Much like the stretch of land along Johnston Road that is now The Bowl at Ballantyne, the Queen City's business culture is undergoing rapid change — a topic business leaders recently discussed in south Charlotte.

"All of us need to pay attention to what's happening around us and become involved in our communities," said Ron Pappas, owner of New Leaf Development and former Mayor of Waxhaw. Pappas served on a panel of local ambassadors representing commercial real estate, master-planned communities, and retail development hosted by South Charlotte Partners.

The Charlotte region currently holds 1.3 million jobs. | Graphic via Charlotte Regional Business Alliance

The Queen City continues to be a hotbed for business professionals. According to the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, the Charlotte area holds a workforce of 1.6 million. City leaders have seen a 20% population boom since 2010, bringing the total to 2.9 million.

With a flourishing job market, the panel discussed the significance of public-private partnerships, predicting they will be essential for adapting to changing market conditions.

Business leaders emphasized heavy stakes heading into 2025. With 100+ people moving to the region daily, a healthy work culture is crucial to further support a gross regional product of $220 billion.

"Making sure that we have a pro-business, low tax, low regulatory environment with a great labor force is absolutely critical," explained Chris Thomas of Childress Klein. "Getting people back in the office so that when people move here, they feel confident they can hire a workforce that will show up and create a good culture."

With more people calling Charlotte home every day, the panelists discussed the importance of in-person collaboration to further promote company culture, productivity, and employee development.

"People crave that interaction," said John Barton, President of Northwood Office. "I think that's one of the reasons why like The Bowl [at Ballantyne] has been so successful. It gives people an opportunity to get together."