Who We Are & What We Do

Leadership Matters

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Charlotte has been growing in population more than any other major city in this nation. As the 14th largest city in America, more than 150 new people are moving to Charlotte every day due to our prosperous economy and vibrant region. Our elected leaders must have known that growth also has its challenges and should have been proactive in managing growth and addressing issues such as traffic problems.

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We all know about traffic issues on I-77, which have a direct negative impact on many parts of our city and should have addressed those already. Yet, our ineffective city and regional leaders recently voted to refuse $600 million in funding from NCDOT, which was and is designed to partially help with managing the congestion on I-77. They have decided not to have the courage to act on addressing this major issue and are willing to wait for NCDOT for at least 25 years to potentially fully fund adding more lanes on I-77 from downtown to the South Carolina line. Inaction is the worst action and truly demonstrates a lack of effective leadership.

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Granted, the initiative voted down by the Metropolitan Transit Commission is not perfect, but available state money has not been eliminated yet. For those of us who care about the continued prosperity of our region, we must do our part to keep this project alive, relentlessly work on improving the plans and get this much needed project done for our community. Leadership matters, and effective communication is even more important. Stay tuned. Let me cover the following items:

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1. New mayor of Charlotte

With the resignation of Mayor Vi Lyles, who retired effective June 30, 2026, the Charlotte City Council voted on Monday, June 22nd, to appoint Rob Harrington to finish Vi’s term, which still has about 18 months left. This appointment was extremely crucial as Charlotte needs a leader to navigate critical issues and opportunities for our community within the next year and a half. Congratulations, Rob.

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2. Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) Continues to Grow.

The Charlotte City Council recently approved construction bonds for CLT to continue construction of the 4th parallel runway. CLT also received a $28 Million federal transportation grant for maintaining and upgrading concourses at the airport.

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3. 2026 MLS All Stars Game, 2026 FIFA World Cup

Before starting their World Cup matches, USMNT (US Men’s National Soccer Team) defeated the national soccer team of Senegal (3-2) at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium on May 31st in front of more than 60,000 fans. The 2026 FIFA World Cup (June 11 – July 19) includes national teams from 48 nations, is held in 3 host countries (USA, Canada, Mexico), and is held in 16 host cities. The prize for the eventual World Cup winner is $50 Million.

While our Charlotte FC MLS soccer team starts back with their games on July 22nd (July 22 – November 7th), our city is gearing up for the 2026 MLS All-Stars Game at Bank of America Stadium on July 29th. MLS All-Stars will be playing against Liga Mexico All Stars in this exciting match.

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After hosting some recent (and several upcoming) mega concerts, Bank of America Stadium (which is currently being renovated in stages) will be gearing up for a major college football game featuring Virginia vs. West Virginia (September 19th) before starting the 2026 NFL season. Click here for upcoming events at Bank of America Stadium.

4. Charlotte Knights AAA Baseball Team is in the midst of their 2026 season, which ends on 10/24 (click here to view their schedule). Truist Ballpark recently sold out for 3 nights (6/4, 6/5, 6/6) while hosting the Savannah Banana Ball Event.

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5. Spectrum Center is humming with a variety of events, including concerts and a major Gospel Music Awards (Stellar Award) on August 15th. (click here for a list of upcoming events at Spectrum Center).

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Congratulations to the Charlotte Hornets for being a finalist for ESPN’s 2026 Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year Award. Click here for the press release.

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6. Professional Fighter League (PFL) is bringing back an exciting MMA event to Bojangles Coliseum on Friday, August 7th. See attached press release announcement.

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7. Charlotte Independence Soccer Team (USL League One) continues its 2026 season through October 24th with home games at Center City Memorial Stadium. Click here for their schedule.

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8. The Catawba Nation recently opened phase one of its $1 billion Charlotte area Catawba Two Kings Casino. Once completed in the spring of 2027, the complex will include a 385-room hotel, 4300 slot machines, 100 table games, 11 bars, and 11 dining locations.

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9. Congratulations to Nick Patel of Naman Hotels for being recognized as Owner of the Year in the United States by the Hilton Corporation.

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We are so grateful for our HTA members and look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events:

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• HTA’s August General Meeting – Thursday, August 27th from 2:30 PM – 5 PM at the Charlotte Convention Center

• HTA’s September Golf Tournament – Wednesday, September 23rd at Highland Creek Golf Club (limited spots available—contact the HTA office to reserve your team)

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Please visit www.charlottehta.com for information about the HTA and special offers from our Corporate Members.