Tours and Special Events

Small City Redevelopment (Old Town Rock Hill, SC)
Date: Saturday, September 17
Time: 1:00 – 5:00 pm
Price: Price: $45

Rock Hill, SC benefited greatly from textiles- from the late 1800s until the 1970s, textiles grew the economic base, paved the streets and provided economic opportunities to countless generations of Carolinians. By the early 1980s, Rock Hill was a shadow of its former self, with empty hulls of factories, a defunct Main Street (actually covered up to make a mall) and an increasingly weak core surrounded by vibrant suburbs. Thirty years later, times have fortunately changed.

Rock Hill's empty textile mills have now been converted into offices, affordable senior housing, downtown lofts and retail stores. Turning problems into opportunities, the public and private sector in Rock Hill have worked together to build a vibrant downtown core surrounded by a “textile corridor” for the 21st Century. Come learn how this small city dealt with numerous obstacles including brownfields, infrastructure issues and political hurdles but finally gained momentum towards a redevelopment plan that may hold lessons for every economic development program.

Approximately 250 acres within the urban core which includes, among other things, the Bleachery complex, Springs Industries, the Cotton Factory, private residences, small businesses, and portions of the Winthrop University Campus.

Reclaiming Open Space: How Uncapping Little Sugar Creek and the Greenway Investment Helped Redevelop Charlotte's Midtown Plaza
Date: Sunday, September 18
Time: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Price: Price: $45

An old mall, actually the first covered mall in Charlotte, sat waiting for redevelopment. Did we mention that the old mall's parking lot covered a bubbling stream just outside the I-277 beltway around Charlotte? In the last five years, the city, county and project developers have fostered a blossoming redevelopment that includes offices, condos and restaurants/retail. These partnerships also helped construct a new jewel for the city- an urban greenway that links to the city and county's existing park system. From tired mall to redevelopment - learn the secrets of the Metropolitan's success.

Walking Tour: Arts & Entertainment as an Economic Driver (Public Private Partnerships)
Date: Sunday, September 18
Time: 2:00 – 4:00 pm
Price: Price: $45

Through innovative public/private partnerships, Charlotte's Center City has experienced a dramatic transformation from a sleepy Southern banking town into a vibrant and memorable place to live, work and play at all hours of the day and night. Believing that investments in arts, culture and entertainment were important to attracting jobs and talented workers, Charlotte's community leaders made strategic investments that fueled private sector growth and development. In this walking tour, participants will examine the most significant investments that the City has made in cultural and entertainment development in the past decade, and see firsthand the dramatic return on these investments.

Higher Education Partnerships for Economic Development
Date: Monday, September 19
Time: 8:00 am – 12:00 pm
Price: Price: $45

Universities play a critical role in attracting and retaining businesses as well as fostering entrepreneurs. The NC Research Campus was an abandoned textile plant a few years ago. It's now a hub of research with representation from every major research university in North Carolina. The Charlotte Research Institute fosters key sectors such as nanotechnology and precision metrology, nascent sectors for the Charlotte Region. The State of North Carolina pushes its universities to support economic development. Learn from local success stories in the Charlotte region.

Behind the Checkered Flag: The Impact of Motorsports on Charlotte USA
Date: Monday, September 19
Time: 1:00 – 5:00 pm
Price: Price: $45

For racing fans, the Charlotte region is home to over 80% of the Sprint Cup NASCAR Racing Teams and the undisputed home of stock car racing. It's also a cluster of industries that brings over $3 billion annually to the local economy. In many ways, Charlotte's success is a story of how the community leveraged its unique assets and heritage to build a broad industry cluster supporting jobs in high-tech research & development, advanced manufacturing, media and television production, legal and professional services. Learn how the Charlotte region has used an asset-based strategy involving partnerships with business, government, academia and institutions to drive economic growth and create a community brand.

The Emergence of Local Food Movements as an Economic Driver
Date: Tuesday, September 20
Time: 2:30 – 5:00 pm
Price: Price: $45

What are you eating? Where did it come from? Increasingly, people want to know more about their f ood and its origins, especially given recent issues with everything from bagged salads to hamburger meat. Look at a real life example of a farm in rural Lincoln County that delivers to a tony Uptown restaurant that exclusively sources its food from the Charlotte region. Speak with the individuals driving these efforts and learn how you can tie farm to table where you live.

Golf Outing at River Hills Country Club
Date: Saturday, September 17
Time: 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
Price: $125

River Hills Country Club is located at the heart of River Hills Plantation, a 1,000 acre gated, private lakeside community on Lake Wylie in South Carolina. This location is convenient to suburbs and business areas of Charlotte, North Carolina.

The challenging championship golf course is reputed to be one of the finest in the South and is often listed as one of the best in the Charlotte area.

New Member and Non-Member Reception
Date: Sunday, September 18
Time: 5:15 - 6:00 pm
Price: Free, but registration is required

Chairman’s Reception
Date: Sunday, September 18
Time: 6:00 - 7:30 pm
Price: Free, but registration is required

Don't miss the opportunity to see old friends and make new acquaintances. Join IEDC Chair Denny Coleman and your colleagues for an evening of networking and fun in the Charlotte Convention Center.

Economic Development Ethics Workshop
Date: Monday, September 19
Time: 11:40 am - 1:40 pm
Price: Free, but registration is required

Defining Issues Lunch
Date: Monday, September 19
Time: 11:45 am - 1:30 pm
Price: $45

Networking Lunch in The Economic Development Marketplace (the Exhibit Hall)
Date: Monday, September 19
Time: 11:45 am - 1:30 pm
Price: Free, but registration is required

Recognition Dinner
Date: Monday, September 19
Time: 6:30 – 9:00
Price: $100

Join in honoring those who have contributed to making the profession what it is today. Honors to be conferred include:

• Lifetime Achievement Award in honor of Edward DeLuca
• Fellow Members (FM) and Honorary Lifetime Members (HLM)
• Leadership Award for Public Service
• New Economic Developer of the Year Award
• Citizen Leadership Award and
• Chairman's Award for Excellence in Economic Development

Price: $100

IEDC Networking Reception
Date: Tuesday, September 20
Time: 6:30 - 8:00 pm
Price: Free, but registration is required

Preparing for the CEcD Workshop
Date: Wednesday, September 21
Time: 9:15 – 10:30 am
Price: Free, but registration is required