CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Bill Bennett has reason to smile.
As the general manager of the new Crowne Plaza Hotel near SouthPark he's seen business steadily growing this year.
"Things are going well. Charlotte's a dynamic market. We've had unprecedented growth," he said.
It's growth that's spread across Charlotte's hotel and motel market. It's a trend that started two and a half years ago and really picked up after the Democratic National Convention.
Mohammad Jenatian, president of the Greater Charlotte Hospitality Alliance, shared the most recent figures that show hotel occupancy in Charlotte up 4 percent over last year. More importantly, the revenue per room is up more than 8 percent over that same time.
Jenatian believes there's one big reason for it – a bounce from the DNC.
It also translates into a windfall for the city because all of those hotel rooms bring in tax money that helps pay for projects like the new baseball stadium.
The hotel/motel tax generated more than $35 million last fiscal year which jumped to $40 million this year.
Jenatian said at least four hotels are planned in Uptown Charlotte and at the Crowne Plaza, Bennett is getting ready for a major renovation this fall, something that would've been almost unthinkable just a few years ago.