SEATTLE - As part of our series around the venues of Copa América 2024, we take a trip to the city of Charlotte in North Carolina.
Originally one of the 13 British colonies in the Americas, North Carolina is a place full of natural beauty and interesting places to visit. It is the ninth most populous state in the United States and its biggest city is Charlotte, which will host two matches during Copa América 2024.
Known as "The Queen City," Charlotte is home to professional football, basketball and soccer teams. The city is known for its sports and its world-famous barbecue but, in recent years, it has also became a prominent hub for banking and finance. Charlotte is the second-largest banking center after New York City and it houses the headquarters of Bank of America and Wells Fargo's East coast operations.
The state of North Carolina is a pretty diverse place with an everchanging population. A group that has grown at a much faster rate than any other are Latinos. In 1990, the Latino population in North Carolina was at around 67,000 but according to the 2020 U.S. Census data, that number has grown to over 1.1 million.
"The Queen City" will host one semifinal game and the third-place play-off at the 74,000-seater Bank of America Stadium, home of the NFL's Carolina Panthers and the MLS's Charlotte FC. Opened in 1996, the stadium is one of the biggest venues selected for Copa América 2024.
Bank of America Stadium Quick Facts
- The stadium was built with the aims to bring an NFL team to the city of Charlotte. Founded in 1995, the Panthers played its first NFL season at the Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina, while the stadium was being built.
- In 2022, Charlotte FC set a then attendance record in MLS when 74,479 fans attended the inaugural home match against the LA Galaxy.
- On June 3, it was announced that the stadium will undergo a series of renovations costing more than $571 million. Renovations will include brand new seats, enhancements to the stadium's exterior and state-of-the-art sound system, scoreboard, and video boards.
Demographics
The city of Charlotte serves as the county seat of Mecklenburg County and is the second-most populous city in the Southeastern United States only behind Jacksonville, Florida. The 2020 U.S. Census had Charlotte's population at 874,579 and a 2023 estimate says that a little more than 15% of the city's population identifies as Hispanic or Latino.
Siler City, a small town less than two hours away from Charlotte, became in 2023 the first municipality in North Carolina with Latino majority. Around 53% of the people that live there are Hispanic or Latino.
Other attractions
Charlotte is also home to the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Opened in 2010, the $160 million facility is located about 25 miles from the Charlotte Motor Speedway, one of the most iconic circuits in American motor sports. A total of 61 individuals have been inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
The U.S. National Whitewater Center is also located nearby Charlotte and is used for whitewater rafting, kayaking, canoeing and other outdoor activities. It is the world's largest and most complex recirculating artificial whitewater river. From May through September, the center features live music every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
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