Plus, cheap flights out of CLT.
 
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81º | 20% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 7:09 a.m. | Sunset 7:23 p.m.
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🌎 On the world stage

Charlotte will host 2025 World Taekwondo Grand Prix Challenge
A group of US Olympians pose for a photo together for a photo on a stage.
US Olympic and Paralympic athletes training at the United States Performance Center in Charlotte were on hand for the announcement of the upcoming 2025 World Taekwondo Grand Prix Challenge. | Photo by CLTtoday
Excusez-moi, Paris. The Queen City is about to take the world spotlight, yet again.

Charlotte has won the bid to host the prestigious World Taekwondo Grand Prix Challenge June 13-15, 2025. The Grand Prix Challenge will serve as a crucial step in the qualifying process for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

“It’s a huge moment for everybody working here to turn Charlotte into the epicenter for Olympic sport in the United States,” said Steve McNally, CEO of USA Taekwondo.

The board of USA Taekwondo smiles for a photo at a news conference.

The city of Charlotte beat out six other countries to win the bid to host the 2025 World Taekwondo Grand Prix Challenge.

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Photo via USA Taekwondo

Charlotte is familiar territory for elite athletes. Close to 100 Olympians live and train at The United States Performance Center on the campus of UNC Charlotte. The Center led the bid for Charlotte to host The Grand Prix Challenge and is a critical training ground for both summer and winter Olympic athletes.

The Center is far more than just a workout facility. Athletes receive world-class amenities from sports medicine and physical therapy to sports psychology, nutritional guidance, and mental health services.

An empty training center with workout equipment and weights.

The United States Performance Center provides world-class training facilities for eight US Olympic teams on the campus of UNC Charlotte.

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Photo via United States Performance Center

“Having the relationship here with the US Performance Center has been completely epic. It’s totally changing the whole dynamic of training for us [athletes],” said Casey Eichfeld of US Canoe/Kayak.

Fun fact: eight US Olympic teams train full-time in Charlotte, including:
  • Archery
  • Canoe
  • Field hockey
  • Judo
  • Rugby (men’s)
  • Table Tennis
  • Taekwondo
  • Triathlon
Over the next year, elite athletes across multiple sports will compete in Charlotte, from tennis stars for the Charlotte Invitational this December at Spectrum Center or the PGA Championship that will draw the world’s top golfers to Quail Hollow Club next May.

Editor’s note: Charlotte is currently bidding to host the Military World Games in 2027.

Steve McNally shared his dream that the Queen City will be a prominent fixture in the international sports world. “We hope by the time LA runs around, we’ll be talking about multiple national events and multiple gold medalists from the city of Charlotte.”
 
Events
Thursday, Sept. 19
  • Oktoberfest: A Celebration of Ursprung Fest Malt | Thursday, Sept. 19 | Wooden Robot Brewery | 5-10 p.m. | Cost of purchase | Celebrate Oktoberfest with rounds of brews sourced directly from Germany.
  • Drunk Journaling | Thursday, Sept. 19 | 6-8 p.m. | Canteen | Free | Write your next journal entry among other writers with some liquid courage.
Friday, Sept. 20
  • Festival in the Park | Friday, Sept. 20 | 5 p.m. | Freedom Park | Free | Opening night kicks off with NC folk singer Rob McHale performing on the Charlotte Folk Society Stage + an appearance from the Birdmen from Charlotte International Arts Festival.
  • Potters Market 2024 | Friday, Sept. 20-Saturday, Sept. 21 | 5:30 p.m. | The Mint Museum Randolph | $20+ | Glimpse at the works of 50+ prestigious North Carolina potters, all under a tent on the lawn of The Mint Museum Randolph.
  • Science on the Rocks | Friday, Sept. 20 | 6-10 p.m. | Discovery Place Science | $22 | Join Uptown’s lively social event filled with cocktails and hands-on science experiments.
Saturday, Sept. 21
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
 
Travel

✈️ 3 wildly cheap flights out of Charlotte Douglas in 2024
A plane flys over palm trees in a clear sky.
Pro tip: Set custom destination alerts as a Going Premium member. | Photo by Pexels
Great airfare deals do exist — and thanks to flight price tracking services like Going, you can save hundreds on your next trip. Sign up for Going’s two-week free trial of its Premium plan, and you’ll be emailed when international flights leaving our city are seriously discounted.

Here are real flight deals out of Charlotte Douglas the Going team found this year:
  • $375 to Spain
  • $367 to Japan
  • $395 to Alaska
Try for free + get local flight deals
News Notes
Development
  • New luxury rental townhomes in NoDa are now ready for tenants. Chicago-based developer AHC Funds recently debuted The Collection Matheson, a 29-unit community at 410 Alarum Alley. Each four-story townhome is 1,462 sqft with 2 BD and 2.5 BA. Monthly rent starts at $3,450. (Charlotte Business Journal)
Health
  • Novant Health has expanded the St. Jude Affiliate Clinic at Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital — a department of Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center. Clinic enhancements ensure pediatric patients and their families have ongoing access to the latest cancer treatments and research opportunities.
Eat
  • Miami-based Talkin’ Tacos will debut a new restaurant at 8915 Christenbury Pkwy. in Concord on Friday, Oct. 4. The grand opening is at 6 p.m. The taco truck turned fast-casual chain will offer the first 100 guests a free order of birria tacos. (The Charlotte Observer)
Weather
  • Did you know North Carolina has a fall wildfire season? WCNC meteorologist KJ Jacobs explains how the weather plays a critical role in how significantly wildfires can threaten our community. (WCNC)
Try This
  • Wait a meow-ment. Lincolnton coffee shop Purrfect Pour Cat Café offers guests the chance to order drinks while snuggling with adoptable cats. Petting sessions are $12 an hour during the week and $15 on weekends. Since opening in April, the owners have seen more than 160 cats find new homes. (WCNC)
Trending
  • A Gastonia Police K9 needs your help. Bo the bloodhound is a semi-finalist for top “hero dog” in the American Humane Hero Dog Awards. Gastonia Police need the public to vote for Bo in order to win. The American Humane Hero Dog Awards will announce the winners in January. (WCNC)
Sports
  • What does the Carolina Panthers benching Bryce Young mean for Dave Canales moving forward? Go beyond the scoreboard for the biggest stories on the Carolina Panthers with Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.
    Real Estate
    • Now selling: Sycamore Trail Phase II. This new community on Matthews Mint Hill Road — conveniently located just minutes from schools, shopping, and downtown — features two- and three-bedroom townhomes and duets with spacious floor plans. Pro tip: Ask about the $12,000 flex cash offer. Learn more.*
    Civic
    • Election day is just around the corner (aka, Nov. 5) — are you registered to vote? If you still need to register, the online deadline is Sunday, Oct. 6. Check your voter registration info.*
    Trending
     
    Outdoors

    🏇🏻 Saddle up

    Saddle up for Charlotte Equestrian Club
    A woman poses for a photo while holding the halter to a horse.
    A lifelong animal lover, Jeanne Jamison of Charlotte Equestrian Club built a career training and showing horses before coming to Charlotte. | Photo by CLTtoday
    “They feel your energy. They sum you up immediately. The cool part about that is you can’t fake it,” said Jeanne Jamison, while grazing her stallion’s mane in the barn of Charlotte Equestrian Club. This equestrian facility, owned and operated by Jamison, offers services from riding lessons to private events at a farm property just 15 minutes from the bustle of Uptown Charlotte.

    “Horses are such great teachers because they make us be better humans,” Jamison shared with City Editor Jack lessons she has learned during her career in the company of horses.

    Jamison desires for her clients to understand the powerful emotional remedy horses can provide for humans. She vows it is a bond any rider can reach — from children to adults hopping on the saddle for the first time.

    “You feel better around them, because they feed your soul,” said Jamison. “They give you confidence because they teach you how to control your emotions. They’re almost like a moving meditation.”
    Interested in riding lessons?
    The Buy

    The Buy 9.19.24 (Affiliate)
    L.L. Bean’s customer-favorite flannel blanket — perfect for camping trips, picnics, and staying cozy this autumn.
    More worth The Buy
    Answered

    On Wednesday, we asked if you’ve found your “third place” in the Charlotte area.
    CLTtoday Pickleball Charlotte Sharon Lakes

    Grab a paddle and run the courts at the Sharon Lakes location of Pickleball Charlotte. | Photo via @pickleballcharlotte

    What’s your third place? It’s the spot you go to spend time other than home or work to enjoy yourself.

    We asked if you found your third place somewhere around Charlotte — turns out 58% of you have.

    So, what are some “third places” in the Queen City?

    It turns out many readers love to spend time on the pickleball court — like Rally or at Levine Senior Center.

    Other readers said they spend time at Club Pilates Dilworth, Park Place Restaurant, and Redeemer Church in Weddington.
    6AM City In-house
     
    The Wrap
     
    CLT_Jack VanderToll

    Today’s edition by:
    Jack

    From the editor


    A group of Olympic athletes on a stage.

    It was a pleasure speaking with this group of Olympic athletes during yesterday’s announcement at UNC Charlotte that the Queen City would host next year’s World Taekwondo Grand Prix Challenge.

    There is growing momentum if Charlotte continues to host international sporting events, the city could be a serious contender to bid as host for the Olympic Games one day. Fingers crossed.
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