Perception of Charlotte Nationwide

[Charlotte_native]

But that really isn't the point of this topic. (notice Nationwide Perception) Charlotte seems obsessed with having national and global prominence as demonstrated by the afore mentioned Bobcats and of course the Observer made a point of the question being asked of the Lord Mayor.

And I just wanted to point out that everyone here doesn't care about the perception being GLOBAL. That is relevant to this thread IMO. Funny how the hated Bobcats always creep in. How is that relevant to what the mayor of London said or whether the city is global? The NBA is the 'National' Basketball Association so I don't believe they were brought here for global attention.

My point, in this thread, would be that I want Charlotte's national perception to be what it is. Of course what a place is will be different 100% of the time from each person you ask.

Edited July 30, 2008 by Charlotte_native

[cltheel.sdl]

I went to NJ this week and ate at an Italian place. Our waiter was from Bulgaria. When we asked him if he knew anything about Charlotte, two words came out of his mouth: "Charlotte Hornets".

Even though we don't have to Hornets anymore, this goes to show the NBA is more than just national. It actually does enable people to make associations with your city.

[voyager12]

The "movers and shakers" that run this town constantly push Charlotte to improve on a myriad of issues. Overall this is a good thing although it's so overdone at times it comes across as rank boosterism and delusion. "World Class" cities have dynamic and mixed use downtowns, embrace diversity, have convenient and comprehensive mass transit and are eco friendly to name a few. Our city is making progress on some these areas and very little on others. It's inescapable that comparisons will be made, which automatically falls into the "not good enough" trap. And " Charlotte is a boring smaller version of Atlanta" rap

[Raintree21]

I went to NJ this week and ate at an Italian place. Our waiter was from Bulgaria. When we asked him if he knew anything about Charlotte, two words came out of his mouth: "Charlotte Hornets".

Even though we don't have to Hornets anymore, this goes to show the NBA is more than just national. It actually does enable people to make associations with your city.

Oh yeah, I constantly have seen on tv both nationally and internationally, people with Charlotte Hornets t-shirts and sweatshirts.

[monsoon]

^I saw these shirts in Tokyo too. However it's doubtful to me that if asked of anyone there what Charlotte meant, they would know it was a medium sized city on the border of NC/SC.

[mrh3]

The "movers and shakers" that run this town constantly push Charlotte to improve on a myriad of issues. Overall this is a good thing although it's so overdone at times it comes across as rank boosterism and delusion. "World Class" cities have dynamic and mixed use downtowns, embrace diversity, have convenient and comprehensive mass transit and are eco friendly to name a few. Our city is making progress on some these areas and very little on others. It's inescapable that comparisons will be made, which automatically falls into the "not good enough" trap. And " Charlotte is a boring smaller version of Atlanta" rap

Voyager,

How in your opinion does Charlotte differ from Atlanta? I kind of view them under the same lens except that Charlotte is a one trick pony with the finance industry and Atlanta is economically diverse.

[cltheel.sdl]

^I saw these shirts in Tokyo too. However it's doubtful to me that if asked of anyone there what Charlotte meant, they would know it was a medium sized city on the border of NC/SC.

True, I guess it's just a name recognition thing. At least they've heard of us though.

[voyager12]

Voyager,

How in your opinion does Charlotte differ from Atlanta? I kind of view them under the same lens except that Charlotte is a one trick pony with the finance industry and Atlanta is economically diverse.

I know this thread is not meant to be an ATL v. CLT contest. But briefly, if "world class" is a moniker that so many Charlotteans want to have they need more than a diverse economy. Specifically the city of atlanta and not the suburbs has an administration that is open to more progressive ideas on diversity and working with a wide range of groups. Perhaps having the CDC there and Emory in the city adds the intellectual heft that we don't have. Perhaps if McCrory wins the governorship we could have a Mayor that is more proactive and does not consider green issues, diversity and outside the box ideas in general inherently bad and "liberal". We will probably end up John Lassiter though and he is a carbon copy of good ole visionless corporate owned no substance McCrory.

Edited August 1, 2008 by voyager12

[monsoon]

I certainly agree with the last statement, even though I support the arena. In a city of finite budget for infrastructure improvements, allocations towards transit and other basic infrastructure would have the greatest benefit. The rest of it is pretty cheap, but much harder to obtain. It's charismatic leaders with vision that sell the city on the global stage, and enlightened politicians that are willing to embrace and foster programs for workers from different cultures.

Indeed. If Charlotte has anything that would cause it to be recognized on a global scale, it's Nascar. I have often spoken to Europeans and people all over the USA who immediately mention that when they hear about this city. Unfortunately it has been, until recently, an opportunity lost because I suspect the local bias by Charlotteans against Nascar as having a redneck image. It's pretty ironic. The one thing that makes Charlotte unique, nobody here wants to be associated with.

[Charlotte_native]

The one thing that makes Charlotte unique, nobody here wants to be associated with.

Sad, but true. I'm guilty of this local bias as well, but growing out of it as I think others are as well. Not all, but others. The Nascar HOF I think is a symbol of that change. I've become more aware of the national attention that racing brings to the area (far more than any other pro sport) as well as the massive influx of money that comes with it as well. Not just from those travelling here to see races, but drivers, crews, the racing mechanics school in Mooresville, the teams located here, etc, all contribute to the local economy.

I've always thought this city, or any, should just let its personality evolve, and if its racin' -- the so be it. (Just get Bruton Smith out of the picture! He seems to the be George Shinn of the sport).

[New Name]

^ Oddly enough, Indianapolis is known for racing too. But not "racin'!" So it really has little to do with the sport, and a lot more to do with the jean-shorts-wearin'-budweiser-drinkin'-larry-the-cableguy-lovin'-so-and-so's. (I'm going to catch heat for that one..but it's the truth).

[Raintree21]

I completely disagree. Seems most people who consider themselves too good or sophisticated for NASCAR supposedly 'despise' it and think it's detrimental to their and Charlotte's image. Everyone I know in Charlotte, whether they be college educated or not, redneck, blue, or white collar, middle, high, or low class either like NASCAR or don't care for it but aren't put off by it.

[Charlotte_native]

I completely disagree. Seems most people who consider themselves too good or sophisticated for NASCAR supposedly 'despise' it and think it's detrimental to their and Charlotte's image. Everyone I know in Charlotte, whether they be college educated or not, redneck, blue, or white collar, middle, high, or low class either like NASCAR or don't care for it but aren't put off by it.

I'm one of these folks. I'm not into racing of any kind, but it doens't bother me. I've been surprised plenty of times when I find out people that are totally into Nascar. Just this weekend -- we have a neighbor that is a high level surgeon in town and it seems a die-hard racin' fan.

[AuLukey]

Well, getting back into an international perception of Charlotte, a British news source known as The Independent published an article about Charlotte this past weekend. Our article was immediately following an article about Antigua, so we didn't really stand a chance.

Seems that NASCAR is a tourist attraction for foreigners according to this journalist's itinerary. And boy does it apparently have a lot to do with our international identity according to him. Oh yea, and apparently they play UNCC's "university anthem" at Howl at the Moon? I don't think anybody actually even knows the words to that, nor do I believe I've heard it anywhere off campus, ever.

It mentions driving through the "gently lifting farmland of Cabarrus County." I'm guessing they somehow avoided McSprawlville or just assumed it was a part of Charlotte. The article belittles uptown Charlotte's skyline quite severely and also implies that by "we don't want to become Atlanta," we mean that we don't want to become a big city at all. I will only give one full quote from the article, but here is one that pretty much sums up the article:

Charlotte tries to look big but it's fooling nobody. Like the puny kid in class who tells you he's actually deadly at karate, this is a city whose downtown area is deceptive in its machismo. Sure there are skyscrapers , but it doesn't take long before you realise you can count all of them on your fingers.

One thing the article does compliment is Fourth Ward and sings praises of Alexander Michel's.

link

Also, there is apparently a UK version of the NC tourism website linked at the end of this article. Ironically, it doesn't highlight NASCAR at all, so I'm not really sure where he got the idea from.

www.northcarolinatravel.co.uk

[nyxmike]

Wow. Well, he sure made this place sound like an overgrown country town. Unfortunately, some of what he said is true. Charlotte is on the verge of becoming a "big city". The next 5 years we will all probably notice some big changes. At the same time Charlotte seems to be holding on to that "small town mentality". It is like oil and water (big city vs. small town) and I think some outsiders notice this. Once we can move past that small town mentality and embrace what we are becoming than maybe Charlotte will be taken more seriously.

[InitialD]

Just saw this article on the CNN homepage under Travel; The Dish on Charlotte. The article is via Southern Living, and it is very positive, summed with with this quote:

Charlotte's emergence on the food radar -- a recent and welcome debut -- combines fascinating ingredients: a surging urban renaissance, support from the country's No. 2 banking town, and fresh talent from the newest campus of Johnson & Wales University. This well-respected culinary school's 2004 relocation from Charleston, South Carolina, cemented Charlotte's position as the South's new food city.

The article then goes on the mention several restaurants in Uptown, South Park, Plaza-Midwood, Elizabeth, and Southend

[AuLukey]

Ok, while not NEWS, I logged onto Myspace today and the myspace.com homepage before login had uptown Charlotte's night skyline as the background. I looked for any signs that it knew I was in Charlotte but there weren't any area identifiers on the page or in the address bar. So, as of 8:01pm, myspace's normal homepage background is uptown Charlotte. I thought that might be some decent exposure for those familiar with our skyline, even if it is a low-grade picture.

[DCMetroRaleigh]

I noticed the same thing on Myspace.

[nonillogical]

Ok, while not NEWS, I logged onto Myspace today and the myspace.com homepage before login had uptown Charlotte's night skyline as the background. I looked for any signs that it knew I was in Charlotte but there weren't any area identifiers on the page or in the address bar. So, as of 8:01pm, myspace's normal homepage background is uptown Charlotte. I thought that might be some decent exposure for those familiar with our skyline, even if it is a low-grade picture.

i see it, and as cool as that is, there is also a gigantic flash ad for Nelly's show, which is free in NoDa tonight. i'm sure it's part of the ad...there are lots of location-detecting ads and web features out there.

[spectacle21]

Yea...I JUST saw the background as I logged on/off myspace. Pretty decent exposure.

[DCMetroRaleigh]

i see it, and as cool as that is, there is also a gigantic flash ad for Nelly's show, which is free in NoDa tonight. i'm sure it's part of the ad...there are lots of location-detecting ads and web features out there.

I live in DC and it gives me the CLT skyline in the background.

[nonillogical]

I live in DC and it gives me the CLT skyline in the background.

ah cool, i guess it was coincidental. the Nelly ad had to be location-specific though as it just said "Tonight"

[AuLukey]

Well, it is gone now. But it was fun while it lasted. I don't remember having seen location specific backgrounds on Myspace before, that looked as if it could have been a national ad. Who knows?

[monsoon]

This reminds me of NBC's Nightside program. This was their overnight news show that ran from 1990 or so to 1998. Their studios were here in Charlotte (next door to Channel 36) and they would often show the news anchors sitting with a Charlotte skyline backdrop. This was a national news program so it would be on all of the NBC stations usually from midnight or so until the local news picked up at 5.

[U4ick]

I can tell you when the Nation is going to get a wake-up call that Charlotte is truly becoming.....

12/8/08

Hey, I'm a football fan, but more than see the Panthers crush the Bucs I more interested in

seeing what kind of television coverage of our skyline that we will get that Monday Night!!

I can almost see Madden pulling out his marker......"so you got a crane here, a crane there...

and and and.....when you have a lot of cranes......you got a heckuva lot of skysrapers coming"!

I've lived here for 10 years, but I have traveled nationwide with my job for a good while....it's

just now getting to the point where you can say "I'm from Charlotte", and not have to follow-up

with "North Carolina"!!!