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Both companies and individuals are attracted to the thriving Charlotte region. Booming with economic and commercial activity, Charlotte has all the advantages of one of the most rapidly growing metropolitan areas in the nation. Yet the people are warm and friendly and many areas still retain their small town flavor.
Charlotte is the second largest financial center in the nation, behind only New York. two of the nation’s largest banks, Bank of America and Wachovia, are headquartered here as well as a Federal Reserve Branch.
Charlotte’s most surprising characteristic is that this little Southern city is home to some of the largest corporations in North America. Our seven Fortune 500 headquarters tied us for fifth in a recent national ranking. That list didn’t include corporate giants Lowe’s, Family Dollar Stores and Food Lion, which operate just outside our city limits. Nor did it count privately held Compass Group North America or Belk Inc., each with annual sales in excess of $2.2 billion. In fact, Charlotte is home to 26 companies with more than $1 billion in annual sales.
With so many companies based or doing business here, some might say that Charlotte’s business is business. We have such a pro-business environment that nearly 300 of Fortune’s top 500 companies have placed one or more facilities within Mecklenburg County. The Queen City is one of the most business-focused cities in the country.
According to 2001 U.S. Department of Commerce figures, employment in Mecklenburg County is well distributed among all major business sectors. Of the 537,703 persons employed in the county, there are 75,646 in finance and insurance, 47,968 in retail trade, 43,611 in wholesale trade and 38,891 in manufacturing. Charlotte’s economic growth successes are due in part to the diversity of the local economy.
Carolina Blue Skies and fantastic facilities put Charlotte on top of the list for sports fans here you will find the NFL Carolina Panthers, the NBA Charlotte Bobcats, WNBA Charlotte Sting, Charlotte Checkers, and the Charlotte Knights. Located 12 miles northeast of Uptown Charlotte is Lowe's Motor Speedway which annually hosts NASCAR Nextel Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck Series races.
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