It is the day before the opening of the 2012 Democratic National Convention (DN C), and first-time host city Charlotte, N.C., is electric with anticipation.
"It was like waiting to take the field at the Super Bowl," recalls Mike Butts, executive director of Visit Charlotte, the sales and marketing arm of the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA). "After well over a year of planning and preparation, it was kick-off time, and the energy was palpable throughout the city."
When it was all over a week later, Charlotte came off the field victorious. There were only a handful of arrests, mainly of protestors obstructing traffic, and the only damper of any significance was the rain. Otherwise glitch-free, the DN C stands as a crowning achievement that sent Charlotte's approval rating as a major event destination soaring.
"Overall, I think the world has taken notice of what this city can do," said Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx in a post-DN C interview. "This is a city that really when it puts its mind to solving a problem or taking on challenge, does it."
Hosting more than 1,100 parties and events before and during the convention, Charlotte put on a memorable show, reportedly prompting former Democratic party chairman Terry McAuliffe to tell Mayor Foxx that "we ought to make this the permanent site" for the DN C. The Republicans were similarly impressed. After the event, senior strategist Charlie Black said he would "love to see" his party select Charlotte for its 2016 national convention.
This triumph is all the more remarkable for the fact that Charlotte, North Carolina's largest city and America's second largest banking center, barely had a convention presence a decade or so ago. So just how did it succeed in winning and hosting this singular citywide event? Ultimately realized by cando spirit, the story starts with one woman's unassailable belief in what the city could do, given the chance.
Vision Quest
After attending the 2008 DN C in Denver, then City
Council member Susan Burgess returned home on a mission.
"She was persuaded that Charlotte had the ability to host the next DN C," Butts relates. "It was Susan who first approached DN C leadership, and it was her determination that got the ball rolling—foremost credit for the 2012 event goes to her."
Burgess, who passed away in 2010, did not see her dream come true. Yet, her vision proved an irresistible catalyst as city, state and business leaders went on to actively campaign for the convention. Foxx, with his own vision for telling Charlotte's story to the world, and Duke Energy CEO James Rogers, who co-chaired the DNC committee, both played crucial roles in winning the bid.
Logistically speaking, Charlotte was in ready shape to host the DNC.
"With key assets including Charlotte Douglas International airport, the light railconnected Charlotte Convention Center and Time Warner Cable Arena and our quality hotel package, the infrastructure was already in place," Butts says. "Plus, our convention district met the requisite standards of convenience, accessibility and walkability, while we were also able to offer a diverse range of entertainment venues, attractions and other amenities."
The pursuit of the DNC was not unlike going after any other major event, Butts adds.
"As for a major tradeshow or convention, you look for the strategic basis for bringing delegates to a given locale," he says. "In the case, having Democrats as both mayor and governor—and with North Carolina seen as a swing state—helped seal the deal."
Charlotte won the bid in February 2011, and already ahead of the curve with all necessary infrastructure in place, dove right into the business of organizing for the event.PageBreak
Key Notes
An immediate priority was security planning.
"Homeland Security, the Secret Service and the FBI worked directly with the city and our police department," Butts says. "They did a remarkable job—I have never felt safer."
Supported by additional police officers from across the Southeast, D.C. and Chicago, the combined force was everywhere.
"They struck the right balance between First Amendment rights and protection, with little incident," Butts says.
For the CRVA, the first task was locking up venues, planning the myriad events and activities—and working toward securing 15,000 hotel rooms across the city for the DNC's official room block.
"It was a real flurry of activity at first, which picked up again as the DNC staff came together," Butts recalls. "The pace really picked up starting in June."
With the lead-up to the convention involving numerous site visits and meetings for state delegates and corporate groups, the bureau hired extra staff to liaise directly with the DNC Committee and other key players.
"The Charlotte community works very well together when organizing major events," Butts says. "Our office, the convention center and the arena all report to the same board of directors and to CRVA CEO Tom Murray, which helps keep communications and objectives streamlined, and everybody on the same page."
The main stage for the convention was the Time Warner Cable Arena, where 20,200 seats were filled for the action and where assistant general manager Jeff Mann brought operational expertise to bear from his days at the FleetCenter in Boston, host venue for the 2004 DNC.
With other principal venues including the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the half-millionsquare-foot EpiCentre dining, entertainment and hospitality complex, and the multivenue Levine Center for the Arts, Charlotte comfortably housed, moved, fed and entertained the more than 35,000 delegates, media, VIPs and elected officials in attendance.
"We even worked out a deal with the hotels to permit late check-outs for all delegates flying out later in the day," Butts says. "Combined with special arrangements at the airport, this significantly alleviated the pressure on hotel checkouts and airline check-ins. The most anyone had to wait going through security at the airport was 15 minutes."
Top-Tier Performance
In terms of economic impact, the CRVA has
commissioned an official study, which is
due at the end of the year.
"It's reasonable to expect that Charlotte will be in the range of the $149 million which Denver generated at the last DNC," Butts says.
Already of inestimable value to Charlotte, though, is the positive aftermath from the city's organization, planning and execution of the event.
"We have received so much positive feedback, especially on Charlotte itself," Butts says. "Watching the convention on TV opened many people's eyes to all that the city has to offer, and we look forward to the group, event and visitor bookings this heightened awareness will bring."
The CRVA and the city did not wait for the event to begin to start leveraging its success.
"That started the moment we won the bid," Butts explains. "Our message now is that Charlotte can confidently handle largescale meetings and events, no matter the complications or demands."
For Tom Murray, the DNC success shows that Charlotte can shine among any top-tier destination.
"We boast the accessibility of Atlanta or Chicago, we have a walkable, safe convention area that attendees are able to explore and we have cultivated assets like the NASCAR Hall of Fame and Levine Center for the Arts that set our city apart," Murray says. "The positive feedback we've received from both the media and attendees keeps coming and reaffirms that every bit of the hard work over the last three years, from bid to execution, was worth it."
Regular Meetings Focus South contributor Jeff Heilman registers his vote for all the good things that Charlotte and North Carolina offer groups.
