A Gaston County Visual Tour In 2012

November 21, 2003

Downtown Charlotte

• The largest banking center in the world; headquarters to more than a dozen Fortune 500 companies; Johnson & Wales University is catalyst for world class dining and hospitality options; a “new” arena was opened in 2005 and attracts top rated sports and entertainment options.
• The home of 8 time defending Super Bowl champion Panthers and NBA champion Bobcats (who sell more tickets in Gaston County than in an other county outside of Mecklenburg).
• The home to the worldwide headquarters of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and its 400 employees, a third of whom reside in Gaston County.

Charlotte Airport

• The largest hub for USAirways; the premier gateway to the Caribbean; international flights provide direct service to London, Paris, Rome, Frankfurt, Munich and others.
• A 3^rd parallel runway opened in 2006, providing a capacity exceeding all but six other U.S. airports.
• Norfolk Southern’s intermodal yard opened in 2010, integrating rail, air and roads.

Outer Belt/I-485

• Completed in 2008.
• Interchange with I-85 opened in 2004; interchanges at Hwy. 27 and 16 opened in 2006; dramatically affecting residential growth rate in eastern Gaston.

Catawba River

• Whitewater Park opened in 2007, bringing the Olympic brand to Gaston County; Mt. Holly used bonds approved in 2003 to develop its riverfront from the interstate to Hwy. 16.
• Belmont Abbey’s “Gateway” development on the land along the interstate between the Catawba and South Fork rivers has attracted upscale commercial development, including Gaston’s first large office building, occupied by a major Fortune 500 customer service center operation employing 500 workers.
• “Pope Placid of the Vatican” visited Belmont Abbey in 2010 to celebrate Mass.
• Developer Roger Staubach has moved his corporate headquarters from Dallas, Texas to the Belmont Abbey development.
• A new EDC/Visitors Center opened on the interstate in Belmont in 2004.

Downtowns Developed

• Mt. Holly (see above).
• Belmont is the quintessentially quaint and historic mill village community thrives as a residential and niche retail center.
• Cramerton is making plans for a future light rail connection directly to Charlotte.
• McAdenville, remains Christmastown, USA, but has been transformed by Pharr Yarns into a Belmont-like historic mill village that is attracting newcomers to the region.

Cox Road

• Pearson Properties purchased former PSNC headquarters building in 2003; converted property into a mixed use development with access to Franklin Blvd.; Gaston’s finest restaurants and retail are located here; project has become a national model for mixed use redevelopment.
• Gaston Memorial Hospital has been ranked as one of the nation’s top facilities ten years running.

Gastonia

• A Civic Center was opened in 2006; subsequent Annual Meetings of the Gaston Chamber have attracted more than 1000 people in attendance.
• Main Street thrives as an entertainment magnet with restaurants, nightclubs and art galleries.
• The Marietta Street apartments and converted mill buildings on Franklin are the hottest residential properties in town.
• From the Courthouse, citizens walk from the Martin Luther King Plaza, across the Unity Bridge, to the Rotary Centennial Pavilion for concerts, Downtown Alive, July 4^th, etc.
• In 2009, President ? (you pick) visited the Highland School of Technology to present the National Superintendent of the Year Award to Dr. Ed Sadler and to recognize the Gaston County Schools as the finest medium sized district in the nation.