The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance®, in partnership with the City of Charlotte, the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina and the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, curated a one-of-a-kind experience in connection with the 2022 Presidents Cup golf tournament.
Over the course of the week-long tournament, the economic development teams partnered to host site consultants, executives, and prospects from a variety of states including California, Indiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Texas.
The tournament provided an excellent platform to showcase the Charlotte Region and connect our guests with key stakeholders in the business community. Over the course of six days, we hosted nine events, in addition to accommodating guests at our hospitality suite at the tournament. We were intentional with each event, aiming to provide a unique, local perspective. Throughout the week, our guests had an opportunity to meet the mayor of Charlotte, the North Carolina secretary of commerce and the governor of North Carolina, just to name a few.
Many of our guests had not spent a considerable amount of time in Charlotte and were blown away by the region’s assets, culinary scene, accessibility, diversity (both economic and social) and overall vibrancy.
However, we are cognizant that there are still opportunities to make our region stronger. Our site consultant friends provided honest feedback when asked, “What priorities should we focus on as a region?” Here are a few of their takeaways:
- Talent. Talent. Talent. Access and availability to top talent is more relevant now than ever and is a key driver in site location decisions. This opportunity is the same in all high-growth markets and Charlotte is no exception. Talent is also shaping company culture as the younger generations want to work for companies that value diversity and sustainability (think ESG). As a community, we need to focus on the talent pipeline and be a place where people want to live– and stay.
- Industrial product. With a 2.7% vacancy rate, it’s no secret our region needs more available industrial sites. Supply chain issues post-COVID are causing delays to new industrial product being delivered. However, this is not unique to the Charlotte Region, and many other communities face the same challenges.
- Political implications. While North Carolina remains a purple state, we were reminded that political decisions also impact location selections. Something to keep in mind as election season is upon us.
As we reflect on the 2022 Presidents Cup week, it was a hole-in-one! This was truly a team effort, and a top-notch way to boast about our growing, dynamic region. As we move into Q4, the region’s momentum is strong, and is further strengthened by the conversations and connections made during the 2022 Presidents Cup. We are excited for what’s ahead.
