Queen City Countdown to Super Bowl 50: Cam Newton's Charlotte (Part 3 of 7)
CHARLOTTE (Monday, Feb. 1, 2016) – Cam Newton is leading the Carolina Panthers to Super Bowl 50 with an MVP-caliber performance. But off the field, the 26-year-old quarterback is just another young professional living, working and having fun in Charlotte.
Here are some of Cam’s favorite spots in the Queen City:
Food Truck Friday: This weekly gathering of about a dozen of the city’s eclectic food trucks is a popular attraction for families and young professionals, including several Carolina Panthers. Food Truck Friday takes place in Historic South End, Charlotte’s old mill district, which is home to craft breweries, art galleries and quirky nightlife. Cam says Papi Queso, a Food Truck Friday staple, has the best grilled cheese sandwich in town.
Romare Bearden Park: Cam lives in Uptown Charlotte and often walks his dog, Apollo, in this 5.4-acre park, cutting through it on his hover board as he zips from his condo to Bank of America Stadium.
Chili Man: During the offseason, chances are you’ll see Cam standing in line with bankers, creatives and construction workers at Vic “The Chili Man” Werany’s cart in Uptown Charlotte. “He’s got this vegan hot dog,” Newton told Charlotte magazine last summer, “that’s just, oh, man.”
BB&T Ballpark: The home of Charlotte’s AAA baseball team, the Charlotte Knights, also plays host to “Kick It with Cam,” a kickball tournament to raise money for the Cam Newton Foundation. The ballpark, which opened in 2014, is located in the heart of Uptown Charlotte and provides the perfect backdrop for a competition between Panthers players and teams from local businesses.
Hazelnuts Crêperie: Craving something sweet? Cam told Charlotte Happenings magazine that his go-to is the banana split crepe from this locally owned crepe restaurant, which has locations at 200 S. Tryon Street and 7th Street Public Market, both in Uptown.
Strike City: Cam’s ball-handling skills aren’t limited to the football field. To unwind, he loves taking family and friends bowling at the EpiCentre’s Strike City Uptown. With big screen TVs, pool tables, full-service bars and a dining room to accompany the lanes, it’s anything but your proverbial dive bowling alley.
NASCAR: Seeing a live NASCAR race is on Cam’s must-do list. In addition to Charlotte Motor Speedway, where races are held, the Queen City is home to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, which celebrates and chronicles legends and the history of the sport.
(This is a seven-part series leading up to Super Bowl 50 brought to you collaboratively by the City of Charlotte, Charlotte Center City Partners, the Charlotte Chamber, the Charlotte Regional Partnership and the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. This series features facts and information about the Carolina Panthers’ hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina.)
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