Charlotte
Charlotte is the largest city in the state of North Carolina with a population of 1,499,293 [1] in 2000, making it the 20th largest city in the United States.
Charlotte was founded in 1755, and was (and still is) nicknamed the "Queen City" a nickname name it shares with Buffalo, New York and Cincinnati, Ohio after King George IIIs wife. This did not mean there was a love of empire in the city as during the Revolutionary War, the British Army was driven out, and as such, the British General Cornwallis wrote of Charlotte "There's a rebel behind every bush, it's a veritable nest of hornets", leading the city's other nickname: The Hornet's Nest.
The Charlotte Hornets played in the NBA in the city from 1988 - 2004 until an unpopular owner drove the residents away from the team. The Hornets would move to New Orleans in 2002. Immediately afterwards Charlotte was granted another basketball franchise, the Charlotte Bobcats.
The Carolina Panthers play professional football in the NFL in Charlotte at the Bank of America Stadium.
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is the largest university in the state system with 20,000 students. The private Presbyterian university Queens University of Charlotte is also located in the city.