Top 10 Reasons to Visit Charlotte Mild climate year-round Excellent hotel packages Easy air access Mid-Atlantic location Great value Fantastic restaurants New attractions in the center city Walkable city for conventioneers Premier facility choices Cosmopolitan city with southern charm SSenNAAEoOPS ry 2006 ERA Show Slated for Charlotte, North Carolina The Electrical Rebuilder’s Association (ERA) has announced its 2006 trade show will be held in Charlotte, N.C., March 23 to 26, at the Charlotte Convention Center. Charlotte is a truly dynamic city where vision and planning ensures smart and positive growth. Where a walk along a sidewalk can still be warmed by the sun hitting your face. And though the city has a thriving historic-preservation movement, the Carolina air continually buzzes with the excitement of change. White, sandy beaches, gorgeous mountain peaks, and some of the country’s prized golf resorts are all just an easy drive from Charlotte. Every year, more than 50,000 new residents move to the Charlotte area from across the nation and around the world. There are nearly 615,000 people living in Charlotte—the 21st largest city in the country —and nearly 1.5 mil- lion in the greater Charlotte region. Charlotte is the largest city between Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, Ga., and is the center of the nation’s fifth largest urban region. The city had earned many distinctions: *Voted the U.S. Conference of Mayors “Most Livable City.” ¢ Declared one of four of “America’s Most Livable” cities of the decade by Partners for Livable Communities. ¢ Ranked first as a city with the “Pro- Business Attitude” in America by Fortune magazine. (More than 300 of the Fortune 500 businesses have 181re ANNUAL ERA TRADE SHOW for the electrical rebuilding industry Sautheu Cxchange 06 Charlotte NORTH CAROLINA Wrarch 23-26 Charlotte Convention Center The one designed just for you! an office in Charlotte.) The convention center, built in 1995, features state-of-the-art design and engineering with multi-purpose accom- modations for regional, national and international conventions, trade shows and other special events. (North Carolina is a right-to-work state.) With more than 4,100 hotel rooms within walking distance of the Charlotte Convention Center, guests find them- selves a stone’s throw from business, dining and entertainment. Other local options include the newly refurbished Charlotte trolley line, an excellent public bus system (CATS), van and limousine services, and numerous taxi companies. Located in uptown Charlotte, the center is only a 15-minute drive from Charlotte/Douglas International Airport, which provides 540 flights daily, with non-stop service to more than 160 cities. Charlotte is a national hub, with service provided by nine major airlines and seven regional carriers. The airport ranks 14th nationwide in total operations and 19th nationwide in total passengers. Top destinations from Charlotte are LaGuardia (NY), O’Hare (Chicago), Newark (NJ) and Atlanta (GA). In addition, the center is easily acces- sible by the John Belk Freeway, I-277 loop, I-85, I-77, I-40, I-26 and I-485. Activities Galore Charlotte is a sports enthusiasts’s dream. World-class professional sporting events are held in Charlotte throughout the year, many of which call Charlotte home: NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 and NEXTEL All-Star, the NBA Charlotte Bobcats, WNBA Charlotte Sting, NFL Carolina Panthers, AAA Charlotte Knights and even their own ice hockey and soccer teams, the ECHL Charlotte Checkers and AW Charlotte Eagles. More than $970 billion in financial assets are managed in the Charlotte region, home to the headquarters of the largest (Bank of America) and fourth largest (Wachovia) bank holding com- panies in the country. Visitors can experience Charlotte’s Center City by riding the Gold Rush rubber-wheeled trolley service, or ride the rails and take a relaxing guided tour of the city aboard Streetcar No. 85—an electric streetcar built in the Queen City