Anderson's cultural and recreational amenities make it a great place to live. Anderson provides abundant recreation and tourism opportunities. Lake Hartwell has 960 miles of shoreline and offers boating, skiing, fishing and just pure relaxation. The City of Anderson provides local recreation opportunities with its 4 community centers, 18 parks, and 22 tennis courts on 181 acres. The city also has joint partnership with Anderson School District 5 for two swimming facilities.
The continual growth of urban Anderson results in increased developments for its residents. According to the 2000 census, population of Anderson County increased to 165,740 in 2000 from 145,196 in 1990.
Residents have been able to enjoy the sports and entertainment found at Clemson University, just 20 minutes from the City of Anderson. County residents as well as out of town visitors can enjoy a wide variety of first-class sports, cultural and educational events. Several thousand fans utilize hotels, motels, and restaurants each fall as they attend football games at Clemson University. During these five or six weekends per year, visitors pump hundreds of thousands of dollars into the local economy.
Closer to home, Anderson College also provides a full calendar of cultural events at its Callie Stringer Rainey Fine Arts Center. The center has a 1,100 seat auditorium, recital hall, theater, and art gallery. The Anderson Symphony, Greater Anderson Musical Consortium (GAMAC), and the Anderson Chamber Orchestra often provide concerts at the Rainey Fine Arts Center.
The Anderson Civic Center, which seats 5,100 also provides various community events, professional performers, trade shows and craft shows. The Civic Center is complemented by a 15,000 seat amphitheater, and a $4 million sports complex containing 4 softball fields, 1 NCAA baseball field, 3 soccer fields, 8 tennis courts, playgrounds, nature trails, and jogging tracks. The 64-acre Anderson Sports and Entertainment Center is capable of booking musical events, baseball tournaments, and nationally known events such as the All-American Rhythm and Blues Festival and Freedom Weekend Aloft - a hot air balloon festival held on Memorial Day weekend drawing as many as 200,000 attendees.
The Electric City Depot and Anderson County Farmer's Market has 30 bays for selling and a parking capacity for 36 trucks. The building is not only used for the farmers, but is used as a multi-functional facility for other city events, such as a downtown barbeque or arts and crafts shows.
Anderson County serves as an important element in the overall Upstate retail market due to its location and regional appeal. Studies have revealed that with more than 1,000 wholesale and retail trade businesses, shoppers from at least eleven counties, in South Carolina and Georgia, visit Anderson regularly. Gross annual retail sales in Anderson County have shown a steady increase over the past ten years. Sales have grown from $1.8 billion in 1990 to over $3.0 billion in 1999.
When driving along Clemson Boulevard in Anderson, it's easy to see that this area has become the commercial center of the county. The Anderson retail market is anchored by several large retail centers along Clemson Boulevard. Some examples include Anderson Mall, Target, Best Buy and Anderson Station, consisting of Old Navy, Stein Mart, Shoe Carnival, Ross Dress for Less, and Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Anderson is a strong retail "magnet" and it is attracting major retail chains. Residents no longer have to drive to Greenville to shop.