Charlotte Events

The Ritz-Carlton Charlotte has opened in the heart of Uptown. As I blogged back in June, this is the city's first LEED-designed new hotel, having achieved LEED Gold certification.

At 18 stories, the hotel offers 146 rooms, each of which has been lavishly furnished with rich, warm woods, 400-thread count Frette linens, a 42-inch LCD flat panel television, and a flat screen television built into the bathroom mirror. The Charlotte hotel also boasts the BLT Steak restaurant and a 13,000-square-foot Wellness Center.

Affording panoramic views of the city, eight meeting spaces at The Ritz-Carlton Charlotte provide over 12,000 square feet of space. Planners can take advantage of large spaces such as the 7,000-square-foot ballroom or smaller venues of 464 square feet.

The Ritz-Carlton Charlotte hotel is currently available for booking conferences, weddings and other special Charlotte events. It will begin accepting individual receptions October 1.

View more information about The Ritz-Carlton Charlotte on the Cvent Supplier Network

Today's a year of convention center expansions. Nashville, New York City, then Des Moines—could Columbia, South Carolina, be next?

Officials at the 24,700-square-foot Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center are considering a study to look into expansion, according to The State.

"If (the study shows) we would get more business by expanding, we would consider it," John Durst, chairman of the Midlands Authority for Conventions, Sports & Tourism, which governs the center, told the publication. "But it’s clearly exploratory right now."

Despite the convention center's size, which pales in comparison to competitors such as the 315,000-square-foot Carolina First Center in Greenville and 280,000-square-foot Charlotte Convention Center, it has pulled in some big business. In 2008, revenues peaked at $1.4 million, following by a record high of $1.62 million at the end of of fiscal year 2009.

However, it will be a challenge to convince all the Midlands-area counties, which include Columbia, Richland County, Lexington County, Cayce and West Columbia, that financing an expansion will be beneficial to all areas of the region.

The nation's largest bank is set to open a new Ritz-Carlton across the street from its corporate headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina. The 18-story, 146-room property will feature a penthouse spa and wellness center, over 12,000 square feet of meeting and event space, and a streetside BLT Steak restaurant.

Bank of America, who owes $45 billion in TARP money, did not use TARP funds to finance the hotel, spokesperson Scott Silvestri said. In fact, the bank started planning the luxury property four years ago.

Beyond having Bank of America as its backer, the new Ritz-Carlton is notable for its eco-friendly design. It will be the first LEED-designed new hotel in Charlotte, as its being built to achieve LEED Gold Certification. Scheduled to open in October 2009, it will also be the first green hotel in the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company.

Reactions to the hotel depend on who you talk to. Some say the hotel is a poor decision on Bank of America's part, as how many the construction of a new luxury hotel should not be the first thing on its To-Do list right now. At the same time, proponents highlight the economic benefits the hotel could hold for the city, not to mention the importance of its green design.

I find myself siding more with the latter group. It's certainly an inopportune time for Bank of America to do this, but if they didn't use TARP funds to build the hotel, then it's their decision. I wouldn't decry the construction of a green-friendly hotel anywhere else—why do it here?

What are your thoughts?

Charlotte events just got easier thanks to the completed renovation of the Charlotte Marriott City Center. The $10 million renovation project included a complete overhaul of the hotel's 438 guest rooms and guest hallways. All guest rooms now feature the "Revive" bed, 37-inch flat-screen televisions, and high-speed wireless Internet access.

Located in the heart of uptown Charlotte, the hotel also boasts over 20,000 square feet of meeting space and a Grand Ballroom with seating for up to 1,200 people. Just nine miles from the Charlotte Douglas International Airport, the Charlotte Marriott City Center is also easily accessible to the Charlotte Convention Center.

View more information on the Charlotte Marriott City Center on the Cvent Supplier Network.

Wondering where to host your next green event? The beautiful Southern city of Charlotte, North Carolina, is rising as a top contender thanks to a group known as the Green Team. Led by Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority CEO Tim Newman and Tribble Creative Group President Mary Tribble, the Charlotte Green Team strives to improve the environment through sustainable events held in the city, which sees about 600 events and two million attendees each year. Started in July 2007, this city-wide initiative has jumped from 20 members to 80 members in just over a year.

Among the Green Team members are the Charlotte Area Hotel Association, Greater Charlotte Hospitality and Tourism Alliance and the Charlotte Convention Center, the first such facility in North Carolina to go green. From initiatives such as turning off meeting room lights when not in use to purchasing biodegradable plastic and coffee cups, the convention center is an eco-friendly location for your events in Charlotte.

As Green Team membership expands, it plans to form a Standards Committee, which will set minimum environmental standards among suppliers and planners. With the Charlotte Green Team on your side, sustainable events in the city have never been easier.

To learn more about Charlotte's unique venues, meeting facilities and more, visit the Cvent Destination Guide.