121-643: Bojangles Coliseum , originally Charlotte Coliseum and formerly Independence Arena and Cricket Arena , is an 8,600-seat multi-purpose arena located in Charlotte, North Carolina . It is operated by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, which also oversees nearby Ovens Auditorium and the uptown Charlotte Convention Center . The naming-rights sponsor is the Bojangles restaurant chain. The building's signature domed roof
242-487: A formidable national bank that through aggressive acquisitions eventually merged with BankAmerica to become Bank of America . First Union , later Wachovia in 2001, experienced similar growth before it was acquired by San Francisco –based Wells Fargo in 2008. Measured by control of assets, Charlotte became the second largest banking headquarters in the United States after New York City . On September 22, 1989,
363-586: A major impact on the area, as they often pull tree limbs down onto power lines and make driving hazardous. Snow has been recorded a small number of times in April, most recently on April 2, 2019. As of 2020 , the Charlotte metropolitan area as a whole is noted for having one of the worst weather radar gaps among any major U.S. East Coast city , with little to no coverage in a roughly quadrilateral area spanning Concord , Salisbury and much of Statesville . As
484-509: A normal July daily mean temperature of 80.1 °F (26.7 °C). Hot and humid days can arrive as early as May and last to the end of September. There is an average of 44 days per year with highs at or above 90 °F (32 °C). Official record temperatures range from 104 °F (40 °C) recorded six times, most recently from June 29 to July 1, 2012 , down to −5 °F (−21 °C) recorded on December 30, 1880 , February 14 1899 and January 21, 1985 . The record cold daily maximum
605-634: A result, half of the AHL's teams folded from 1974 to 1977. The league bottomed out in the summer of 1977, with news that the Rhode Island (formerly Providence) Reds – the last remaining uninterrupted franchise from the 1936–37 season, and the oldest continuously operating minor league franchise in North America – had decided to cease operations after 51 years in Rhode Island. The AHL appeared in serious danger of folding altogether if this downward trend
726-456: A setback when its membership unexpectedly fell to seven teams. The West's Buffalo Bisons were forced to cease operations on December 6, 1936, after playing just 11 games, because of what proved to be insurmountable financial problems and lack of access to a suitable arena; the Bisons' original arena, Peace Bridge Arena , had collapsed the previous season (a new Buffalo Bisons team would return to
847-766: A shootout against the Lake Erie Monsters before a standing-room crowd of 11,015 fans. A year after their originally scheduled date, the Griffins and Marlies played at Comerica Park on December 30, 2013, and Toronto prevailed in a shootout, 4–3, becoming the first AHL team ever with two outdoor wins. Attendance in Detroit was 20,337. As part of the recent addition of the Pacific Division, the AHL played its first outdoor hockey game in California during
968-739: A strong fan base, the Cougars were sold and moved to St. Louis in 1974. The arena hosted the ACC men's basketball tournament from 1968 to 1970, the Southern Conference men's basketball tournament from 1964 to 1971 (and again in 2010 for the tournament's first three days), and was the site of the Sun Belt Conference men's basketball tournament from 1977 to 1980. Overall, the Coliseum has held no fewer than 15 tournaments between
1089-476: Is 14 °F (−10 °C) on February 12 and 13, 1899 . The record warm daily minimum is 82 °F (28 °C) on August 13, 1881. The average window for freezing temperatures is November 5 to March 30, allowing a growing season of 220 days. Charlotte is directly in the path of subtropical moisture from the Gulf of Mexico as it heads up the eastern seaboard, thus the city receives ample precipitation throughout
1210-414: Is 200 miles (320 km) inland, and residents from coastal areas in both Carolinas often wait out hurricanes in Charlotte. In December 2002, Charlotte and much of central North Carolina were hit by an ice storm that resulted in more than 1.3 million people losing power. During an abnormally cold December, many were without power for weeks. Many of the city's Bradford pear trees split apart under
1331-506: Is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). As of the 2024–25 AHL season , all 32 NHL teams held affiliations with an AHL team. Historically, when an NHL team does not have an AHL affiliate, its players are assigned to AHL teams affiliated with other NHL franchises. Twenty-six AHL teams are located across
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#17327933311901452-471: Is an annual invitational tournament featuring teams from leagues around Europe and the world. The participation of the AHL in future Spengler Cups has been discussed by both the tournament organizers and league leadership. In 2014, Swedish club Färjestad BK met the Toronto Marlies as part of a visit to Canada that included its participation in the 2014 AHL All-Star Classic. In February 2018,
1573-452: Is an emerging center for arts and entertainment. Myers Park , Dilworth , and Eastover are home to some of Charlotte's most affluent, oldest and largest houses, on tree-lined boulevards, with Freedom Park nearby. The SouthPark area offers shopping, dining, and multifamily housing. Far South Boulevard is home to a large Hispanic community. Many students, researchers, and affiliated professionals live near UNC Charlotte in
1694-428: Is made of tin, rather than steel or iron. The dome spans 332 feet in diameter and rises to 112 feet tall. Construction began on the Coliseum in 1953 after some delays. Arthur G. Odell Jr. , of A. G. Odell Jr. & Associates . served as project designer, his first major project. James C. Hemphill Jr. oversaw the project. Another important Charlotte figure of the time, Frederick Thompson of FN Thompson Construction, had
1815-516: Is now Charlotte was first settled by European colonists around 1755 when Thomas Spratt and his family settled near what is now the Elizabeth neighborhood. Thomas Polk (great-uncle of President James K. Polk ), who later married Thomas Spratt's daughter, built his house by the intersection of two Native American trading paths between the Yadkin and Catawba rivers. One path ran north–south and
1936-812: Is the twenty-sixth-most expansive city in the United States and lies at an elevation of 751 feet (229 m). Charlotte constitutes most of Mecklenburg County in the Carolina Piedmont . Uptown Charlotte sits atop a long rise between two creeks, Sugar Creek and Irwin Creek, and was built on the gunnies of the St. Catherine's and Rudisill gold mines . Charlotte is 25 miles (40 km) southwest of Concord ; 26 miles (42 km) northeast of Rock Hill, South Carolina ; 83 miles (134 km) southwest of Greensboro ; 135 miles (217 km) west of Fayetteville ; and 165 miles (266 km) southwest of Raleigh ,
2057-507: The 1930 census , and has remained North Carolina's largest city since. Until 1958, the Seaboard Air Line Railroad operated a daily passenger train from its own station (which had opened in 1896) to Wilmington . The city's modern-day banking industry achieved prominence in the 1970s and 1980s, largely under the leadership of financier Hugh McColl . McColl transformed North Carolina National Bank (NCNB) into
2178-816: The 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, the Adirondack Red Wings hosted exhibition games against the national teams from the United States , West Germany , Sweden and Finland . Team USA also played exhibitions against AHL teams leading up to the 1994 Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. The Rochester Americans participated in the 1996 and 2013 editions of the Spengler Cup , held in Davos , Switzerland . The Spengler Cup
2299-672: The American Revolution . May 20, the traditional date of the signing of the declaration, is celebrated annually in Charlotte as "MecDec", with musket and cannon fire by reenactors in Independence Square. North Carolina's state flag and state seal also bear the date. Charlotte is traditionally considered the home of Southern Presbyterianism , but in the 19th century, numerous churches, including Presbyterian, Baptist , Methodist , Episcopal , Lutheran , and Roman Catholic formed, eventually giving Charlotte
2420-749: The Billy Graham Library , Levine Museum of the New South , Charlotte Museum of History , Carowinds amusement park, and U.S. National Whitewater Center . Charlotte has a humid subtropical climate . It is located several miles east of the Catawba River and southeast of Lake Norman , the largest human-made lake in North Carolina. Lake Wylie and Mountain Island Lake are two smaller human-made lakes located near
2541-796: The Binghamton Dusters , while the Firebirds crossed over to the AHL from the NAHL. The Dusters and Firebirds, together with the Hampton Gulls (who had joined the league from the Southern Hockey League ), boosted the AHL to nine member clubs as the 1977–78 season opened. Hampton folded on February 10, 1978, but was replaced the next year by the New Brunswick Hawks . With franchise stability improving after
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#17327933311902662-704: The Canadian-American Hockey League (the "Can-Am" League), founded in 1926, and the first International Hockey League , established in 1929. Although the Can-Am League never operated with more than six teams, the departure of the Boston Bruin Cubs after the 1935–36 season reduced it down to just four member clubs: the Springfield Indians , Philadelphia Ramblers , Providence Reds , and New Haven Eagles for
2783-636: The ECHL version of the Checkers started and won a championship in 1996. The second iteration of the Checkers played at the Coliseum until 2005, with the franchise surrendering its licence to the ECHL when the Carolina Hurricanes moved their AHL franchise from Albany (NY) in 2010, creating the third iteration. The Coliseum would have been available to host playoff games in either the ECHL or AHL during
2904-765: The Hershey Bears , 4–3, in overtime before 45,653 fans at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia , as the final event of the week-long activities associated with the 2012 NHL Winter Classic , which also included a game between the Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Rangers on Jan 2 and an alumni game between retired players (including eight honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame ) of those two clubs on December 31, 2011. The contest
3025-540: The Houston Mavericks moved to North Carolina in 1969. The Cougars were a "regional franchise," playing home games in Charlotte (Charlotte Coliseum), Greensboro ( Greensboro Coliseum ), Winston-Salem Memorial Coliseum and Raleigh ( Dorton Arena ). Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown began his coaching career with the Cougars in 1972. Billy Cunningham was the ABA MVP for the Cougars in the 1972–73 season. Despite
3146-862: The Laval Rocket in 2017. The Binghamton Senators were also purchased by the Ottawa Senators and were relocated to Belleville, Ontario , to become the Belleville Senators while the New Jersey Devils ' owned Albany Devils were relocated to become the Binghamton Devils . For the 2018–19 season , a 31st team joined the league with the Colorado Eagles as the NHL's Colorado Avalanche affiliate. With
3267-736: The Montreal Voyageurs hosted the Canadian National Team in Winnipeg. Several club teams from the Soviet Union toured the United States and Canada during the 1970s and 1980s and played exhibitions against AHL clubs, including the Soviet Wings (1974–75), HC Spartak Moscow (1976, 1986), Moscow Khimik (1976), HC Dynamo Moscow (1977–78), Traktor Chelyabinsk (1978–79) and Sokil Kyiv (1989). Prior to
3388-509: The Ontario Reign hosted and defeated the DEL's Eisbären Berlin , 6–3, in a friendly matchup organized by Anschutz Entertainment Group , the owner of both teams. The formation of an American Hockey League Hall of Fame was announced by the league on December 15, 2005, created to recognize, honor and celebrate individuals for their outstanding achievements and contributions specifically in
3509-707: The San Antonio Rampage franchise was bought and relocated by the NHL's Vegas Golden Knights for the 2020–21 season as the Henderson Silver Knights and was moved to the Pacific Division. For the 2021–22 season , the Vancouver Canucks relocated their franchise from Utica to Abbotsford while the Utica Comets agreed to relocate and operate the franchise that was operating as the Binghamton Devils . On May 23, 2022, it
3630-750: The Springfield Falcons franchise was purchased by the Arizona Coyotes and relocated to become the Tucson Roadrunners and join the one-year-old Pacific Division. The Falcons were subsequently replaced by the Springfield Thunderbirds , the relocated Portland Pirates franchise under a new ownership group. The Montreal Canadiens -owned IceCaps relocated to the Montreal suburb of Laval, Quebec , and became
3751-687: The Whale Bowl , the AHL's second outdoor game held on February 19, 2011, as part of a 10-day Whalers Hockey Fest at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut . Attendance for Connecticut's game against the Providence Bruins was announced at 21,673, the largest in AHL history to that point. Providence won, 5–4, in a shootout. On January 6, 2012, the largest crowd in AHL history saw the Adirondack Phantoms defeat
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3872-563: The county seat of Mecklenburg County . The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census , making Charlotte the 15th-most populous city in the United States, the seventh-most populous city in the South , and the second-most populous city in the Southeast behind Jacksonville, Florida . Charlotte is the cultural, economic, and transportation center of the Charlotte metropolitan area , whose estimated 2023 population of 2,805,115 ranked 22nd in
3993-596: The state capital . Though the Catawba River and its lakes lie several miles west, there are no significant bodies of water or other geological features near the city center. Consequently, development has neither been constrained nor helped by waterways or ports that have contributed to many cities of similar size. The lack of these obstructions has contributed to Charlotte's growth as a highway, rail, and air transportation hub. Charlotte has 199 neighborhoods radiating in all directions from Uptown . Biddleville ,
4114-511: The 12 lighted tennis courts at the park. In September 2013, the 5.4-acre (2.2 ha) Romare Bearden Park opened to the public. The urban section of Little Sugar Creek Greenway was completed in 2012. Inspired in part by the San Antonio River Walk , and integral to Charlotte's extensive urban park system, it is "a huge milestone" according to Gwen Cook, greenway planner for Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation. However,
4235-492: The 1938 meeting to fill the void in its membership left by the loss of Buffalo two years earlier with the admission of the then two-time defending Eastern Amateur Hockey League (EAHL) champion Hershey Bears . The Bears remain the only one of these eight original I-AHL/AHL franchises to have been represented in the league without interruption since the 1938–39 season. The newly merged circuit also increased its regular-season schedule for each team by six games from 48 to 54. After
4356-626: The 1939–40 season the I-AHL renamed itself the American Hockey League . It generally enjoyed both consistent success on the ice and relative financial stability over its first three decades of operation. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, however, the cost of doing business in professional ice hockey began to rise sharply with NHL expansion and relocation (the NHL placed teams in Pittsburgh and Buffalo, forcing two long-time AHL clubs,
4477-567: The 1941–42 season as a fundraiser for American Red Cross and Canadian Red Cross efforts during World War II . Players from the Eastern Division faced off against players from the Western Division at Cleveland Arena. The event was not played again until the 1954–55 season, and was then held annually until the 1959–60 season. These six annual games pitted a team of all-stars against the defending Calder Cup champions (with
4598-420: The 1970s to the 1990s. WCW also held numerous wrestling events there, including the tenth anniversary of Starrcade , the company's premier event of the year, and the 1997 Slamboree . Additionally, the building hosted UFC Fight Night: Florian vs. Gomi on March 31, 2010. All Elite Wrestling aired an episode of AEW Dynamite that was broadcast live from the venue on November 6, 2019. AEW also held Fight for
4719-457: The 1990s. Voluntary buyouts of 700 households have created around 200 acres (81 ha)s of open land that can flood safely, thereby saving an estimated $ 28 million in flood damage and emergency rescues. McAlpine Creek Park and integrated McAlpine Creek Greenway constructed in 1978 was the first greenway built in the western piedmont of North Carolina. Like much of the Piedmont region of
4840-427: The 2004–05 season (the franchise was sold in 2006 and returned to the ice in Cleveland in 2007 as the Lake Erie Monsters, now known as the Cleveland Monsters ). The Chicago Wolves ( 2002 , 2008 , 2022 ), Houston Aeros ( 2003 ), Milwaukee Admirals ( 2004 ), and Grand Rapids Griffins ( 2013 , 2017 ) have all won Calder Cup titles since joining the AHL from the IHL. Chicago and Milwaukee have also made multiple trips to
4961-471: The 2015–16 season, called the Golden State Hockey Rush. On December 18, 2015, the Stockton Heat defeated the Bakersfield Condors , 3–2, at Raley Field in West Sacramento, California . For the second consecutive season, the AHL played an outdoor game in California as the Bakersfield Condors hosted the Condorstown Outdoor Classic against the Ontario Reign on January 7, 2017, at Bakersfield College 's Memorial Stadium . Despite sometimes heavy rain during
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5082-419: The 2015–2016 season. The Spectrum had poor sight lines for hockey. This franchise had taken the place of the ECHL Checkers four years earlier. The agreement was pending a Charlotte City Council vote to approve $ 16 million in funding for renovations in conjunction with the Checkers' return and that December, the city approved the $ 16 million needed. The renovations would include many modern amenities. This would be
5203-435: The 2020s, it has remained one of the fastest-growing major cities in the United States. Residents of Charlotte are referred to as " Charlotteans ". Charlotte is home to the corporate headquarters of Bank of America , Honeywell , Truist Financial , and the East Coast headquarters of Wells Fargo , which, when combined with other Charlotte-based financial institutions, makes the city the second-largest banking center in
5324-415: The AHL's 2001 expansion was that the league had two teams with the same nickname: the Milwaukee Admirals and the Norfolk Admirals . The latter team transferred to the league from the mid-level ECHL in 2000. This situation lasted until the end of the 2014–15 season when the Norfolk team moved to San Diego and was replaced by another ECHL team with the same name. The Utah Grizzlies suspended operations after
5445-422: The Calder Cup Finals, and Houston made their second Finals appearance in 2011. The Manitoba Moose moved to St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador in 2011 and were renamed the St. John's IceCaps after the NHL's Atlanta Thrashers moved to Winnipeg as the second incarnation of the Winnipeg Jets . In 2013, Houston moved to Des Moines, Iowa to become the Iowa Wild . This left Chicago, Grand Rapids and Milwaukee as
5566-424: The Catawba had no natural immunity against. At the time of their largest population, the Catawba population was 10,000. But by 1826, the Catawba population dropped to 110. The city of Charlotte was developed first by a wave of migration of Scots-Irish Presbyterians , or Ulster-Scot settlers from Ulster , who dominated the culture of the Southern Piedmont Region and made up the principal founding population in
5687-503: The Charlotte general area. In 2018, Charlotte proper had over 700 places of worship. The Presbyterian Church (USA) is now the fourth largest denomination in Charlotte, with 68,000 members and 206 congregations. The second largest Presbyterian denomination, the Presbyterian Church in America has 43 churches and 12,000 members, followed by the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church with 63 churches and 9,500 members. American Hockey League The American Hockey League ( AHL )
5808-433: The Coliseum because it offers more seating and parking capacity than their own on-campus facilities. The Coliseum also hosted the graduation ceremony for the Charlotte campus of the University of Phoenix . In addition, the UNC-Charlotte , Central Piedmont Community College and many local high schools have held and currently hold graduation ceremonies at the building. The Mecklenburg County Public Health Department utilized
5929-422: The Coliseum complex, otherwise unused during the COVID-19 pandemic , as its primary mass vaccination site. 35°12′18.59″N 80°47′42.37″W / 35.2051639°N 80.7951028°W / 35.2051639; -80.7951028 – Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte ( / ˈ ʃ ɑːr l ə t / SHAR -lət ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and
6050-412: The Coliseum during this time. In 1958, a massive storm went through the region, damaging the Coliseum's roof. However, the roof held up despite the damage. In 1970, a new north entrance was added. Due to its location, visitors walked onto the building's upper concourse after purchasing their tickets. This entrance is still used today. After the new Charlotte Coliseum opened in 1988, the original Coliseum
6171-402: The Coliseum in 2009. After the season, they announced they would be sitting out the 2010 season and resuming play in 2011 back in Cabarrus. They returned in 2011 to the Coliseum, this time as a member of the Southern Indoor Football League , and remained until 2013. The arena also hosted the worst team in MILL history, the 1996 Charlotte Cobras (0–10). The 1996 season was their one and only in
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#17327933311906292-405: The Coliseum's first major renovation since the 1988 refurbishment. Almost a year to the day when the Checkers announced their return to the Coliseum, the renovations were completed and unveiled to the public. Aside from the new seats and score/video boards, other additions also included a sound system (replacing the one used since 1955), locker rooms, a restaurant, updated concessions and repainting
6413-481: The Fallen on July 28, 2021, and Battle of the Belts on January 8, 2022, at the venue. The Charlotte Roller Girls roller derby league played their home bouts at the arena from 2008 to 2009 before moving to the Grady Cole Center . Bojangles' Coliseum has been the site for numerous concerts, shows, and various events throughout its lifespan. It has been the site for the Spring Commencement ceremonies of Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) for several years. JCSU uses
6534-399: The Hershey Bears and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins met outdoors at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, Pennsylvania with the Penguins earning a 2–1 overtime victory in front of 17,311 fans. The Rochester Americans hosted an outdoor game in 2013–14, the Frozen Frontier , which was held at Frontier Field in Rochester, New York , on December 13, 2013. The Americans took a 5–4 decision in
6655-431: The IHL quartet playing as the West Division. The IHL also contributed its former championship trophy, the F.G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy , which would go to the regular-season winners of the merged league's West Division until 1952. The Oke Trophy is now awarded to the regular-season winners of the AHL's North Division. A little more than a month into that first season, the balance and symmetry of the new combined circuit suffered
6776-459: The I‑485 perimeter, has experienced rapid growth over the past ten years. The Steele Creek neighborhood which is primarily in Mecklenburg county is located within minutes near Uptown Charlotte. Since the 1980s in particular, Uptown Charlotte has undergone massive construction of buildings, housing Bank of America , Wells Fargo , Hearst Corporation , and Duke Energy , several hotels, and multiple condominium developments. Latta Park
6897-430: The Little Sugar Creek Greenway bears no relation to the San Antonio River Walk. The Little Sugar Creek Greenway is prone to flooding during thunderstorms and periods of heavy rain. Creation of Little Sugar Creek Greenway cost $ 43 million and was controversial because it required the forced acquisition of several established local businesses. The city of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County began purchasing flood-prone homes in
7018-498: The MILL and the team folded without ever winning a game. In 2012, the arena was home to the Charlotte Copperheads of the now defunct Professional Lacrosse League . An indoor soccer team, the Carolina Vipers, played their one and only season in the CISL in summer 1994. The team went 3–25 and then went "inactive" for 1995, never to return. The Vipers averaged 3,034 fans per game in their one season. The Coliseum hosted both NWA Wrestling and Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling from
7139-477: The NHL parent club wished to make call-ups from the AHL more practical by having closer affiliates. In January 2015, the AHL announced the relocation of five existing AHL franchises— Adirondack , Manchester , Norfolk , Oklahoma City , and Worcester —to California as the basis for a new "Pacific Division" becoming Stockton , Ontario , San Diego , Bakersfield , and San Jose respectively. The relocated teams were all affiliated and owned or purchased by teams in
7260-451: The NHL planning to expand to 32 teams in 2021 with the Seattle Kraken , the Seattle ownership group was approved for a 2021 AHL expansion team, later announced to be the Coachella Valley Firebirds based in Palm Springs, California , following the construction of a new arena . The original plans for the new arena was eventually cancelled and the team postponed their launch by a year while new arena plans were developed. In February 2020,
7381-399: The NHL's Pacific Division . The franchise movements continued with two more relocations involving Canadian teams with the St. John's IceCaps going back to Winnipeg as the Manitoba Moose and the Hamilton Bulldogs becoming another iteration of the IceCaps to fulfill the arena contract in St. John's. In the following seasons, more NHL organizations influenced league membership. In 2016,
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#17327933311907502-401: The Pittsburgh Hornets and Buffalo Bisons, to fold) and especially the 1972 formation of the World Hockey Association (WHA), which forced the relocation and subsequent folding of the Cleveland Barons , Baltimore Clippers , and Quebec Aces . The number of major-league teams competing for players rose from six to thirty in just seven years. Player salaries at all levels shot up dramatically with
7623-442: The Spectrum, as well as high school and some college sporting events, along with local attractions. In 2008, Bojangles Restaurants, Inc. , based in Charlotte, bought the naming rights. Questions about the building's future would arise in the years that followed, due to its age and lack of events. In 2012, the city of Charlotte began considering renovating the building itself as a multi-use sports complex. Two years later, another plan
7744-482: The U.S. government established Camp Greene , north of present-day Wilkinson Boulevard. The camp supported 40,000 soldiers, with many troops and suppliers staying after the war, launching urbanization that eventually overtook older cities along the Piedmont Crescent . In the 1920 census , Charlotte fell to being the state's second largest city, Winston-Salem with 48,395 people, had two thousand more people than Charlotte. Charlotte would pass Winston-Salem in population by
7865-425: The United States . The Charlotte metropolitan area is part of an 18-county market region and combined statistical area with an estimated population of 3,387,115 as of 2023. Between 2004 and 2014, Charlotte was among the country's fastest-growing metropolitan areas, with 888,000 new residents. Based on U.S. census data from 2005 to 2015, Charlotte tops the U.S. in millennial population growth. Throughout
7986-476: The United States whereas the remaining six are situated in Canada. The league offices are located in Springfield, Massachusetts , and its current president is Scott Howson . A player must be at least 18 years of age to play in the AHL or not currently be beholden to a junior ice hockey team. The league limits the number of experienced professional players in a team's lineup during any given game; only five skaters can have accumulated more than 260 games played at
8107-440: The apostrophe from its name, and removed the words "Famous Chicken 'n Biscuits" from its logo, becoming simply "Bojangles". Mirroring this, the venue now uses the name Bojangles Coliseum (without a trailing apostrophe) in its communications. During its days as the Charlotte Coliseum, the arena was one of the homes for the Carolina Cougars of the American Basketball Association from 1969 to 1974. The Cougars became tenants after
8228-438: The area throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, leading to the 1837 founding of the Charlotte Mint . North Carolina was the chief producer of gold in the United States, until the Sierra Nevada found in 1848, although the volume mined in the Charlotte area was dwarfed by subsequent rushes. Some groups still pan for gold occasionally in local streams and creeks. The Reed Gold Mine operated until 1912. The Charlotte Mint
8349-490: The backcountry. German immigrants also settled in the area before the American Revolutionary War , but in smaller numbers. They still contributed greatly to the early foundations of the region. Mecklenburg County was initially part of Bath County (1696 to 1729) of the New Hanover Precinct, which became New Hanover County in 1729. The western portion of New Hanover split into Bladen County in 1734, and its western portion split into Anson County in 1750. Mecklenburg County
8470-423: The boundary between the Carolinas in 1772, William Moultrie stopped in Charlotte, whose five or six houses were "very ordinary built of logs". Local leaders came together in 1775 and signed the Mecklenburg Resolves , more popularly known as the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence . While not a true declaration of independence from British rule, it is among the first such declarations that eventually led to
8591-527: The city but was driven out by hostile residents. He wrote that Charlotte was "a hornet 's nest of rebellion", leading to the nickname "The Hornet's Nest". Within decades of Polk's settling, the area grew to become the Town of Charlotte, incorporated in 1768. Though chartered as Charlotte, the name appears as a form of "Charlottesburgh" on many maps until around 1800. A form of "Charlottetown" also appears on maps of British origin depicting General Cornwallis' route of invasion. The crossroads in Piedmont became
8712-404: The city was hit by Hurricane Hugo . With sustained winds of 69 mph (111 km/h) and gusts of 87 mph (140 km/h), Hugo caused massive property damage, destroyed 80,000 trees, and knocked out electrical power to most of the population. Residents were without power for weeks, schools were closed for a week or more, and the cleanup took months. The city was caught unprepared; Charlotte
8833-537: The city. As of 2024, 66% of the city's area is occupied by green spaces. The city ranks 1st in the United States and 29th in the world in the ranking of the greenest cities on the planet. The Catawba Indians were the first known historic tribe to settle Mecklenburg County in the Charlotte area and were first recorded around 1567, according to Spanish records. By 1759, half the Catawba tribe had died from smallpox , an endemic disease among European colonists, which
8954-460: The concourse and a small restaurant opened for select fans in 1995. In 2001, the arena was renamed Cricket Arena in a naming rights arrangement with Cricket Communications . In 2005, the Checkers departed Cricket Arena for the newly opened Charlotte Bobcats Arena . Due to this, the Coliseum was left without a permanent tenant for a decade. The building remained open as a venue for medium-sized concerts and stage shows which would not be suitable for
9075-519: The daunting, yet, highly successful task building the coliseum. In September 1955, the building was opened and dedicated by Billy Graham as the Charlotte Coliseum. At the time, it was the largest unsupported dome in the world and notably was the first free-spanning dome in the United States. Numerous newspapers and architectural magazines ran stories about the building over the following years, especially its dome. Total evacuation time for
9196-635: The demise of the WHA in 1979, the league continued to grow steadily over the years, reaching 20 clubs by the 2000–01 season. In 2001–02, the AHL's membership jumped dramatically to 27 teams, mostly by the absorption of six teams— Milwaukee , Chicago , Houston , Utah , Manitoba , and Grand Rapids —from the International Hockey League . The IHL had established itself as the second top-level minor league circuit in North America, but folded in 2001 due to financial problems. One oddity caused by
9317-440: The entire structure was just four minutes, while seating capacity could be anywhere between 10,000 and 14,000 seats, approximately, depending on the event. The Coliseum hosted numerous acts and events over its first few decades. A Billy Graham Crusade took place at the Coliseum in 1958. Elvis Presley first performed at the Coliseum in 1956; his last performance there was in 1977. Elvis was one of numerous musical acts to perform at
9438-667: The exception of the 1959-60 event, which featured the Springfield Indians). The modern AHL All-Star Game was reinstituted for the 1994–95 season and a skills competition was introduced in 1995–96, with the two-day event being dubbed the AHL All-Star Classic. The 1995 and 1996 games featured players from teams based in Canada taking on players from teams based in the United States. Beginning in 1997, Canadian-born players faced players born outside Canada (known as
9559-775: The first period, the game went on as scheduled and the Condors defeated the Reign 3–2 in overtime. Hersheypark Stadium hosted its second outdoor game in 2018. Cleveland's FirstEnergy Stadium became the first National Football League venue to host an AHL outdoor game in 2023, and Truist Field in Charlotte hosted the Queen City Outdoor Classic in 2024. Teams from the AHL have competed against non-North American teams, in both international tournaments and one-off matchups. The first recorded games between an AHL team and international competition took place in 1969, when
9680-515: The first time in its history. At the same time, the then-rival IHL lost half of its eight members after the 1935–36 season, leaving it with just four member teams: the Buffalo Bisons , Syracuse Stars , Pittsburgh Hornets , and Cleveland Falcons . With both leagues down to the bare minimum number of teams to be viable, the governors of both leagues recognized the need for action to assure their member clubs' long-term survival. Their solution
9801-638: The first-ever Calder Cup championship. The Calder Cup continues on today as the AHL's playoff championship trophy. After two seasons of interlocking play, the governors of the two leagues' seven active teams met in New York City on June 28, 1938, and agreed that it was time to formally consolidate. Maurice Podoloff of New Haven, the former head of the Can-Am League, was elected the I-AHL's first president. The former IHL president, John D. Chick of Windsor, Ontario , became vice-president in charge of officials. The new I-AHL also added an eighth franchise at
9922-674: The following decade (due to possible scheduling conflicts with Spectrum), but this never occurred as the Bobcats (as the NBA team was called) never made the playoffs during the time (the current Charlotte NBA franchise, which began in 2004, has never won a playoff series). The Carolina Speed of the American Indoor Football Association , formerly playing at the Cabarrus Arena & Events Center , moved to
10043-525: The ground (below 5,000 ft (1,500 m)). In the 2020 census , there were 874,579 people, 342,448 households, and 195,614 families living in the city. In 2019, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates showed 885,708 residents living within Charlotte's city limits and 1,093,901 in Mecklenburg County. The combined statistical area , or trade area, of Charlotte–Concord–Gastonia, NC–SC had an estimated population of 3,387,115 in 2023. Figures from
10164-517: The heart of Uptown Charlotte . In 1770, surveyors marked the streets in a grid pattern for future development. The east–west trading path became Trade Street, and the Great Wagon Road became Tryon Street, in honor of William Tryon , a royal governor of colonial North Carolina. The intersection of Trade and Tryon is commonly known today as "Trade and Tryon", or simply "The Square", and formally as "Independence Square". While surveying
10285-399: The increased demand and competition for their services. This did not seem to affect the AHL at first, as it expanded to 12 teams by 1970. However, to help compensate for the rise in player salaries, many NHL clubs cut back on the number of players they kept under contract for development, and players under AHL contracts could now also demand much higher paychecks to remain with their clubs. As
10406-423: The interior. The Coliseum celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2015. Additional renovations were made in 2016, including upgraded heating/cooling, new internal lighting, and replacing the ice floor among other improvements. In 2018, the city of Charlotte broke ground on a structure to connect the Coliseum to Ovens Auditorium, which was completed in 2020. In August 2020, "Bojangles' Famous Chicken 'n Biscuits" removed
10527-559: The league in 1940 after a new arena was constructed for them). The makeshift new I-AHL played out the rest of its first season (as well as all of the next) with just seven teams. At the end of the 1936–37 season, a modified three-round playoff format was devised and a new championship trophy, the Calder Cup , was established. The Syracuse Stars defeated the Philadelphia Ramblers in the final, three-games-to-one, to win
10648-599: The more comprehensive 2010 census show Charlotte's population density was 2,457 per square mile (949/km ). There were 319,918 housing units at an average density of 1,074.6 per square mile (414.9/km ). In 1970, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Charlotte's population as 30.2% Black and 68.9% White. In 2020, 39.72% of the population was non-Hispanic white, 32.5% Black or African American, 0.25% Native American, 7.02% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 4.15% other or mixed, and 16.32% Hispanic or Latin American of any race. This reflected
10769-703: The nation. Charlotte's notable attractions include three professional sports teams, the Carolina Panthers of the NFL , the Charlotte Hornets of the NBA , and Charlotte FC of MLS . The city is also home to the NASCAR Hall of Fame , Opera Carolina , Charlotte Symphony , Charlotte Ballet , Children's Theatre of Charlotte, Mint Museum , Harvey B. Gantt Center , Bechtler Museum of Modern Art ,
10890-447: The national demographic shift as Hispanic or Latinos and Asians increased in population. In 2020, the median income for a household in Charlotte was $ 48,670. The median income for a family was $ 59,452. Males had a median income of $ 38,767 versus $ 29,218 for females. The per capita income for Charlotte was $ 29,825. The percentage of the population living at or below the poverty line was 10.6%, with 7.8% of families living at or below
11011-626: The nearest NWS -owned NEXRAD is located in Greer, South Carolina , more than 80 mi (130 km) to the west-southwest of Charlotte, this deficit is particularly problematic during severe thunderstorm or tornado episodes. The current lowest angle of the radar, based in Greer, is quite far above the surface over Charlotte, so the velocities measurement for detecting rotations cannot be below mid-level in potential tornado-forming storms and thus cannot indicate whether said rotation extends closer to
11132-619: The new AHL city of Portland, Maine both the regular-season and Calder Cup playoff titles in each of that club's first two seasons of operation. The folding of the NAHL, meanwhile, suddenly left two of its stronger teams, the Philadelphia Firebirds and Binghamton, New York -based Broome Dusters , without a league to play in. The owners of the Dusters solved their problem by buying the Reds franchise and moving it to Binghamton as
11253-410: The nickname, " The City of Churches ". In 1799, in nearby Cabarrus County, 12-year-old Conrad Reed found a 17- pound rock, which his family used as a doorstop. Three years later, a jeweler determined it was nearly solid gold, paying the family a paltry $ 3.50. The first documented gold find in the United States of any consequence set off the nation's first gold rush . Many veins of gold were found in
11374-598: The northeast area known as University City . The large area known as Southeast Charlotte is home to many golf communities, luxury developments, churches, the Jewish community center, and private schools. As undeveloped land within Mecklenburg has become scarce, many of these communities have expanded into Weddington and Waxhaw in Union County . Ballantyne , in the south of Charlotte, and nearly every area on
11495-605: The only NHL team currently without an AHL affiliate. However, the Hurricanes loaned some players to the Wolves, such as Vasili Ponomaryov and Antti Raanta . On May 2, 2024, the Hurricanes and Wolves committed to a three-year affiliation beginning with the 2024–25 season. Notes Current member Former member Opted out of season due to COVID-19 pandemic Gold star = Won Calder Cup Still-active teams in bold . The American Hockey League first held an All-Star Game in
11616-520: The only ex-IHL teams still in their original cities until the 2015 relocations when the IceCaps moved back to Winnipeg as the Manitoba Moose. Beginning with the 2015–16 season , twelve franchises have since relocated due to NHL parent clubs' influence on their development teams and players. Of the twelve relocated franchises, nine were relocated because they were directly owned by NHL teams and
11737-635: The poverty line. Out of the total population, 13.8% of those under the age of 18 and 9.7% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. Charlotte has been historically Protestant and remains predominantly Protestant today. It is the birthplace of Billy Graham , and is also the historic seat of Southern Presbyterianism . The changing demographics of the city's increasing population have brought scores of new denominations and faiths. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association , Wycliffe Bible Translators ' JAARS Center, SIM Missions Organization, and The Christian Research Institute make their homes in
11858-604: The primary historic center of Charlotte's African American community, is west of Uptown, starting at the Johnson C. Smith University campus and extending to the airport. East of The Plaza and north of Central Avenue, Plaza-Midwood is known for its international population, including Eastern Europeans, Greeks , Middle-Easterners , and Hispanics . North Tryon and the Sugar Creek area include several Asian American communities. NoDa (North Davidson), north of Uptown,
11979-404: The professional level (goaltenders are exempt from this rule). The annual playoff champion is awarded the Calder Cup , named for Frank Calder , the first President (1917–1943) of the NHL. The defending champions following the 2023–24 season are the Hershey Bears , winning their 13th Calder Cup in franchise history. The AHL traces its origins directly to two predecessor professional leagues:
12100-457: The railroad platform in Uptown. Local promotors began building textile factories, starting with the 1881 Charlotte Cotton Mill that still stands at Graham and 5th streets. Charlotte's city population at the 1890 census grew to 11,557. In 1910, Charlotte surpassed Wilmington to become North Carolina's largest city with 34,014 residents. The population grew again during World War I , when
12221-420: The southeastern United States, Charlotte has a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen Cfa ), with four distinct seasons. Charlotte is part of USDA hardiness zone 8a, transitioning to 7b in the suburbs in all directions except the south. The following narrative reflects 1991–2020 climate data. Winters are short and fairly mild, with a normal January daily mean temperature of 42.1 °F (5.6 °C). On occasion
12342-450: The temperature can fall below 20 °F (−6.7 °C) but Charlotte also enjoys multiple warm winter days in excess of 65 °F (18.3 °C). On average, there are 59 nights per year that drop to or below freezing, and only 1.5 days that fail to rise above freezing. Precipitation is evenly distributed through the year. Only August stands out as a slightly wetter month, averaging 4.35 inches of rainfall. Summers are hot and humid, with
12463-539: The third iteration of the Checkers (AHL) returned in 2015, Bojangles' was the home of minor league hockey for many years prior. The first instance started in 1956, when the Baltimore Clippers moved to Charlotte to become the first iteration of the Checkers. The building hosted its first hockey match in January 1956 before a sold-out crowd of over 10,000. The club lasted until 1977, when they folded. In 1993,
12584-606: The three conferences and has also hosted 13 NCAA Tournaments. The Coliseum hosted the Charlotte 49ers basketball teams from 1976 to 1988, and again from 1993 to 1996. In 2017, the first two rounds of the CIAA men's and women's basketball tournaments were played at the Coliseum. This marked the 29th college tournament played at the building. In 2022, the Coliseum hosted the Big South Conference men's and women's basketball tournaments, which it hosted again in 2023. Before
12705-456: The top two teams advance to the final game, with the winner declared the challenge champions. The AHL All-Star Classic was postponed in 2021 and 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic . The Laval Rocket , who had been selected to host, ultimately hosted the event in 2023. Since the 2009–10 season, at least one team in the AHL has hosted an outdoor ice hockey game each year. The Syracuse Crunch
12826-499: The weight of the ice. In August 2015 and September 2016, the city experienced several days of protests related to the police shootings of Jonathan Ferrell and Keith Scott . According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 312.00 square miles (808.1 km ), of which 310.02 square miles (802.9 km ) is land and 1.98 square miles (5.1 km ) (0.63%) is water. Charlotte
12947-689: The year but also many clear, sunny days. Precipitation is generally less frequent in autumn than in spring. On average, Charlotte receives 43.60 inches (1,110 mm) of precipitation annually, evenly distributed throughout the year. Annual precipitation has historically ranged from 26.23 in (666 mm) in 2001 to 68.44 in (1,738 mm) in 1884. There is an average of 3.5 inches (8.9 cm) of snow, mainly in January and February and rarely December or March, with more frequent ice storms and sleet mixed in with rain. Seasonal snowfall has historically ranged from trace amounts in 2011–12 to 22.6 in (57 cm) in 1959–60. Snow and ice storms can have
13068-704: The “World” team in 1997 and “PlanetUSA” from 1998 to 2010). The format was revamped again in 2011 to pit the Eastern Conference against the Western Conference. In 2014, a team of AHL all-stars hosted the Swedish Hockey League club Färjestad BK . Since 2016, the all-star game has been replaced by the AHL All-Star Challenge, a three-on-three round-robin tournament among teams from the league's four divisions;
13189-729: Was active until 1861 when Confederate forces seized it at the outbreak of the Civil War . The mint was not reopened at the war's end, but the building, albeit in a different location, now houses the Mint Museum of Art . The city's first boom came after the Civil War, as Charlotte became a cotton processing center and railroad hub. By the 1880s, Charlotte sat astride the Southern Railway mainline from Atlanta to Washington, D.C. Farmers from miles around would bring cotton to
13310-595: Was announced that the Stockton Heat would be relocating to Calgary , Alberta , starting the 2022–23 season . For the 2023–24 season , the Chicago Wolves operated as the league's only unaffiliated team, making them the first team to operate without an NHL partner since the inaugural season of the Worcester IceCats during the 1994–95 season . Consequently, the Carolina Hurricanes became
13431-482: Was announced with developer GoodSports that would add both a hotel and sports complex next to the Coliseum. Both plans ultimately fell through. In November 2014, the arena secured a permanent tenant once again when a third Checkers franchise , now in the American Hockey League , announced a tentative agreement with the Charlotte Regional Visitors' Authority to return to Bojangles' Coliseum for
13552-576: Was considered as an alternative to the larger Coliseum for events that required less seating or overall space. An expansion franchise in the East Coast Hockey League , the Charlotte Checkers (named in honor of the original Checkers team that played at the Coliseum from 1956 to 1977), became the building's primary tenant. It also got its first name change that same year to Independence Arena. Color TVs were installed inside
13673-757: Was created in 1891 as an amusement park. Bryant Park was established in the 1930s and is one of the earliest small-scale public parks in Charlotte. It is the only green space remaining in West Morehead Street's industrial sector. The 120-acre (49 ha) Park Road Park is a prominent landmark near the SouthPark area. Park Road Park features eight basketball courts, two horseshoe pits, six baseball fields, five picnic shelters, volleyball courts, playgrounds, trails, tennis courts, and an 11-acre (4.5 ha) lake. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Parks & Recreation Department operates 36 tennis facilities and
13794-575: Was formed from Anson County in 1762. Further apportionment was made in 1792, after the American Revolutionary War, with Cabarrus County formed from Mecklenburg. In 1842, Union County formed from Mecklenburg's southeastern portion and a western portion of Anson County. These areas were all part of one of the original six judicial/military districts of North Carolina known as the Salisbury District . The area that
13915-507: Was not reversed. However, two events in the fall of 1977 helped reverse the trend. The first of these was the decision of the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers to return to the league as a team owner, and the second was the unexpected collapse of the North American Hockey League just weeks before the start of the 1977–78 season. The Flyers' new AHL franchise became the immediately successful Maine Mariners , which brought
14036-649: Was part of the Great Wagon Road ; the second path ran east–west along what is now Trade Street. Nicknamed the "Queen City", like its county a few years earlier, Charlotte was named in honor of Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz , who had become the queen consort of Great Britain and Ireland in 1761, seven years before the town's incorporation. A second nickname derives from the American Revolutionary War , when British commander General Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis occupied
14157-685: Was preceded the previous night by a game between Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens alumni. Two outdoor games were announced for the 2012–13 AHL season, but a meeting between the Grand Rapids Griffins and Toronto Marlies at Comerica Park in Detroit as part of the festivities surrounding the NHL Winter Classic was not held because of the cancellation of the NHL Winter Classic. On January 20, 2013,
14278-461: Was shuttered since the new building effectively took over all the original Coliseum's duties, though it came quickly back into use as it was realized the new Coliseum, which could host over 24,000 for basketball, would be cavernous to host smaller and mid-sized concerts and events. Over the next five years, an extensive refurbishment was made to the structure. This included technology, infrastructure, and accessibility upgrades. Once reopened in 1993, it
14399-744: Was the first organization to put on an outdoor game in the AHL on February 20, 2010, building a rink at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, New York , and packing a record 21,508 fans in for the Mirabito Outdoor Classic against the Binghamton Senators . The contest, which was also televised to an international audience on NHL Network , was won by the Crunch, 2–1. The Connecticut Whale hosted
14520-587: Was the third outdoor game in AHL history and it more than doubled the league's previous single-game attendance mark. On January 21, 2012, the Steeltown Showdown between Ontario rivals, the Toronto Marlies and Hamilton Bulldogs , was held at Ivor Wynne Stadium in Hamilton, Ontario , with the Marlies winning 7–2 in front of 20,565 fans, the largest crowd ever for an AHL game in Canada. The AHL game
14641-858: Was to play an interlocking schedule. While the Can-Am was based in the Northeast and the IHL in the Great Lakes , their footprints were close enough for this to be a viable option. The two leagues' eight surviving clubs began joint play in November 1936 as a new two-division "circuit of mutual convenience" known as the International-American Hockey League. The four Can-Am teams became the I-AHL East Division, with
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