DNC announces Charlotte for 2012 convention

It’s official: The 2012 Democratic National Convention will be held in Charlotte, N.C.

The convention, a key component in President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign, will be held during the week of Sept. 3, 2012, first lady Michelle Obama announced Tuesday afternoon. Joanne Peters, spokeswoman for the Democratic National Committee, said Obama chose Charlotte over St. Louis, Minneapolis and Cleveland.

“It was a difficult choice between four great cities,” Peters said. “Charlotte presented a strong bid and had the resources and support to put on an amazing convention in 2012.”

The decision was communicated by the first lady in an e-mail addressed to Organizing for America, a grassroots support organization for the Obama campaign.

“Charlotte is a city marked by its southern charm, warm hospitality and an ‘up by the bootstraps’ mentality that has propelled the city forward as one of the fastest-growing in the South,” she wrote.

Charlotte-based marketing group Luquire George Andrews began working in summer 2010 with a local organization, Charlotte in 2012, to develop a proposal for a bid. The company “has been in business for 26 years and has been active in promoting the Charlotte region for a variety of clients for most of that time,” said LGA Senior Vice President David Coburn.

The city was promoted based on its abundance of hotel rooms—more than 30,000—and its experience in hosting large-scale events such as NCAA Final Four games and regional tournaments, NASCAR races and the 2010 National Rifle Association annual meeting. The groups also noted that Charlotte Douglas International Airport offers non-stop service to more than 134 destinations and has 695 departures each day. Information on which venues within the city will be used is yet to be released.

The convention is expected to generate an economic impact of between $150 and $200 million; this will allow an investment of $40 to $45 million to be directed toward libraries, schools, parks and public safety within the city, according to the Charlotte in 2012 website. The site also reported that between 30,000 and 35,000 delegates are scheduled to attend the event.

The Republican Party will have its own convention in Tampa, Fla. Similar to the situation in North Carolina, Obama won the popular vote in Florida during the 2008 presidential election but Republicans obtained the majority of victories in the 2010 midterm elections.

William Chafe, Alice Mary Baldwin Professor of History and an expert on American politics, said the selection of Charlotte was part of a strategy to keep North Carolina in the Democratic column. He added, however, that the same could be said of Cleveland and Minneapolis.

“It may be that the [Democratic Party] feels North Carolina is the least secure and most ‘up-in-the-air’ of the three states,” Chafe wrote in an e-mail. “In any event, having the convention in Charlotte can only help in a tight race.”

Governor Bev Perdue called the announcement “fantastic news for North Carolina regardless of your political party” in a news release Tuesday.

“A national political convention is a keystone event that will boost North Carolina’s economy, while showcasing Charlotte and our state to the nation and the world,” she said. “What they will see when they get there is what hundreds of businesses already know—Charlotte’s smart investments in infrastructure, cultural attractions and amenities have produced a climate perfect for work and play.”

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