The evidence of Charlotte’s continued growth is, literally, all over town — from the popularity of “hip” arts districts like NoDa and Plaza Midwood, to transit growth with the light rail and streetcar, to the booming apartment and brewery business in SouthEnd and LoSo. But probably the centerpiece of it all is uptown Charlotte.
Anyone who visited Charlotte for the 2012 Democratic National Convention would have to look a little harder to find barren lots — and getting a hotel room near uptown is admittedly much easier since then. With the Republican convention on the way in 2020, we checked in with the Charlotte Observer’s Ely Portillo on changes since the last time the political spotlight shone on Charlotte.