Big-city culture abounds here.

• Position: CHARLOTTE REGION

The Charlotte region is home to the state's largest city. Sports reign in the Queen City. The NFL's Carolina Panthers, NBA's Hornets and the American Hockey League's Charlotte Checkers, farm team for the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes, play here along with professional lacrosse and soccer teams. Northeast of downtown you'll find Charlotte Motor Speedway, which includes a 1.5-mile paved oval, half-mile dirt track and a four-lane dragway. There are plenty of contemplative activities, too. Museums, including the Levine Museum of the New South and NASCAR Hall of Fame, restaurants and shopping are plentiful. The region is home to Lake Norman, the largest body of water within the state, Lake Wylie and several other Catawba River reservoirs. They, along with Crowders Mountain State Park in Gaston County, can be explored all year, thanks to a climate that sees little snow, spectacular springs and falls, and many warm summer days.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Counties

Anson

Cabarrus

Catawba

Cleveland

Davidson

Gaston

Iredell

Lincoln

Mecklenburg

Rowan

Stanly

Union

Transportation assets

* Interstates 40,77 and 85

* Amtrak passenger rail service

* Anson County Airport

* Charlotte Douglas International Airport

* Charlotte Monroe Executive Airport

* Concord Regional Airport

* Gastonia Municipal Airport

* Hickory Regional Airport

* Lincolnton-Lincoln County Regional Airport

* Rowan County Airport

* Shelby-Cleveland County Regional Airport

* Stanly County Airport

* Statesville Regional Airport

* Charlotte Regional Intermodal Facility

Main industries

* Business and financial services

* Health care

* Aerospace and defense

* Textiles

* Energy

* Automotive manufacturing

Recent economic announcements:

(Company, jobs, investment, industry sector, county)

* Gordon Food Service Inc. 275, $58 million, food...