AND THE (CRE) OSCAR GOES TO...

Why wait for Sunday? UNC-Charlotte Chancellor Philip Dubois, left, has already accepted an award from Warren & Associates? Frank Warren for UNCC?s efforts to bring a $45M campus uptown.

The Counselors of Real Estate recognized some of Charlotte's more innovative real estate developments during its fourth annual Creative Thinkers Awards luncheon Wednesday. Phil credited former UNCC Chancellor Jim Woodward  for getting the ball rolling. But he also took a few minutes to talk about the new football program underway at the main UNCC campus on University City Boulevard. He denied rumors that the program might be sponsored by Chiquita, which last year announced it's moving its HQ to Charlotte. But that didn't stop him from having fun with the notion. ?The cheerleaders could do banana splits,? Phil said. ?We could call our [championship game] the Banana Bowl.?

About 185 attended the luncheon, which was held at Carmel Country Club. Award recipients included Charlotte-based Campus Crest Communities for its nationwide innovations in student apartment homes. But not all winners were in the commercial game: Non-profitVictory Junction, a NASCAR-themed camp for children (a much better option than when we tried to play 'pit crew' with our dad's car before he went to work), was founded by racing legend Kyle Petty and wife Pattie. It was honored for providing life-changing experiences to kids with chronic medical conditions and other serious illnesses.

Among those attending was Flagship Capital Partners' Jim Rogers. The program acknowledged the efforts of people who have been doing projects that, while not strictly for-profit, are nonetheless adding to the depth  of Charlotte's overall appeal, Jim told us. ?These are people doing projects that make Charlotte more prosperous and marketable,? Jim said. ?They inspire people to greater achievement.?