1 big thing: 🛥️ Let's go boating
Welcome to Tuesday. It's Katie.
🚘Axios Charlotte members are the driving force behind our newsroom. Join them today.
⛈️ Weather: Low 90s with scattered thunderstorms.
🎂 Happy birthday to our Axios Charlotte member Elizabeth Baker.
Situational awareness: Today marks 10 years since a white supremacist murdered nine Black parishioners at a Bible study at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, the oldest Black congregation in the South.
Alexis Clinton
It's boat season, and local companies recommend you book in advance if you want to spend time on the water this summer.
Why it matters: Charlotte may be landlocked, but that doesn't mean a day on the water is out of reach — whether it's a pool, lake or river.
We've rounded up a few boat rental companies offering ways for you to keep cool and entertained this summer.
Tiki Time Boat Rentals — A company with a tiki-themed boat cruising on Lake Norman with room for 19 passengers.
The hourly tiki boat ride starts at $200 and comes with a Bluetooth speaker, grill, seated bar, bathroom, karaoke, water mat, paddleboards and a cooler.
Black Boat Club — This company, which operates on Lake Norman and Lake Wylie, sells out every weekend. Reservations are typically needed a month in advance.
The operator has a tritoon, pontoon and sports boats.
Tega Cay Marina — Rent a 10-passenger pontoon on Lake Wylie starting at $425, including the first full tank of gas.
2. Black Boat Weekend on Lake Norman
Alexis Clinton
While we're on the topic of boating: More than 100 boats will be on Lake Norman for Black Boat Weekend on Saturday, July 19.
Why it matters: The organized boat party is almost sold out but there are still a few ways to experience some of the festivities during the three-day event.
Context: Entrepreneur Charisme Dhanani was inspired to start Black Boat Weekend after seeing large boat parties in Florida and Chicago.
This year will be the first year at Lake Norman. Dhanani hopes to make it an annual event here.
"We're throwing a full-on floating party and this event is open to everyone," Dhanani tells Axios.
Details: Black Boat Weekend has a list of scheduled events from July 18-20.
Festivities will kick off on Friday with a free meet-and-greet day party at Medusa Lounge in NoDa from 3-9pm.
Saturday is the main event with boats and DJs on Lake Norman from 11am-7pm. An after-party at Explicit Bistro and Lounge will be held from 9pm-2am. Tickets are $20-40.
On Sunday there will be a brunch at RSVP South End from 1-8pm. It's free to attend and food is available for an additional price.
If you go: Bring your own boat and pay a $125 tie-up fee for full access to all water activities at the party. A full weekend VIP ticke t is $2,850 for 10 people.
3. 🍌 The Bananas' Uptown boost
Ashley Mahoney
Charlotte went bananas earlier this month when a wacky baseball team packed out Bank of America Stadium two nights in a row. The Savannah Bananas drew 148,000 people in Charlotte, a team record.
Why it matters: Mecklenburg County hotels were near record capacity when the Bananas came to Charlotte, which is a win for Charlotte's visitor economy, according to Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA) CEO Steve Bagwell.
Zoom in: While post-pandemic business travel was slow to recover, leisure travel in Uptown has boomed in recent years, bolstering center city's recovery. Major events like the 2023 Beyoncé concert have drawn thousands of visitors Uptown, where they patronize hotels, restaurants and bars.
By the numbers: Mecklenburg County hotels had 81.5% occupancy for Friday, June 6, and 90% for Saturday, June 7, according to the CRVA.
The average hotel rate was $146.17 for June 6 and $159.03 for June 7.
Go deeper
4. A Duke Energy bill and other speed reads
💡 A major energy bill being debated by the Republican-led General Assembly would eliminate an interim goal that mandates Duke Energy reach a 70% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030, while keeping in place a longer-term goal of being carbon neutral in 2050. (Axios)
💪 The Club, a new fitness-meets-co-working space in South End, will open its second floor on Saturday, June 21. In addition to the fitness rooms that opened earlier this year, The Club will soon offer a co-working space with 30 seats and a full-service coffee bar featuring drinks from Pertinacious Coffee Co., according to a press release.
🍔 Mooyah Burgers, Fries, and Shakes — a Texas-based fast-casual restaurant known for its hand-cut fries, ice cream shakes and burgers — will open in Uptown at 210 E Trade St. on June 30, a representative confirmed to Axios.
🛍️ CAMP, an immersive store with kid-friendly activities and toys, will open soon at SouthPark mall. (Instagram)
5. 🚲 Welcome to the Jungle
Jungle Cycle + Strength Studio is now open in west Charlotte's Lower Tuck Development.
Why it matters: The locally owned studio is the newest project by local fitness entrepreneur Liv Morgan, who owns the Dilworth cycling studio, SkyCycle.
What to expect: Two types of fitness classes — Power Synthesis and cycling. Each is a rhythm-based workout, taught in a low-light room with energizing music.
Power Synthesis is a heated mat workout that combines Pilates movements with strength exercises. It holds about 20 people. Mats and equipment are provided.
The cycling class holds up to 32 people and often features themed playlists, like "Rihanna vs. Rufus" and "Tate McRae and Ellie Goulding."
6. 🥵 Steamy summer nights
Summer nights have gotten 1.7 degrees warmer in Charlotte over the last five decades, according to a new report from Climate Central, a research and communications group.
Average summer nighttime temperatures increased between 1970-2024 in 96% of 241 locations analyzed.
Why it matters: Higher overnight temperatures can have health consequences for vulnerable groups, as well as increase demand for air conditioning, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick writes.
Between the lines: Charlotte experienced its warmest April on record, dating back to 1878, according to the National Weather Service.
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I knew I was not going to show my son... I'm kind of a mama bear already, very protective. I didn't want to show my son to world yet. I haven't even posted him on Instagram or anything like that. Those moments are very sacred to me. We'll make the decision on when he's ready to pop out and show out," She said laughing. By the end of our conversation, I felt oddly emotional. And as for the series, We Belong Together isn't a love story trying to convince us everything's perfect. It's about starting over, about timing finally aligning, and about healing in the public eye. We've watched Ashanti go from mixtapes to motherhood, and right now, we're watching a new beginning. If you go to the series for nostalgia, you'll get it. If you go for authenticity, it's got that too. And during our panel at ABFF, Ashanti, Singletary and Royes reminded everyone that sometimes the greatest remix isn't a new beat — it's a whole new perspective.
