Perception of Charlotte Nationwide

[teshadoh]

I can vouch that from Colorado, Charlotte has a generally positive review. The majority that I have heard from are business travelers & admire the cleanliness & 'newness' of Charlotte's downtown, as well as all the trees in the city.

[Norm2]

So apparently the CBS evening news with Katie Couric is going to be in Charlotte tomorrow evening. also 60 minutes has been filming in Charlotte.....anyone know when 60 minutes usually airs? I normally don't watch TV.

[abttown]

Norm, 60 Minutes comes on Sunday nights at 7pm. Looking on their website, one of the reporters will be talking to Bank of America officials in the city concerning the federal government's bailout of the big banks.

[Guest]

Looks like Katie Couric is going to be broadcasting from the roof of Charlotte School of Law with the Skyline as a backdrop. Thats somewhat disappointing, There are much better skyline views elsewhere. But at least we are getting some exposure.

[Norm2]

Anyone watch the segment about Bank of America on 60 Minutes?

[Windsurfer]

Anyone watch the segment about Bank of America on 60 Minutes?

I just did. It's very interesting: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4531397n

I laughed when Hugh McColl talked about taking on "America" instead of Wall Street.

Pretty good shots of Charlotte.

[Commoner]

Anybody watch the CBS Evening News from CLT? Any good coverage?

[Eastman]

Anybody watch the CBS Evening News from CLT? Any good coverage?

Well, it was rainy, and foggy, and kind of windy, and lots of sirens.

[ChiefJoJo]

If you're looking for a story focusing on Charlotte, you might be a little disappointed, as the story's main focus seemed to be more about the state of modern banking, the financial crisis, and how B of A has come out on top and secondarily how Charlotte fits into that. Ironically, the bank with arguably a bigger presence in Charlotte than B of A (Wachovia) and their near collapse and purchase was completely left out. (Any story even remotely focused on the city would have included the Wachovia saga IMO.) I'm sure on some level Hugh McColl was smiling at the omission. Some forumers will be disappointed to know Ken Lewis mentioned he always says B of A is based in Charlotte, NC to avoid confusion of where it actually is located.

There were some good shots of Tryon St, B of A Stadium, and of the trading floor at Hearst Tower (?). Reflecting on the piece, I got the feeling that it will be critically important for the city to have a Charlottean (like McColl and Lewis) as BAC CEO going forward if it is to remain strongly committed to the community.

[uptowner]

Anyone watch the segment about Bank of America on 60 Minutes?

Ken Lewis stated that he always says "NC" after "Charlotte".... hmmm

[voyager12]

Overall I thought 60 Mins did a good job. Although Leslie Stahl totally embodied the reason for Charlotte's severe inferiority complex. Paraphrasing..." Charlotte? people don't even know where that is...oh did I insult you? " And also thrilled to know that I am a customer of the "Wal Mart of banks".

[NcSc74]

I think most native NC people have that inferiority complex. Just the other day at work I had to defend the old north state. What was said was not so out of line but I had to add the point that there is more in NC if you go west of 95...now who can guess what the insult was.

[nyxmike]

I think most native NC people have that inferiority complex. Just the other day at work I had to defend the old north state. What was said was not so out of line but I had to add the point that there is more in NC if you go west of 95...now who can guess what the insult was.

I can imagine as I have had similar experiences. So many people use 95 to go up and down the East Coast compared to 85 (where most of the population is). As a result, their view of the state is very limited.

[AuLukey]

I can imagine as I have had similar experiences. So many people use 95 to go up and down the East Coast compared to 85 (where most of the population is). As a result, their view of the state is very limited.

Yea but that's like driving through back-country Pennsylvania and not acknowledging also exist within the state Pittsburgh or Philly. Same can really be said of any state. However, I do see your point and perhaps this is the reasoning behind why the state is pushing for so much in that half of the state (being optimistic.)

[monsoon]

If you drive across the state in I-85 you don't get much of NC either since it only covers about 130 miles of the state. It also really does not come in visible range of most of the cities given the bypasses and distance.

The winner in this category would be I-40, North Carolina's highway. Drive I-40 from Wilmington to the NC/TN border and you have made a 425 mile journey that takes you from the beaches to the mountains and you see every terrain in between. It goes through NC's capital, high tech corridor, the middle of the state in the portion that it shares with I-85, the Triad, the Asheville area ending in the NC mountains and the Smokey Mountains state park. You can take this road to go snow skiing and to the beach all in the same weekend.

The only place I-40 doesn't go is the Charlotte metro area, though it does pass through Statesville and near the northern edge of the Lake Norman area. It actually passes over the very northern edge of Lake Norman and one can boat right under the highway from the Lake though it can be a bit perilous if Duke energy cuts off the water flowing from Lookout dam. (I know from experience)

Charlotte is in such an odd position relative to I-40 there really isn't any reason to use it to get to the city at all though if you live further up in Lake Norman, it's a nice alternative to getting to Asheville or Raleigh over enduring the terrible road conditions and traffic to backtrack into Charlotte. I always tell people visiting me from the rest of the state to take I-40/I-77 over going through Charlotte. For that reason, I don't think many people in CLT have an appreciation for I-40.

I sometimes wonder if the decision to route I-40 through Statesville instead of Charlotte had some anti-Charlotte bias in it.

[atlrvr]

The interstate perspective is interesting. Only I-77 give visitors much exposure to Charlotte's downtown area, and not much out of state traffic there other than truckers and people from Ohio on vacation to Disney World/Myrtle Beach.

I-85 doesn't highlight Charlotte as anything other than light-industrial uses and if you don't know where to look, you miss the skyline completely.

When living in Boston, many people at my job would connect in Charlotte on business, and would comment that they were surprised at the number of really tall buildings, but that it looks like there city is pretty much a big suburb as soon as you step away from the skyline. I guess that's a pretty accurate assessment, and not something that I could defend (what, didn't you see the donut ring of surface lots separating the two )

Generally, people I meet who aren't too familiar with Charlotte have a pretty uniformed opinion of Charlotte (not necessarily good or bad). They don't seem interested in all of ever visiting unless they have friend or family here, and I would say lump us into the "boring city" pile of Indianapolis, Des Moines, Oklahoma City, Kansas City, etc. If they do have friends or family here, I typically hear really positive feedback.

Anecdotaly, my wife recently hired a former co-worker from Boston to join her at her new job in Charlotte. He has no ties to the south and had only visited once, but his dream has been to move to NC. He is walking away from his girlfriend of 5 year with which he owns a home (is signing the title over to her) so he can move to Charlotte.

[New Name]

This may be interesting - you can often generalize perception about any given place by word association. This is all subjective of course, but I wonder what everyone's answers would be. I can say that I have visited all of these cities (and airports and business meetings shouldn't count). Here's the first thing that comes to mind. Even my home Charlotte, even though I know better, this is the first thing that comes to mind.

Charlotte - Nascar

Tampa - Retirement

Miami - Cuban

Oklahoma City - Bombing

Indianapolis - Indianapolis 500

Providence - Boston's little brother

Raleigh - Capitol

Nashville - Country Music

Louisville - Baseball Bat

Memphis - Blues

San Anotio - Military

Denver - Green

Portland - Smart

Seattle - Rainy

Boston - Colonial

Minneapolis - Cold

Albuquerque - Desert

Austin - College

Dallas - JFK

Houston - Sprawling

Orlando - Families

Atlanta - Traffic

Milwaukee - Chicago's little brother

Chicago - Skyscrapers

Des Moines - Heartland

Asheville - Hippies

Greensboro - Colleges

Durham - Baseball park

Winston Salem - Forgotten

PS; and for what it's worth, I hope that some day I will replace "energy solutions" for Charlotte. That would be my choice.

Edited October 22, 2008 by The Escapists

[monsoon]

This article showed up in the Washington Post today that is about the changing face of NC, but it starts out with with Charlotte. It does expose a side to Charlotte not often discussed here or acknowledged in the local press.

[Charlotte_native]

Love the word association concept -- here are mine along with yours Escapists -- if I've said 'nothing' it is just because i have no impression about the city

Charlotte - Nascar -- Banking

Tampa - Retirement -- same

Miami - Cuban -- Art Deco and non-stop party

Oklahoma City - Bombing -- nothing

Indianapolis - Indianapolis 500 -- similar to Charlotte

Providence - Boston's little brother -- P-town and gayness

Raleigh - Capitol -- universities

Nashville - Country Music -- same

Louisville - Baseball Bat -- horses

Memphis - Blues -- BBQ and Beale Street

San Anotio - Military -- nothing

Denver - Green -- scenery and mountains

Portland - Smart -- green / somewhat hippy

Seattle - Rainy -- same

Boston - Colonial -- history

Minneapolis - Cold -- nothing

Albuquerque - Desert -- arts

Austin - College -- growing

Dallas - JFK -- super sprawl

Houston - Sprawling -- same

Orlando - Families -- Disney

Atlanta - Traffic - rap, congestion

Milwaukee - Chicago's little brother -- beer

Chicago - Skyscrapers -- lake, dense

Des Moines - Heartland = farming

Asheville - Hippies -- art (and actually the true underbelly of A-ville, rich out of staters)

Greensboro - Colleges -- city nearby

Durham - Baseball park -- dad lives there

Winston Salem - Forgotten -- cigarettes

[InitialD]

I'll play:

Charlotte - Nascar -- Banking -- New South

Tampa - Retirement -- same -- the bay

Miami - Cuban -- Art Deco and non-stop party -- Caribbean, latin

Oklahoma City - Bombing -- nothing -- new basketball team

Indianapolis - Indianapolis 500 -- similar to Charlotte -- the 500

Providence - Boston's little brother -- P-town and gayness -- Boston Lite

Raleigh - Capitol -- universities -- Cary

Nashville - Country Music -- same -- country music

Louisville - Baseball Bat -- horses -- waterfront, Ali

Memphis - Blues -- BBQ and Beale Street -- Beale St., Elvis

San Antonio - Military -- nothing -- canal/riverwalk

Denver - Green -- scenery and mountains -- Mile High

Portland - Smart -- green / somewhat hippy -- bicycles and transit

Seattle - Rainy -- same -- Pike's fish market

Boston - Colonial -- history -- intellectualism, universities

Minneapolis - Cold -- nothing -- overstreet walkways (maybe that's St. Paul?)

Albuquerque - Desert -- arts -- pueblos?

Austin - College -- growing -- bell tower, Longhorns

Dallas - JFK -- super sprawl -- Cowboys, Who shot JR?

Houston - Sprawling -- same -- oil money

Orlando - Families -- Disney -- Bloom

Atlanta - Traffic - rap, congestion -- ATL, Olympics

Milwaukee - Chicago's little brother -- beer -- decay

Chicago - Skyscrapers -- lake, dense -- progressive, birthplace of skyscrapers

Des Moines - Heartland = farming -- skyscrapers on the plains

Asheville - Hippies -- art (and actually the true underbelly of A-ville, rich out of staters) -- historic art deco

Greensboro - Colleges -- city nearby -- ACC

Durham - Baseball park -- dad lives there -- Tobacco Road

Winston Salem - Forgotten -- cigarettes -- Cesar Pelli's 2nd best building in NC

I'll throw a few more on here:

Birmingham (AL) - Vulcan park, steel mills

Omaha - college baseball

Jacksonville - waterfront

Richmond - "under the radar" as you don't really hear it mentioned that much, Confederate capital

Baltimore - Inner harbor, war of 1812, The Wire

Salk Lake City - Mormons, Olympics, "SLC Punk"

Little Rock - Clinton

Greenville (SC) - Pedestrian bridge

Pittsburgh - three rivers, steel mills

Philadelphia - Liberty bell, Rocky

Edited October 23, 2008 by InitialD

[New Name]

Birmingham (AL) - Vulcan park, steel mills - brick buildings

Omaha - college baseball - mexican neighborhoods

Jacksonville - waterfront - modis building -

Richmond - "under the radar" as you don't really hear it mentioned that much, Confederate capital - density done right

Baltimore - Inner harbor, war of 1812, The Wire - dirtiest city in the country

Salk Lake City - Mormons, Olympics, "SLC Punk" - mormons

Little Rock - Clinton - murder rate

Greenville (SC) - Pedestrian bridge - never been there

Pittsburgh - three rivers, steel mills - three rivers

Philadelphia - Liberty bell, Rocky - overlooked metropolis

[Charlotte_native]

For anyone who hasn't picked up on the subtlety of this exercise yet, everything we are naming becomes perception. For places like Seattle, who always get "rainy," I am sure they wish we would say "Microsoft" or something else - because that is more positive. But looking back over these things, what is it that makes any one of them stick and be the calling card of the city? Is it a major disaster? Is it a major triumph? Is it an iconic structure? Is it a local mentality? Is it a beloved sports franchise? This is the whole reason we on UP keep coming back to this topic of "Perception of Charlotte." We have not contributed anything as far as a Calling Card to the world yet. I would argue that many of these cities have not done so yet. Atlanta may have only done so with the Olympics a few years back.

Oh and I think this would work better with single word answers, or as close to single word as possible.

Thanks for playing!

I think what makes any of these 'stick' is what people in general say or talk about when the talk about any of these places. That or maybe a TV show, movie, or other media or event that becomes ingrained. I think it is interesting, too, to see how much differnce there is from person to person. Seattle as a good example, for me the reason I agreed with 'rainy' is when I took a trip there is was constantly rainy, combined with the fact that I've always heard that. Interestingly I stayed with a bunch of Microsoft folks, but that isn't the lasting impression or major fact I left with. I suppose that is why so often we hear about those from afar thinking of Charlotte as 'clean' or 'new'. Not a good or bad thing, but an easy impression to get even though we, here, think more of banking, racin', and other more localized and probably larger factors that make up Charlotte.

[atlrvr]

Charlotte - Nascar -- Banking -- New South -- Families

Tampa - Retirement -- same -- the bay -- old

Miami - Cuban -- Art Deco and non-stop party -- Caribbean, latin -- Flashy

Oklahoma City - Bombing -- nothing -- new basketball team -- Cow Town

Indianapolis - Indianapolis 500 -- similar to Charlotte -- the 500 -- Racing

Providence - Boston's little brother -- P-town and gayness -- Boston Lite -- Coloquial

Raleigh - Capitol -- universities -- Cary -- Capital

Nashville - Country Music -- same -- country music -- Country Music

Louisville - Baseball Bat -- horses -- waterfront, Ali -- underlooked

Memphis - Blues -- BBQ and Beale Street -- Beale St., Elvis -- Fed Ex

San Antonio - Military -- nothing -- canal/riverwalk -- Alamo

Denver - Green -- scenery and mountains -- Mile High -- skiing

Portland - Smart -- green / somewhat hippy -- bicycles and transit -- Rainy

Seattle - Rainy -- same -- Pike's fish market -- Rainy

Boston - Colonial -- history -- intellectualism, universities -- Traditional

Minneapolis - Cold -- nothing -- overstreet walkways (maybe that's St. Paul?) -- Cold

Albuquerque - Desert -- arts -- pueblos? -- Desert Asheville

Austin - College -- growing -- bell tower, Longhorns -- Over-hyped

Dallas - JFK -- super sprawl -- Cowboys, Who shot JR? - 1980's

Houston - Sprawling -- same -- oil money -- Sprawl

Orlando - Families -- Disney -- Bloom -- Tourists

Atlanta - Traffic - rap, congestion -- ATL, Olympics -- "Can Do"

Milwaukee - Chicago's little brother -- beer -- decay -- Forgotten

Chicago - Skyscrapers -- lake, dense -- progressive, birthplace of skyscrapers -- Poor Man's NYC

Des Moines - Heartland = farming -- skyscrapers on the plains -- Rollercoaster

Asheville - Hippies -- art (and actually the true underbelly of A-ville, rich out of staters) -- historic art deco -- Biltmore House

Greensboro - Colleges -- city nearby -- ACC -- Boring

Durham - Baseball park --dad lives there -- Tobacco Road -- Duke

Winston Salem - Forgotten -- cigarettes -- Cesar Pelli's 2nd best building in NC -- Wake Forest

Birmingham (AL) - Vulcan park, steel mills -- Declining

Omaha - college baseball -- Warren Buffett

Jacksonville - waterfront -- The Boring Big City in FL

Richmond - "under the radar" as you don't really hear it mentioned that much, Confederate capital -- Brick

Baltimore - Inner harbor, war of 1812, The Wire -- Sugar

Salk Lake City - Mormons, Olympics, "SLC Punk" -- Mormon

Little Rock - Clinton -- MTV Special on Gangs

Greenville (SC) - Pedestrian bridge -- Charming Downtown

Pittsburgh - three rivers, steel mills -- mini-NYC that didn't quite adapt fast enough and wasn't on the coast

Philadelphia - Liberty bell, Rocky -- Bad Attitudes

[triadguy37]

Charlotte - Nascar -- Banking -- New South -- Families -- Boring

Tampa - Retirement -- same -- the bay -- old -- water / bay

Miami - Cuban -- Art Deco and non-stop party -- Caribbean, latin -- Flashy -- Gay

Oklahoma City - Bombing -- nothing -- new basketball team -- Cow Town -- no where

Indianapolis - Indianapolis 500 -- similar to Charlotte -- the 500 -- Racing -- Cold

Providence - Boston's little brother -- P-town and gayness -- Boston Lite -- Coloquial -- Smells

Raleigh - Capitol -- universities -- Cary -- Capital -- Traffic

Nashville - Country Music -- same -- country music -- Country Music -- Porter Wagoner

Louisville - Baseball Bat -- horses -- waterfront, Ali -- underlooked -- nothing

Memphis - Blues -- BBQ and Beale Street -- Beale St., Elvis -- Fed Ex -- Elvis

San Antonio - Military -- nothing -- canal/riverwalk -- Alamo -- Nothing

Denver - Green -- scenery and mountains -- Mile High -- skiing -- Snow

Portland - Smart -- green / somewhat hippy -- bicycles and transit -- Rainy -- Young

Seattle - Rainy -- same -- Pike's fish market -- Rainy -- Armpit of the us

Boston - Colonial -- history -- intellectualism, universities -- Traditional

Minneapolis - Cold -- nothing -- overstreet walkways (maybe that's St. Paul?) -- Cold -- Cold

Albuquerque - Desert -- arts -- pueblos? -- Desert Asheville -- Warm

Austin - College -- growing -- bell tower, Longhorns -- Over-hyped- MTV Real World

Dallas - JFK -- super sprawl -- Cowboys, Who shot JR? - 1980's -- Nothing

Houston - Sprawling -- same -- oil money -- Sprawl - nothing

Orlando - Families -- Disney -- Bloom -- Tourists - Swamp

Atlanta - Traffic - rap, congestion -- ATL, Olympics -- "Can Do" - MARTA

Milwaukee - Chicago's little brother -- beer -- decay -- Forgotten -- Laverne and Shirley

Chicago - Skyscrapers -- lake, dense -- progressive, birthplace of skyscrapers -- Poor Man's NYC -- getto

Des Moines - Heartland = farming -- skyscrapers on the plains -- Rollercoaster -- nothing

Asheville - Hippies -- art (and actually the true underbelly of A-ville, rich out of staters) -- historic art deco -- Biltmore House -- Granola

Greensboro - Colleges -- city nearby -- ACC -- Boring -- Party City

Durham - Baseball park --dad lives there -- Tobacco Road -- Duke -- Duke Medical Center

Winston Salem - Forgotten -- cigarettes -- Cesar Pelli's 2nd best building in NC -- Wake Forest -- Krespy Kreme -- Hanes --

Birmingham (AL) - Vulcan park, steel mills -- Declining -- Ruben Studdard

Omaha - college baseball -- Warren Buffett -- Nothing

Jacksonville - waterfront -- The Boring Big City in FL -- Cops

Richmond - "under the radar" as you don't really hear it mentioned that much, Confederate capital -- Brick -- Tobacco

Baltimore - Inner harbor, war of 1812, The Wire -- Sugar -- historic

Salk Lake City - Mormons, Olympics, "SLC Punk" -- Mormon -- Cult

Little Rock - Clinton -- MTV Special on Gangs -- Nothing

Greenville (SC) - Pedestrian bridge -- Charming Downtown -- Kewl

Pittsburgh - three rivers, steel mills -- mini-NYC that didn't quite adapt fast enough and wasn't on the coast -- Nothing

Philadelphia - Liberty bell, Rocky -- Bad Attitudes -- Dirty

[nonillogical]

^clearly everything's lame except the Triad

Raleigh - Cary is pretty funny to me since thats where I grew up but I tell everyone I'm from Raleigh