How Uptown is laid out
Uptown, also called Center City, is Charlotte's central business district. Locals use "Uptown," and "Downtown" is understood and used for the same place. The area is bordered by Interstate 277 and Interstate 77, and the intersection of Trade and Tryon Streets splits it into four wards. Independence Square sits at that intersection, and each corner carries a bronze statue representing commerce, industry, transportation and the future.
The area is managed by Charlotte Center City Partners, one of the City's municipal service districts. Uptown holds more than 33 million square feet of office space and has more than 245 restaurants and 50 nightspots, which makes it easy to find food, lodging and entertainment within walking distance of an event.
Venue types by ward
First Ward has the Main Library, Spirit Square, ImaginOn, the Levine Museum of the New South and Spectrum Center. Second Ward is the hospitality center, with about half of Uptown's hotel rooms, the Charlotte Convention Center, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, The Green and the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Art and Culture. Third Ward holds the Knight Theatre, the Mint Museum, the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Bank of America Stadium, Truist Field and Romare Bearden Park, which opened in 2013. Fourth Ward lies north of the intersection.
That mix suits corporate dinners, conferences, receptions in cultural venues and large public events. Hotels and the Convention Center handle meetings with catering and audiovisual support in one place. Museums and theaters offer distinctive rooms, and parks suit larger outdoor gatherings with the right permits.
Permits and street use
Anything that touches a street or sidewalk in Uptown goes through CDOT. Uptown events also use the Street Use and Event Notice, which the City lists with its Uptown documents, so ask CDOT whether your date and route need it. The application for public assembly or parade permits must be made at least 30 days before the event, and the City requires $1 million in commercial general liability coverage naming the City as an additional insured. For decorative banners, submit a hold harmless agreement to CDOT and coordinate Uptown displays with Charlotte Center City Partners.
If you add a tent over 800 square feet in a plaza or lot, the Charlotte Fire Department's Fire Marshal's Office will need to approve it. Hotel and venue events inside a building usually rely on the venue's own permits.
Planning an Uptown date
Uptown is also where the city's large stadium and arena events happen, so check the calendar for your date before you commit to hotels or parking. Build your guest transportation around the LYNX Blue Line and the hotels clustered in Second Ward. The corporate and private events guide covers how to match a meeting or reception to a room.
Questions about hosting here
Do I need a permit for an event in an Uptown hotel or venue?
An event held entirely inside a building does not need a CDOT street-use permit. A tent over 800 square feet or an alcohol permit are handled by other offices, and the venue often holds what applies.
Who handles banners in Uptown?
Decorative banner applicants submit a hold harmless agreement to CDOT, and Charlotte Center City Partners coordinates Uptown displays.
What is the Street Use and Event Notice?
It is a document the City lists with its Uptown street use and event documents. Ask CDOT whether your event needs it.
How far ahead must a street event apply?
A public assembly or parade permit application must be made at least 30 days before the event.
Where do I find hotels near the Convention Center?
Second Ward holds about half of Uptown's hotel rooms and the Charlotte Convention Center.
More neighborhoods and next steps
Read the permits guide and the tents guide before you commit to a site, then browse the planner directory.