The NASCAR Hall of Fame will open in May adjacent to the Charlotte Convention Center, and will seal Charlotte’s moniker as "NASCAR Valley." Meeting groups throughout the region will find multiple reasons to visit the new venue.
The $195 million site honors drivers who have shown exceptional skill at NASCAR driving, all-time great crew chiefs, owners and other major contributors to the sport. To be eligible for recognition in the hall, former drivers must have competed 10 years in NASCAR and be retired from racing a minimum of three years. Non-drivers must have worked at least 10 years in the industry.
"There’s something for everyone in this new 150,000-square-foot facility," says Kimberly Meester, external relations manager for the site. "Planners can rent out the entire four-floor facility after visiting hours or one of several venues for receptions and banquets. Or they can just include a tour in their programs."
This is the place to learn the history of stock car racing and stories of its legendary drivers and their cars. Interactive exhibits, simulator rides and frequently changing exhibits are in the mix.
For events, there’s the 40,000-square-foot Crown Ballroom, which seats 4,200 theater style. With an unobstructed floor plan and a built-in stage, it’s managed by the Charlotte Convention Center staff.
Planners can book the Great Hall entryway after-hours for a reception or banquet. Here, attendees will have an up-close encounter with 18 former competition cars that ascend on a track from the first to the second floor, as well as artifacts like uniforms and driver equipment. A 14-foot-by-18-foot indoor billboard screen provides video presentations or image and message displays.
High Octane Theater is a high-tech environment that offers a 64-foot-wide screen and multisensory encounters from surround sound and other tactile experiences like blowing wind from race cars zooming by. The theater has a separate entrance and restroom facilities that make it self-contained though attached to the rest of the facility.
Elsewhere, Legends Room seats 175 people and has audiovisual capabilities, including a 17-foot viewing screen. Ceremonial Plaza is a 32,000-square-foot patio available for outdoor events adjacent to the main entrance.
Charlotte’s light rail stops at the site, and there are 1,000 parking spaces in the garage.
For More Info
NASCAR Hall of Fame
704.654.4400
www.nascarhall.com