C harlotte, North Carolina, or more commonly known as "Queen City", is a dynamic community that combines splendid amenities with warm Southern hospitality. Beautiful tree-lined city streets, stunning lakes, parks and nature preserves, combined with an exciting nightlife, fun attractions, excellent dining and shopping all make Charlotte a modern, world-class city. Booming with economic activity and having a population of 594,176 residents in 2003, Charlotte has all the advantages of being one of the most rapidly growing metropolitan areas in the nation.

Both companies and individuals are attracted to the thriving Charlotte region. Charlotte is first and foremost a banking city. With more than $1.1 trillion in assets, it is the second largest financial center in the entire country, behind only New York. Charlotte serves as the subsidiary headquarters for many major national and international companies. During the past ten years, 8,869 new firms have invested $8.6 billion in new Charlotte facilities. Residents in Charlotte enjoy good wages that are well above the national average. Currently the average household earns $58,862 per year. Housing costs are affordable with the average two bedroom two bath apartment renting for $626 a month and the average cost of a house is $185,192. The strong economic environment coupled with the affordable cost of living makes Charlotte an exciting relocation option!

The year-round gorgeous weather and fantastic facilities combine as the perfect backdrop for sporting events throughout the city. Get ready to play all day in Charlotte! For starters, there's a new cat in town - Charlotte Bobcats NBA franchise - that will play its first season in 2004 and move into its grand, new $265 million center city arena in 2005. Charlotte's NFL winning team, the Carolina Panthers, are revitalized with an impressive roster of talent and have tackled their way to become one of the top teams in the league. If it's baseball or hockey you like, catch our AAA Charlotte Knights or Charlotte Checkers teams. If it's golf you are seeking, then tee off at any one of 80 golf courses in the area.

Some of the other popular attractions Charlotte has to offer includes the Levine Museum of the New South which is an interactive museum housing the nation's most comprehensive interpretation of post-Civil War Southern history. Travel through the award-winning exhibit "Cotton Fields to Skyscrapers" to discover how the New South reinvented from field to factory to finance. Also Lowe's Motor Speedway is truly the "Mecca of Motor Sports". The speedway annually hosts NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck Series races, gigantic auto fairs, a 10-week Legends Car Summer Shootout Series, stock car driving schools and a variety of annual events at The Dirt Track.

Nation's Restaurant News magazine recently named Charlotte as one of the "Top 50 Cities That Sizzle." Charlotte has the sizzle and also has the steak-and the sushi, spaghetti and seafood. Dining out in Charlotte is guaranteed to be a delightful experience - a smorgasbord for the eyes and palate. In the Charlotte area, you can shop at one of many malls such as Carolina Place Mall, which has a very impressive array of shopping venues. In addition to great malls that are expanding with new stores, Charlotte has upscale boutiques, unique shops, antique villages, factory outlets, art galleries and outdoor markets.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District. administers 112,000 students, is the largest district in the Carolinas and is the 23rd largest in the nation. Student achievement tests are consistently well above the national average at all grade levels. The district's Family Choice Plan allows parents the freedom to choose which school their child will attend. Offerings range from traditional school settings to magnet schools with specialized curriculum.

In addition, the Charlotte area has outstanding higher education choices for residents. The area is fortunate with over 35 colleges and universities that serve over 150,000 students annually. The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is known to be one of the best education values available. Central Piedmont Community College is one of the top five two-year institutions in the country. Other colleges and universities include The Art Institute of Charlotte, Brookstone College, Carolinas College of Health Sciences, Davidson College, ECPI College of Technology, Gardner-Webb University, Johnson & Wales University, Johnson C. Smith University, King's College, Lee University, Montreat College, Pfeiffer University, Queens University, Strayer University, Wingate University and Wake Forest University.