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B M & T ••• September/October 2021 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 37 VARIED OPTIONS AND WORLD-CLASS FACILITIES FUEL STATE'S GROWING PROWESS AS MEETING DESTINATION BY DOSWELL INGRAM North Carolina's places are as varied as its landscapes. In the mountains, Asheville and Boone have long appealed to visitors, and smaller towns like Brevard and Lake Lure have an energy all their own. Piedmont cities from Charlotte to Raleigh and Fayetteville to Winston- Salem have countless things to do, the Sandhills boasts world-class golf, and the Yadkin Valley is home to dozens of winer- ies. The state's beaches are some of the best in the nation, and The Weather Channel, and Beaufort and Edenton are known as America's "coolest" and "pret- tiest" small towns. • • RALEIGH • • Since opening in Sept. 2008, the Raleigh Convention Center has been a remarkable resource for groups from 50 to 5,000. The facility is a bustling hub for the culture, commerce and technologies that make the area one of the most admired and sought-after places in the United States. The modern, 500,000-sq. ft. center includes a soaring street-level lobby, an elegant ballroom and a massive exhibit hall as well as cutting-edge tech amenities and award-winning culinary delights. The largest of its 41 rooms measures 146,843 sq. ft. and is able to accommodate 15,000 theater capacity and 12,000 for banquets. For smaller gatherings, the 37,000-sq. ft. McKimmon Conference & Training Center is another possibility, boasting 23 rooms, the largest of which is 11,800 sq. ft. and able to accommodate 1m200 the- ater capacity, 800 banquet-style, and 600 in classroom configuration. With more than 150 options, you are sure to find area hotels and accommoda- tions that meet the needs of your group. Downtown Raleigh hotels put you just steps away from event's, museums, shopping, restaurants, Raleigh the Convention Center and much more. While in Raleigh, be sure to make you best effort to support local Black- owned businesses, including Awaze cuisine (family fun restaurant), Alpha Dawg (serving Jersey-style all-beef hot dogs), Baton Rouge Cuisine (pop- ular food truck serving Cajun food), Bestow Baked Goods (desert special- ties), Bon Fritay (Haitian food), Boss of Vegan (amazing vegan fast food), Dame's Chicken and Waffles, and Joyce and Family Restaurant (soul food), to name a few. There are also a number of retail shops you should check out, including Article.74 Clothing Company, Social Status (also a clothing store), and The Zen Succulent (unique plaant gifts). RDU International Airport serves Raleigh and the Research Triangle Region of N.C. • • CHARLOTTE • • The Queen City lives up to its name, offering visitors and locals the finest experiences—without overcharging them. For starters, quick, direct flights and short drive times from many major cities make accessing Charlotte a cinch. Bonus: Charlotte Douglas International Airport is just 7 miles from Uptown. The thousands of hotel rooms located in Uptown are known for their plush amenities, stunning skyline views, and proximity to restaurants, entertainment hubs, museums and more. Situated with- in the compact and walkable convention district, they offer guests and event atten- dees direct and easy access to the Charlotte Convention Center and other major city facilities. Meeting planners will also discover a new $127 million expansion to the Charlotte Convention Center completed earlier this year. Total leasable space has now increased from 550,000 sq. ft. to 600,000 sq. ft. Approximately 50,000 sq. ft. of meeting room and pre-function space has been added, growing the total meeting room spaces from 41 to 55. The Convention Center team has been laser focused on keeping health and safety top-of-mind for attendees by adding cutting edge air quality measures called bipolar ionization, obtaining its Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) STAR ™ Facility Accreditation and enhancing many more layers of protec- tion to ensure attendees have sound peace of mind when visiting. The Charlotte Convention Center is N O R T H C A R O L I N A AREA GUIDES Raleigh Convention Center Photo Credit: Charleston Area CVB • • • STATS • • • HOTEL ROOMS Sheraton Raleigh Hotel 353 Raleigh Marriott City Center 400 Holiday Inn Downtown 202 EXHIBITION FACILITIES Raleigh Convention Center Total Metting Space 146,843. sq. ft. Meeting Rooms 4 WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Visit Raleigh (800) 849-8499 www.visitraleigh.com