Can Charlotte Regain Its New South Swagger With 2012 Democratic Convention?

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- The Democratic National Committee has put Charlotte where it wants to be, in the running for a shiny, potentially lucrative prize. All that stands in the way of the city hosting the 2012 Democratic National Convention are Cleveland, St. Louis and Minneapolis. Though Ohio, Missouri and Minnesota are also states with electoral votes the party craves, Charlotte likes being in the hunt.

Private supporters of the idea have set up websites, a Facebook page, a Twitter feed and a YouTube channel with a video extolling the city's virtues, with plenty of images of office towers and tree-lined streets.

Not only would the convention bring $150 million to $200 million to the region's economy, as estimated by the mayor's office, it would also draw thousands of visitors, and "put our city, our region and our state on an international stage," according to Mayor Anthony Foxx. Charlotte's DNC 2012 Host Committee is co-chaired by Foxx and Duke Energy's chief executive, Jim Rogers.

There are, of course, political reasons that make Charlotte a logical choice for national Democrats. President Barack Obama won North Carolina by 14,000 votes in 2008, and a national convention -- with the spotlight and the money that go with it -- could help keep the state competitive, which is looking like a long shot right now. It would be a Democratic showcase in the South, a strong region for the GOP and right next door to marquee Republican and Newsweek cover subject Nikki Haley. Republicans have already chosen Tampa as its 2012 convention site.

But Charlotte would have been just as excited by a Republican bid. As North Carolina's Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue said, "Regardless of party, this event could generate economic benefits through the Queen City area and the state." (Queen City? Charlotte and the county containing it are named in honor of the German Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg, who married British King George III. Visitors to the convention, if Charlotte is chosen, can see a statue of her at the airport.)

The city has something to prove. The institutions that made Charlotte the second largest banking center in the country -- after New York, as most anyone would tell you a few years ago -- took a hit during the financial crisis. Bank of America has a new chief executive; the onetime regional giant Wachovia is part of San Francisco-based Wells Fargo.

Despite some recent bad news -- such as library cutbacks and teacher layoffs that have dogged cities across the country -- Charlotte has some experience at beating out other places for sought-after attractions. The NASCAR Hall of Fame, which opened in May, added a gleaming swoop to the skyline. By 2012, the Mint Museum Uptown will have opened at the Wells Fargo Cultural Campus, which also includes the Knight Theater, the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts and Culture and the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, designed by Mario Botta. (The New York Times approves.)

After hosting 60,000 to 70,000 visitors for the National Rifle Association annual meeting in May, Charlotte is confident it can handle the Democratic convention. Mike Allen's Politico Playbook predicts Charlotte for the win, with St. Louis as backup. Taking a different view, Charlie Cook, editor of the Washington-based Cook Political Report, said he would "be astonished" if Charlotte were picked. The DNC is expected to announce its choice by the end of the year.

Though the city has never hosted a national political convention, the state has had some Final Four experience. The Legislature celebrated keeping the NCAA men's basketball championship in North Carolina's borders two years in a row (UNC-Chapel Hill last year; Duke in 2010). That favored son Michael Jordan now owns the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats has got to be a good sign for a city that's at its best when it's in a fight.

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