NASCAR Hall of Fame damaged in Charlotte protests

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) The NASCAR Hall of Fame in downtown Charlotte was open Thursday, hours after its exterior was damaged during violent protests over the police shooting of a black man this week.

The Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority oversees the NASCAR Hall of Fame building and the convention center next door.

''The damage at our CRVA venues consists of broken exterior windows at the Charlotte Convention Center and NASCAR Hall of Fame and a breach that took place at one of our tenant spaces at the NASCAR Hall of Fame,'' said Laura Hill White, director of communications for the CRVA.

The breach on the property was to a restaurant connected to the Hall of Fame.

The $160 million Hall of Fame museum opened in 2010 and is part of a complex that includes the office tower for NASCAR's Charlotte headquarters.

Hill said both the Hall of Fame and Convention Center had events scheduled Thursday and nothing had been canceled.

''The safety of these meeting attendees who have traveled significant distances to convene in Charlotte is especially important to us, and we're working to take appropriate security precautions,'' she said.