicty. The weekend took place in multiple venues over the long All-Star Weekend. For those watching poitics, the 2019 NBA All-Star Game completed the circle created by the passage of HB2 which led the NBA to abandon plans for the 2017 All-Star Game originally awarded to Charlotte.
The BB & T/ Suntrust merger, announced a few weeks ago, with plans to headquarter in Charlotte, if approved would become the 6th largest bank in the US. This merger, or aquisition, as some are calling it, is a huge win for Charlotte, a big loss of headquarters for Atlanta (Where Suntrust currently resides) and further cements Charlotte as the financial powerhouse of the South.
And Below, from the always excellent Charlotte Agenda, a look at the buildings on the way
