Johnson & Wales University - Charlotte

(980) 598-1000
The university’s programs and approach seemed perfect for the business and hospitality industries that anchor the regional economy. Recognizing that its smaller, leased campuses in Charleston and Norfolk did not provide the ideal environments for continued, strategic growth, JWU accepted this unique public-private partnership offer. The state-of-the-art $110 million Charlotte Campus opened in 2004 with an enrollment of 1,100 students and quickly grew. Today, the nearly 2,000 enrolled students are pursuing career success through 12 distinct degree programs in facilities that include six buildings on 13 acres in Uptown Charlotte. Meanwhile, the assumptions made about JWU’s economic impact proved correct. JWU has invested more than $92 million in construction on its Charlotte Campus, about three-quarters of which was done by Charlotte-area contractors. Businesses in Charlotte and elsewhere in Mecklenburg County have also enjoyed an infusion of spending on campus goods and services.