Contact: Suzi Emmerling; 704-444-8331; semmerling@clt2012.com

CHARLOTTE – This week, Charlotte in 2012 released a Request for Proposal (RFP) seeking to work with a Barbeque sauce vendor as part of the merchandising effort for the convention. The RFP calls for three different types of BBQ sauces; mustard, vinegar, and tomato, to represent and showcase the different styles from around the Carolinas. The sauces will be sold together in Charlotte in 2012’s online merchandise store to people from across America.

“I love the food from this region – I even smoke my own pork - so I understand very well the importance of selecting three barbeque sauces that truly represent the flavor of the Carolinas,” said Dan Murrey, Executive Director of Charlotte in 2012. “We expect bids from eastern Carolina, western Carolina and South Carolina…Needless to say it will be a challenge to select the best sauces, but I think I speak for my entire team when I say that we are looking forward to the taste test.”

This is part of a grassroots fundraising effort, and proceeds go toward funding the convention. Charlotte in 2012 is the first Host Committee in convention history to raise convention funds without accepting monetary corporate contributions; monetary contributions now come from individuals, foundations and charitable organizations.

Those interested in submitting a proposal to sell barbeque sauce must register their business in the Vendor Directory at www.charlottein2012.com and must be open to working with Charlotte in 2012 on any creative designs having to do with the bottle and labels. Sauces must be made in America, and preference will be given to those made in the Carolinas. Final proposals are due by Monday, February 27th, 2012.

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Read more: Barbecue Sauce RFP

Please send proposals to Jackie Bateman at jbateman@clt2012.com by Feb 27, 2012

Contact: Suzi Emmerling; (980) 228-6327; semmerling@clt2012.com

CHARLOTTE, NC - At a press conference today at the Charlotte Museum of History, the Charlotte in 2012 Convention Host Committee announced the venues that have been selected to host welcome events for the 15,000 members of the media and approximately 6,000 delegates coming to Charlotte for the 2012 Democratic National Convention. The Media Welcome Event on Saturday, September 1, 2012 will be at the North Carolina Music Factory. The Delegate Welcome Event will be held on September 2, 2012, and divided between 12 unique venues around the region.

For many of the visitors, these events will be their first impression of the city. Hosting events at 13 venues also expands business opportunities to companies across the region.

In the coming weeks, Charlotte in 2012 will be seeking event planners to plan the events at each venue site. The Requests for Proposal (RFP) will be released on Thursday through the Vendor Directory that can be found at www.charlottein2012.com. RFP’s will also be reviewed at a closed press information session this Thursday, February 2nd, 2012.

“This announcement demonstrates how hard we are working to showcase the entire Charlotte region while maximizing the economic impact of the 2012 convention,” said Mayor Anthony Foxx, Co-Chair of the Committee for Charlotte.

“We are very proud to announce thirteen separate venue locations to welcome convention delegates and members of the press,” said Dan Murrey, Executive Director of Charlotte in 2012. “Hosting our guests at these distinct venues truly puts our best foot forward as we welcome these folks to Charlotte, many coming here for the first time.”

The locations of the Delegate and Media Welcome Events are as follows:

On Saturday, September 1, credentialed media will be invited to the Media Welcome Event at the North Carolina Music Factory. This venue was selected both for its capacity and for its wonderful story. Like many Charlotteans do, father and son Rick and Noah Lazes recognized opportunity when they saw it. It was in the form of an aging, unused textile mill that they transformed into the North Carolina Music Factory, a 37-acre entertainment district on the edge of Uptown Charlotte. It offers 14 world class venues, from upscale dining to outdoor courtyards. Members of the media from all over the world will see firsthand how Charlotte takes a modern approach to its rich history.

On Sunday, September 2nd, approximately 6,000 delegates will be hosted at 12 different venues in the region at official Delegate Welcome Events. The venues represent the diversity, culture, landscape and history of the Charlotte region. Selected venues include:

East of Uptown is the Charlotte Museum of History. This museum is an educational organization collecting, sharing and celebrating the history of the Charlotte region. The ten acre site of the museum is also home to Charlotte’s oldest surviving building, the Hezekiah Alexander House.South of Uptown delegates will be hosted at the Duke Mansion. The mansion takes its name from James Buchanan Duke. It would be difficult to tell this region’s story without including the Duke legacy, which includes Duke University, Duke Energy, and the Duke Endowment, a Carolinas based foundation.

West of Charlotte, in Gaston County, is the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. Over 380 acres of lush meadows, manicured gardens, and an orchid conservatory were gifted to this region by Charlottean and textile executive Daniel Stowe for all to enjoy.

Huntersville offers a true gem in the region, The Carolina Raptor Center. This facility is dedicated to the conservation of birds of prey and offers a full-service avian hospital and a living museum with over 25 species of raptors.

Delegates will be welcomed at a US Olympic training facility – the U.S. National Whitewater Center. It is located on over 400 acres of woodlands in western Mecklenburg County along the banks of the Catawba River and boasts world class whitewater rafting, kayaking, rock climbing, zip-lining and biking.

The people of the Carolinas have always cherished animal life and natural surroundings, and The Raptor Center, the Stowe Botanical garden, and the U.S. National Whitewater Center illustrate that passion beautifully.

Just West of Uptown is the Wadsworth Estate. Built in 1911 in the historic Wesley Heights neighborhood, this estate has seen a variety of transformations, but was recently purchased by former Judge Shirley Fulton. The Wadsworth Estate is situated on one of charlotte’s beautiful tree-lined streets and faces Charlotte’s Uptown and city skyline.

The region holds a proud heritage in stock car racing and the NASCAR Hall of Fame celebrates the sport’s history and honors its icons that have made significant contributions to the sport.

While NASCAR is beloved here in North Carolina, so are the arts and sciences. Delegates will be entertained at the Mint Museum which is home to local, American and European contemporary art as well as one of the finest collections of craft and design. The collection has moved in rece nt years to an architecturally striking home, but The Mint was the first art museum in North Carolina and has provided this region with cultural enrichment for over 75 years.

Charlotte is also home to the largest movie going experience in the Carolinas, the IMAX theater housed in Charlotte’s very own Discovery Place. Delegates will enjoy active exploration of science, nature, and technology including a new aquarium, exotic rainforest, and other interactive exhibits.

Another Charlottean who has bestowed a gift upon this region to further enrich the cultural landscape is Andreas Bechtler. An immigrant from Switzerland, he made his family collection of more than 1400 artworks of mid-20th century art, such as Warhol and Picasso, available for viewing in The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art.

Charlotteans will agree that our city would not be where it is today if not for our former Mayor, a man who continues to lead both locally and nationally, including his role as co-chair of Charlotte in 2012’s Steering Committee, Harvey Gantt. The Harvey B. Gantt Center celebrates the rich legacy of African-American art, history and culture through dance, music, visual art, film, educational programs, theatre productions and community outreach.

And last but certainly not least is the nation’s most comprehensive interpretation of the post-Civil War American South at the Levine Museum of the New South. This museum boasts award-winning exhibits and programming to deepen awareness and understanding of the “New South.”

Please contact Suzi Emmerling at semmerling@clt2012.com or 704-444-8331 with further questions about the official Media Welcome Event or the official Delegate Welcome Events.

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Contact: Suzi Emmerling, 704-444-8331 semmerling@clt2012.com

RELEASE: Charlotte in 2012 Convention Host Committee Introduces Courtney Counts, Director of Volunteer Operations

Charlotte, N.C. – The Charlotte in 2012 Convention Host Committee today introduces the Director of Volunteer Operations, Ms. Courtney Counts.

“The task at hand is no small feat: Courtney will recruit, train, and deploy the volunteers who will be the face of Charlotte during the convention,” said Charlotte in 2012 Convention Host Committee Executive Director Dan Murrey. “This is a critical role and we are thrilled that she has joined the team -- she has done this before and she will do it again. She has roots in North Carolina and I know that she and her volunteers will make our city and state proud.”

Counts comes to the committee after serving in a similar role for the North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee, where she assisted with recruiting, training and managing volunteers to fill up to 10,000 volunteer shifts within the North Texas region during the week of and leading up to the Super Bowl.

Counts hails from Orlando, Florida, has family here in North Carolina and has now achieved a life-long goal of moving to her father’s native state. She is a graduate of Florida State University receiving a Master of Science in Sport Administration and a Bachelors of Arts in International Affairs and Political Science.

Counts and her team are currently building a Volunteer Management System that will enable interested volunteers to build a personal profile that includes skills and interests. The Charlotte in 2012 Convention Host Committee will send notification when the system has launched.

If you would like to schedule an interview with Ms. Counts, please contact Suzi Emmerling at 704-444-8331 or email at semmerling@clt2012.com.

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Though 2012 will be the first convention for 27-year-old Jackie Bateman, she’s already a veteran campaigner. The Mankato, Minn., native — who got her start fundraising for her former high-school teacher’s unlikely congressional run — has moved to Charlotte as grassroots finance director for Charlotte in 2012. She is already a fan of the city and is featuring the Charlotte skyline in new merchandise designed to raise money and appeal to young contributors.

Bateman is part of the team charged with raising $36.65 million for the 2012 convention without corporate cash or individual donations more than $100,000 (though Duke Energy has guaranteed a $10 million line of credit). She's responsible for the merchandise (she worked with designer Dawn Kussman of Fayetteville) as well as a just-ended contest with the prize of airfare and hotel during convention week for those who signed up online at www.charlottein2012.com for updates. And she oversees events designed to draw in donors.

“I like being in politics. I like the fast pace of it. I like being able to move around and meet so many people,” Bateman said. “I’m good at it.” Since the DNC kick-off event in September, the host committee has signed up 100,000 people across every state.

Bateman was one of those high-schoolers who, as part of a youth-in-government program, traveled to her state capital for a weekend of mock legislating. Her activism became real in 2005 when she was a student at the University of Wisconsin in Madison and heard that Tim Walz, her former global studies teacher and a retired Command Sergeant Major in the Army National Guard, was challenging a 12-year incumbent to represent her largely rural home district in the U.S. Congress.

“I honestly wanted to do communications,” she said, but a friend told her, “‘No, I’ve got that job.’” Fundraising wasn’t filled yet. “So I sent in my resume and I called him and he called me back, and he was, like, ‘Have you ever fundraised before?’ and I was, like, a little. I’ve been to a couple of fundraisers.

“That’s the beauty of working for a first-time candidate," Bateman said. "The communications director was a first-time communications director. We were all incredibly green — which was kind of the beautiful thing about the whole campaign,” she said. “I remember the day we got our first $1,000 contribution.”

Walz won. “No one thought that we could do it,” Bateman said. Though she said the campaign didn’t get national party support, the comedian and author Al Franken, who had a national radio show at the time, met Walz and became an advocate. Bateman got a call from Franken’s team when he decided to run for the Senate; she stayed for his close election and the recount for the current senator from Minnesota.

As deputy finance director, a favorite duty was call time, sitting in a room with the candidate for eight to 10 hours, making phone calls to voters. (When she now occasionally runs into Franken, he will always say, “'Remember when we did call time,'” she said.) Bateman also planned events that featured such guests as actor Bradley Whitford and Democratic political adviser Paul Begala, the benefit “of having a candidate that knows everyone,” she said.

In her next job, raising funds for the state party in Minnesota, Bateman found out that selling the person is a lot easier than selling the party. “Everybody takes everything out on the state party,” she said. But it’s where she started doing more grassroots fundraising. “Our state party was really funded on getting 15,000 people to give $25, building our e-mail list and building our direct mail list and having low-dollar events.”

The Charlotte host committee is a nonprofit, nonpartisan 501c3 with the support of many of the city’s boosters of all parties. Bateman, though, is a lifelong Democrat — the only one in her high school class who supported Skip Humphrey in his Minnesota gubernatorial race against Norm Coleman and eventual winner, former wrestler Jesse Ventura. She packed some favorite vintage outfits and headed from St. Paul to Charlotte when she got the call from the convention finance director.

In her Charlotte-based grassroots finance job, Bateman is responsible for the merchandising, Internet and e-mail marketing, social media outreach and low-dollar events. Since August, Bateman has lived close to convention headquarters Uptown, and has attended concerts at the Neighborhood Theatre and the Visulite as well as a NASCAR race.

She drove down with her supportive mother, who is, like the rest of her family, not political at all. “I love my parents. I consider them ‘Joe voter.’ They call me up and say, ‘So I saw this commercial,’ and if they tell me the messaging we were going for, I’m like, ‘That’s working.’”

And her thoughts on Minnesota’s most prominent GOP presidential hopeful? Bateman disagrees with most of Michele Bachmann’s political positions. But, as she said, “Minnesota likes to have its balance.”

Mary C. Curtis, an award-winning Charlotte, N.C.-based journalist, is a contributor to The Root, NPR, Creative Loafing and the Nieman Watchdog blog. Her “Keeping It Positive” segment airs Wednesdays at 7:10 on TV’s Fox News Rising Charlotte, and she was national correspondent for Politics Daily. Follow her on Twitter.

Contact: Suzi Emmerling, Press Secretary
980-228-6327
semmerling@clt2012.com

RELEASE: Committee for Charlotte in 2012 Announces Convention Host Committee and Steering Committee Members

Committee for Charlotte Will Host A Press Availability Today, September 27, 11:30 a.m., Details Below.

Charlotte, NC - Today marks the announcement of the members of the Committee for Charlotte in 2012’s Host Committee and Steering Committee. Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx and Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers will serve as co-chairs of the Host Committee, with Governor Beverly Perdue and Senator Kay Hagan serving as Honorary Co-Chairs of the Host Committee. Mayor Harvey Gantt will serve as Chair of the Steering Committee and Governor Jim Hunt and Mr. Hugh McColl will be the Honorary Co-Chairs of the Steering Committee. A full list of members and chairs is below.

“We are fortunate to have a diverse array of talented and dedicated people who are committed to the success of Charlotte, the Carolinas, the greater southeast region and the Convention,” said Foxx. “This bipartisan group of leaders, some from within and some outside of Charlotte, will ensure that the convention planning process connects to the Carolinas and beyond. I look forward to working with all of them to put forward the best convention ever."Host Committee members will keep informed of progress on the convention and upcoming events, and they will communicate to the constituents and interest groups they represent about convention planning activities and opportunities to participate. The Committee for Charlotte will look to committee members to provide information about ways to engage the broadest cross-section of the public in the convention efforts.

The Steering Committee will serve in an advisory role to the staff and leadership of the Committee for Charlotte. Their collective voice will ensure that Charlotte’s story is told authentically to the broadest possible audience.

"The Steering Committee represents a diverse group of people that will bring the hopes and concerns of their constituencies to our discussions," said former Mayor Harvey Gantt. "Their insights will be invaluable in serving the convention and this region."

The members of the Host and Steering committees have committed to attending regularly scheduled meetings. Some individuals within the group may be called upon for help with special projects based on their individual area of expertise. They serve in a volunteer capacity and will not receive payment or benefits.

“We are incredibly grateful for the time and energy these people are committing to the success of this convention,” said Dan Murrey. “Their work is a public service to the Charlotte community and the Carolinas.”

Host Committee Members

Governor Beverly Perdue, Honorary Co-Chair
Senator Kay Hagan, Honorary Co-Chair

Mayor Anthony Foxx, Co-Chair
Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers, Co-Chair

The Honorable Kelly Alexander
The Honorable Martha Alexander
Ms. Barbara Allen
The Honorable John Arrowood
The Honorable June Atkinson
The Honorable Michael Barnes
Mr. Tim Belk
Mr. Erskine Bowles
The Honorable G.K. Butterfield
Ms. Concetta Caliendo
The Honorable Patrick Cannon
The Honorable Becky Carney
The Honorable Nancy Carter
The Honorable Dumont Clarke
The Honorable Eva Clayton
The Honorable Dan Clodfelter
The Honorable James Clyburn
The Honorable Harold Cogdell
The Honorable Warren Cooksey
The Honorable Roy Cooper
Ms. Pat Cotham
The Honorable Tricia Cotham
The Honorable Jeanette Council
The Honorable Janet Cowell
Mr. John Crumpler
The Honorable Walter Dalton
The Honorable Charlie Dannelly
Mr. Donald Davis
Ms. Aisha Dew
The Honorable Andy Dulin
The Honorable George Dunlap
The Honorable Beverly Earle
Ms. Olma Echeverri
The Honorable Doug Echols
Ambassador Mark Erwin
The Honorable Bob Etheridge
Mr. Ken Eudy
Mr. Scott Falmlen
Ms. Carol Fowler
Mr. Dale Frederiksen
The Honorable Henry Frye
The Honorable Phillip Gilfus
The Honorable Wayne Goodwin
The Honorable Jeffrey Graham
The Honorable Malcolm Graham
The Honorable Parks Helms
Ms. Eliza Hernandez
The Honorable David Howard
The Honorable Yvonne Johnson
The Honorable Allen Joines
Mr. Larry Kernea
The Honorable Patsy Kinsey
The Honorable Larry Kissell
The Honorable Vilma Leake
Mr. Steve Lerner
Ms. Georgia Jacquez Lewis
The Honorable Elaine Marshall
Ms. Betty Ray McCain
The Honorable Mike McIntyre
The Honorable John McNeill
The Honorable Charles Meeker
The Honorable Brad Miller
The Honorable James Mitchell
The Honorable Rodney Moore
The Honorable Cornelia Olive
The Honorable Scott Padgett
Mr. Robert Page
Mr. David Parker
The Honorable Cyndee Patterson
The Honorable Edwin Peacock
The Honorable David Price
The Honorable Betty Chafin Rash
The Honorable Heath Shuler
The Honorable John Spratt
The Honorable Brad Thompson
Mr. Ed Turlington
Mr. John Verdejo
Mr. Everett Ward
Ms. Joan Washington
The Honorable Mel Watt
Ms. Gwen Wilkins
The Honorable Beth Wood
Major General Cornell Wilson, Jr. (Ret.)

Steering Committee Members

Governor Jim Hunt, Honorary Co-Chair
Mr. Hugh McColl, Honorary Co-Chair

Former Mayor Harvey Gantt, Chair
Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx, ex officio Chair

Mr. James Andrews
Ms. Dianne Bailey
Mr. Shannon Binns
Ms. Crandall Bowles
The Honorable Dr. Jason Burgess
Mr. Brett Carter
Ms. Gabi Culpepper
Ms. Marni Eisner
Mr. Frank Emory
Mr. Mitchell Gold
Mr. Cameron Harris
Ms. Landra Johnson
Dr. Clifford Jones
Mr. Michael Jones
Ms. Cynthia Marshall
Dr. Michael Marsicano
The Honorable David Grier Martin
Ms. Angeles Ortega-Moore
Mr. Will Miller
Mr. Andrew Plepler
Ms. Karen Popp
The Honorable Dr. Wilhelmenia Rembert
The Honorable Jennifer Watson Roberts
Mr. Jim Rogers
Rabbi Judy Schindler
Mr. Stoney Sellars
Mr. Robert Stolz
Ms. Marion Sullivan
The Honorable Mike Todd
The Honorable Richard Vinroot

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The local group preparing Charlotte to host the 2012 Democratic National Convention released the names of its host and steering committee members Tuesday. And the list mostly reads like a Who's Who of Carolinas Democrats.

Except for the handful of Republicans, that is.

That's right: At least four members of the GOP will be part of Charlotte's effort "to put on the greatest convention that this country's ever seen," as Dan Murrey, CEO of the host committee, put it at a Tuesday news conference.

Among those appearing in front of the microphone with Murrey was Charlotte council member Andy Dulin, a Republican who asked Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx to name him to the host committee.

Dulin made it clear his focus will be on showcasing Charlotte and enriching local businesses rather than propelling President Barack Obama - the star of next September's convention - to a second-term victory.

"I would like for the conventioneers and the service people who come to Charlotte ... to have the best time they've ever had, spend lots of money, have a safe time - and then be disappointed in November (2012)," Dulin told reporters. "But I'm not worried about November now. I'm worried about safety and business opportunities in September 2012."

Joining Dulin on the 85-member host committee - co-chaired by Foxx and Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers - will be the two other Republicans on the Charlotte City Council, Edwin Peacock and Warren Cooksey.

Former Charlotte Mayor Richard Vinroot, also a Republican, will sit on the 33-member steering committee, an advisory group that will be chaired by another former Charlotte mayor, Harvey Gantt, a Democrat.

Dulin & Co. may get some guff from rank-and-file Republicans, but N.C. GOP Chairman Robin Hayes said it was a smart move by the host committee planning the Democratic gathering.

"All of those folks are good citizens," Hayes said, and know that the convention is an opportunity to show off the Charlotte region.

"We've got to help our local economy," Hayes said. "The president and governor sure aren't."

Speaking of Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue, she will be one of the two honorary co-chairs of the host committee; U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C., is the other.

The honorary co-chairs of the steering committee: Former N.C. Gov. Jim Hunt and former Bank of America CEO Hugh McColl.

Every Democratic member of Congress from the Carolinas also was named to the host committee, as were two former members - John Spratt of South Carolina and Bob Etheridge of North Carolina - who lost their seats in 2010.

The host committee also will include Democratic state legislators, state officials, county commissioners and Democratic activists.

Former UNC System President Erskine Bowles, who ran for the U.S. Senate twice as a Democrat, is on the host committee. His wife, former textile executive Crandall Bowles, is on the steering committee.

Unlike the national Democratic Party's Convention Committee, an unapologetically partisan group that's planning the actual convention in Time Warner Cable Arena, the two local committees announced Tuesday will focus on making sure Charlotte is ready for its big moment on national TV. Also important: that city and state groups feel included and have a voice in the planning.

Murrey said both committees will meet regularly - by conference call, if necessary - and offer "valuable feedback" from their various constituencies around the state.

Members of the host committee live all over the state, while members of the smaller steering committee are mostly local and represent various communities - faith, business, labor, Latino - whose "hopes and concerns" will become part of the discussion as the city gears up for the convention, Gantt said.

Charlotte isn't setting any precedent by including Republicans in this effort. The host and steering committees that readied Denver to host the 2008 Democratic National Convention had Republican members - and GOP financial contributors.

In gearing up for a national political convention, "it's a community thing, not a Democratic thing, at the host committee level," said Chris Lopez, communications director for the 2008 host committee in Denver. "You need everybody pulling for you, helping out - no matter what their political stripes are."

In Tampa, Fla., site of the 2012 Republican National Convention, there are at least three Democratic business leaders on the city's host committee governing board, said Matt Becker, chief operations officer.

On Tuesday, Republican Dulin said he's contributed no money to the host committee effort so far, but wouldn't rule it out down the road.

As the Democratic convention approaches and the partisan rhetoric flies, he said he hopes to keep his focus on having a safe and profitable convention.

"Am I going to have more Democratic paraphernalia floating around the city of Charlotte than I like? Sure. Would I like to be supporting the Republican Convention? Sure," Dulin said.

"But the Democrats are coming. And I'm committed to helping the host committee and the steering committee make a great convention for the city."

Staff Writer Celeste Smith contributed.

Bob Page. Photo Credit: Replacements, Ltd.

CHARLOTTE — Three of North Carolina’s most well-known LGBT businessmen and philanthropists were named Tuesday to host and steering committees for Charlotte’s Democratic National Convention in 2012.

Bob Page. Photo Credit: Replacements, Ltd.

Hickory furniture-maker Mitchell Gold was named to the Charlotte in 2012 Steering Committee. Greensboro’s Bob Page and Dale Frederiksen of Replacements, Ltd., were named to the Charlotte in 2012 Host Committee.

Both Page and Gold have given generously to the Democratic National Committee, though Page leads in contributions. Page has contributed nearly $140,000 to the party since 2007, according to a quick review of Federal Elections Commission records available at OpenSecrets.org. From 2007 to 2009, Gold contributed $7,500 to the party. Both men and Frederiksen, Page’s partner, have also given varying amounts to the state Democratic Party and several Democratic candidates.

The 2012 steering committee will be chaired by former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt with an honorary chairmanship given to former North Carolina Gov. Jim Hunt. The committee will serve in an advisory role to the staff and leadership of the Committee for Charlotte, the group originally formed to coordinate the city’s bid to host the DNC next September.

Co-chaired by Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx and Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers, the host committee’s honorary chairs are Gov. Bev Perdue and U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan. Host committee members will keep informed of progress on the convention and upcoming events. They will be charged with communicating to constituents and interest groups various opportunities to participate and engage in convention planning processes.

The Democratic National Convention stands to bring some 35,000 visitors and worldwide media attention to the Queen City in during Labor Day weekend, September 2012.

The nonprofit charged with hosting the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte has recruited more than 100 past and present elected officials and community leaders to help in the effort.

The majority of the names on the "Charlotte in 2012" host and steering committees are Democratic city and county officials, state lawmakers and members of Congress - both current and former. But a handful of Republicans have agreed to help out: former Charlotte Mayor Richard Vinroot and the three Republicans currently serving on the City Council.

It's a tricky assignment for Councilman Andy Dulin.

"Am I going to have more Democratic paraphernalia floating around the city of Charlotte than I would like? Sure," said Dulin at a press conference announcing the host committee members. "Would I like to be supporting the Republican convention? Sure. But the Democrats are coming and I'm committed to helping the host committee and the steering committee make it a great convention for the city."

Dulin hopes Democrats "have the best time they've ever had, spend lots of money, have a safe time, and then are disappointed in November."

"But I'm not worried about November now, I'm worried about safety and business opportunities in September," added Dulin.

The host and steering committees will be responsible for recruiting volunteers and donations for the convention effort. The Charlotte host committee has committed to raise nearly $37 million for the Democratic National Convention and none of it can come from corporations or lobbyists.

Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers is leading the fundraising effort as co-chair of the host committee. He says the money is coming in, but the effort is challenging. He and other host committee officials have repeatedly refused to say how much they've raised (even though organizers for the Republican convention have released their fundraising numbers). In an interview last week, Rogers said the Democratic National Convention Committee has recommended silence:

"One of the things that the DNCC really impresses upon us is that we need to work hard, raise the money, not talk about how much we've raised at any time because we just need to keep the momentum going and continuing to raise the money," said Rogers.

If you say you're reaching the goal, donors may not feel the sense of urgency, says Rogers. The host committee and the DNCC have pledged to disclose donations regularly online, but have yet to establish a timeline for that disclosure.

More than 100 people will serve on the host and steering committees along with Echols, including former U.S. Rep. John Spratt, N.C. Gov. Bev Perdue and Sen. Kay Hagan.

As a host committee member, Echols will attend regularly scheduled meetings, staying informed of progress on the upcoming convention and events as well as opportunities to participate.

"We need to start being very intentional in engaging the citizens in this city, across the state and region in our planning," said former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt.

More than 80 people make up the Democratic National Convention Host Committee.

Their role is to stay on top of updates and events. They are also responsible for making sure that information gets out to the public in Charlotte and beyond.

More 30 people make up the Steering Committee. This group will act as an advisory group and connect with the community and give feedback to the Host Committee.

The groups are very diverse and include Republicans such as Charlotte city Council member Andy Dulin.

"We're going to be bringing hundreds of jobs in and out as we ramp this thing up and as a Republican on the Host Committee, I am zeroed in on making sure we have a safe and profitable convention in September of 2012," said Dulin.

Charlotte resident Angeles Ortega-Moore, the former executive director of the Latin American Coalition, is on the Steering Committee.

"My role as I see it, is to promote Latino businesses, connecting visitors with the best restaurants in town or if they need child care, or connecting them to language interpreters," said Ortega-Moore.

Some South Carolinians are also in the mix.

Former U.S. Rep. John Spratt said people there are eager to get in on the DNC action. "Hardly a day goes by where someone doesn't say 'Hey, get me some tickets' or 'Hey, I'd be happy to volunteer,'" said Spratt.

Everyone on the committees is donating their time and will not get any kind of payments or benefits for their work.

The groups plan to meet regularly leading up to the convention but meeting dates haven't been set yet.

Kathy Wright, left, of Charlotte and Rachel Watkins of Toluca, N.C., show off their new 2012 Democratic National Convention souvenirs following the rally Tuesday in Charlotte at Time Warner Cable Arena.

Democrats launched the one-year countdown to the party's 2012 national convention Tuesday with a pep rally that touted Charlotte as well as the president they expect to renominate in the city next year.

It came a year from the day President Barack Obama would accept the nomination - and on the day a new national poll showed his job approval at a record low.

Tuesday also brought an escalation in the battle for North Carolina, a state Obama won by just 14,000 votes in 2008.

"I don't have to tell you how important North Carolina is going to be to the next presidential election," national party Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz told an estimated 2,000 people in the concourse of Time Warner Cable Arena. "Together we'll keep North Carolina blue."

But the Republican National Committee launched a radio ad in North Carolina and seven other states that Obama carried, blasting his record on jobs, health care and spending.

"It's morning again in America. Is Barack Obama finally waking up?" the ad says. "After a 10-day luxury vacation on Martha's Vineyard, the president says he'll finally get serious about jobs."

The rally, heralded by a marching band from Livingstone College, attracted Democrats, students and party supporters from the region. It also drew vendors hoping to capitalize on an event expected to draw more than 35,000 people next Sept. 3-6.

"This is great for our state," said Carrie Peele, a director of the N.C. and National Limousine Associations. "We're going to bring in (limos) from all over North Carolina."

Mayor Anthony Foxx described Charlotte as a city that historically has "reached for the future." He announced four community initiatives he hopes can be a "legacy" of the convention: engaging young people, joining First Lady Michelle Obama's child nutrition efforts, promoting small businesses and making the city "a model of (energy) sustainability."

"Welcome to the future, welcome to Charlotte," he said.

Wasserman Schultz said Democrats chose Charlotte because the city "has a story to tell." She called it a city "that reflects America in the 21st century (and) an example of the can-do spirit."

But she and others made clear that the convention is all about Obama's re-election.

To underscore that, they unveiled a logo - a red, white and blue circle - that echoes the one Obama used in 2008.

The president's low polls

The rally came hours after a new Washington Post-ABC News poll showed just 43 percent of Americans approve of the president's job performance, a new low. A Politico/George Washington University poll showed 72 percent of U.S. voters say the country is headed in the wrong direction.

Obama is scheduled to make a new jobs proposal Thursday. Speaking to reporters, Wasserman Schultz, a House member from Florida, said the president is prepared to make jobs an election issue if her GOP congressional colleagues balk at his initiative.

Even Democrats at the rally expect a fight in a state Obama carried by just 14,000 votes out of 4.3 million cast. Last month, Raleigh-based Public Policy Polling found 46 percent of N.C. voters approved of his job performance.

"It's going to be a battle," said Pittsboro Mayor Randy Voller, who chairs the Chatham County Democratic Party. "But (the convention) will make a tremendous difference. It'll energize the Democrats and like-minded independents."

Two years after Obama carried Chatham by 3,192 votes, Republicans unseated two Democratic county commissioners.

N.C. State Auditor Beth Wood acknowledged that many North Carolinians voted for Obama for a change they have yet to see.

"Many people thought it would happen overnight. It didn't," she said. "But having the convention here will help a tremendous amount. It'll bring energy and excitement and will make it more likely we'll all work together."

A people's convention?

Former Mayor Harvey Gantt and Wasserman Schultz trumpeted the claim that this would be "the first convention in history to be funded by the people."

New party rules bar money from corporations, lobbyists, political action committees, and individual donations over $100,000 in raising the $37 million for the convention itself.

However, organizers are seeking corporate money in raising up to $15 million for the convention host committee. Belk and Wells Fargo are two companies that have acknowledged plans to give.

"Taking corporate money is a violation of President Obama's pledge not to do so, and they should not be allowed to campaign on faulty rhetoric," N.C. Chairman Robin Hayes said in a statement.

Republican mayoral candidate Scott Stone called on Foxx to be "more transparent" regarding convention costs and fundraising.

Convention organizers have declined to give progress reports. The Federal Election Commission requires no financial reports until after the convention. A host committee spokesperson declined to comment.

After the rally, knots of people clustered around a table stocked with merchandise featuring the new convention logo.

Rachel Watkins of Lincoln County plopped down $300 for buttons, T-shirts, tote bags and water bottles.

Kathy Henley, 73, of Lexington County in South Carolina bought a $25 T-shirt and three buttons.

"It's very inspiring," she said of the new logo.

Q. How important is the convention to President Obama's hopes of carrying North Carolina?

The goal of everyone involved in the process was to select a city that will host a well-executed convention that will help put President Obama on the path to victory next November. We felt it was important to underscore our expanded map in 2012, and that we will be competitive in all regions of the country, including the South.

It was incredibly exciting that the president turned both North Carolina and neighboring Virginia blue for the first time in many years in 2008.

Q. Republicans hold their convention in your home state of Florida. Will that help them there in November?

Of course, the Republican convention will have a positive economic impact on my home state, and I'm sure Floridians will be wonderful hosts for that convention. But the location of the Republican convention doesn't change the fact that the GOP is advancing the same failed policies of the past - ending Medicare as we know it, slashing Social Security, and balancing the budget on the backs of middle-class families. ... Holding the convention in Florida won't change those facts.

Q. Gallup has Obama's approval rating among independents at 35 percent. How does he change that?

We believe that the president is well-positioned for victory in 2012. He is doing the job the American people elected him to do, fighting for middle-class families every day. In contrast, Republicans are fighting for the special interests, millionaires and billionaires.

Q. Voters gave Republicans a lot of victories in 2010. How do you avoid a repeat in 2012?

The midterms were tough, but we're taking the lessons of that election and applying them to 2012. We are working hard, fostering relationships, and strengthening our strong and vibrant Democratic communities in all 50 states, and I'm confident we're on track to win in 2012.

Q. How will Democrats portray Charlotte?

The Democratic National Convention offers a unique opportunity to showcase this dynamic, diverse and vibrant city on the world stage. Under the leadership of Mayor Foxx, Charlotte is a growing and vivacious community that reflects America in the 21st century.

We all can learn a lot from Charlotte about building a better future and rebuilding the economy in a way that creates opportunities for everyone. Charlotte is a great example for the rest of our country as its leaders are doing what President Obama has set out to do - strengthening and diversifying through education, technology, research and development, innovation and entrepreneurship to leverage good jobs for the American people.

As many as 2,000 people from around the region filled the concourse at Charlotte's Time-Warner Cable Arena this morning for the official kick-off rally for the 2012 Democratic National Convention.

National Democratic Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz unveiled the convention logo -- a red, white and blue circle patterned after President Obama's 2008 campaign logo.

And Wasserman Schultz made clear that the point of the convention is Obama's re-election.

"I don't have to tell you how important North Carolina is going to be to the next presidential election," she announced. "Together we'll keep North Carolina blue."

In 2008 Obama carried the state by 14,000 votes. Also today, the Republican National Committee launched a radio ad in North Carolina and seven other states Obama carried, blasting his record on jobs, health care and spending.

Former Mayor Harvey Gantt, like Wasserman Schultz, touted the fact that this would be "the first convention in history to be funded by the people."

Fundraisers are barred from taking corporate contributions, lobbyist's money or individual donations over $100,000 in raising the $37 million for the convention itself.

Republicans also criticized organizers for seeking corporate contributions in raising up to $15 million for the convention host committee.

"Taking corporate money is a violation of President Obama's pledge not to do so, and they should not be allowed to campaign on faulty rhetoric," N.C. Chairman Robin Hayes said in a statement.

The Democratic chair and Mayor Anthony Foxx touted Charlotte's 'can-do" spirit as one reason the city landed the convention.

"We ... know that great futures happen when we set the bar high and we pull together to reach it," Foxx said.

Travis Dredd, 40

Who he is: Chief of staff for the Democratic National Convention Committee.

Where he's from: Los Angeles.

What he's doing: When he's not unpacking boxes and setting up offices, he's in meetings - lots of them. Working directly under convention CEO Steve Kerrigan, he oversees teams handling everything from delegate housing to security to the overhaul of Time Warner Cable Arena.

A staff of a couple of dozen will grow to 200.

"The main focus right now is just building a team to get all the things done that we're trying to put together."

How he got here: The former Marine has been in and out of politics for over a decade.

He worked on the presidential campaigns of Democrats Al Gore in 2000 and John Kerry in 2004, sandwiching in a stint as legislative aide to Sen. Diane Feinstein of California.

In 2004, he was executive director of the inaugural X Prize Cup, a space flight competition in the New Mexico desert.

He managed operations inside Denver's Pepsi Center at the 2008 Democratic convention. After the election he went to the U.S. Energy Department as senior adviser to Secretary Steven Chu, a job he held until this summer.

What's next: He'll be in Chicago this week for a Democratic National Committee meeting. There, convention organizers will hold a lottery which, like a pro sports draft, will determine the order in which state delegations choose their hotels.

Later this month, organizers will request proposals from contractors for temporary renovations of the arena. Work will begin next summer.

His next race: This month he plans to run a 200-mile relay race through the Potomac valley. His team name: "12 Faceless Bureaucrats."

Dan Murrey, 46

Who he is: Executive director Charlotte Host Committee.

Why you know him: He served a term as Mecklenburg County commissioner before losing his re-election race last fall.

He's a Davidson College graduate with a medical degree and a masters in public policy from Harvard. A spine surgeon, he's on leave as CEO of OrthoCarolina.

What he's doing: Building a staff, creating budgets, reaching out.

"The first several months of anything like this is really a lot of behind-the-scenes planning and coordinating."

What his staff is doing: Last week they released a vendor directory designed to help local businesses land a piece of what's expected to be more than $150 million in spending on the convention.

They're also raising the nearly $37 million the DNCC will spend on the convention and drawing plans for as many as 10,000 volunteers needed once the convention begins.

What drives him: "We don't just want to put on the last convention, we want to put on something innovative and connected and really representative of this place."

What's surprised him: The public reception.

"I know a lot of people's political affiliations and it doesn't seem to matter ... One of the things that sets us apart is how people pitch in, and how you just can't do well, you have to do good."

What keeps him up at night? "Caffeine."

Dockery Clark, 51

Who she is: Chief of staff for the 2012 host committee.

Where she's from: Greensboro. She majored in economics at UNC Chapel Hill.

Why you might know her: She worked for the Bank of America from 1993 to 2004 as a senior vice president and Sports Marketing and Global Sponsorship Executive. One accomplishment: She brought top golfer Annika Sorenstam to the 2003 Bank of America Colonial - the first woman in a half-century to play on the men's PGA Tour.

In 2005, Sports Illustrated named Clark the number five "most powerful women in golf," just ahead of a young Michelle Wie.

She also negotiated multi-million sponsorships with other sports including NASCAR, Major League Baseball and the NFL.

How she got into sports marketing: A competitive tennis player herself, her first job out of college was with the World Championship Tennis circuit, founded by Lamar Hunt.

What she did after leaving Charlotte in 2005: She moved to Milwaukee and then Chicago as head of sports marketing for Miller-Coors.

In 2010, she moved to Colorado Springs as chief marketing officer for Professional Bull Riders. She was there when Dan Murrey offered her the job back in Charlotte.

"I had the trifecta of the 'B's cornered. I went from banking to beer to bulls."

On translating her marketing experience to politics: She calls the convention "the Super Bowl of politics."

"If you think about what makes a successful business, it's all about product management ... It's about telling the story about Charlotte we want told. ... I've never known Charlotte not to be forward-thinking and progressive about where we want to go and how to get there. It's fun to be part of that."

Why she's a good fit: "I've got experience in a lot of different areas ... I've always had a sense of confidence I could accomplish whatever I set out to do."

Perhaps of most interest to regional business owners is the new Vendor Directory tool, which will help national organizations connect with local and regional businesses in order to meet their convention-related needs. The Vendor Directory is required by the Democratic National Convention Committee and aims to ensure that all businesses in Charlotte and in the region have a chance to participate in the many opportunities coming to Charlotte during this historic convention.

“I have no doubt that local businesses are primed to make the Convention a success,” said Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx. “The vendor directory connects them to opportunities and new business relationships that may extend beyond the Convention.”

The creation of the directory was a requirement under the Master Contract, signed in April of this year. Mayor Foxx, the City of Charlotte and the DNCC each support the success of the Vendor Directory with a shared goal of creating the most open and inclusive environment that maximizes opportunities for local businesses.

“The Democratic National Convention Committee is committed to ensuring that this is the most open and accessible convention in history,” added DNCC CEO Steve Kerrigan. “As a lasting investment for the city, we’re proud to have worked with the host committee to develop a vendor directory that will catalogue local businesses and link visiting groups with goods and services in the area during convention week and beyond. The vendor directory is a tool that will strengthen inclusiveness and opportunity in the city and region.”

Murrey and Hamilton, charged with building the directory, emphasized that this tool will be interactive, and explained that it was designed to serve various groups that will travel to Charlotte to host events and other activities during the convention. These groups will be able to quickly search through various filters in the directory, such as goods, services, location, and categories of business owners. Additionally, this tool will assist in the procurement process for many of the services secured by the Democratic National Convention Committee and the Host Committee.

Committee for Charlotte 2012 CEO Dr. Dan Murrey said “One of the Host Committee’s most important responsibilities is to prepare Charlotteans to welcome nearly 35,000 people to our city. One key piece of this will be to educate Charlotte businesses on how they might have a chance to participate in the hundreds of opportunities coming to Charlotte next fall.”

“Since I joined this team, the success of the Vendor Directory has been my highest priority,” said Robyn Hamilton. “We reached out into the community, met with subject matter experts, and attended meetings and listening sessions to make sure we got this right. And we will continue to reach out so that business owners know about the Vendor Directory and use it to their advantage.”

Murrey and Hamilton urged local businesses to think outside the box when imagining what types of goods and services might be needed. “We estimate that more than 1,000 events will be held in Charlotte outside of official DNC activity, and the opportunities for Charlotte businesses will run the gamut. We will encourage all groups and organizations coming to town to use this directory to find the goods and services that they need,” said Dr. Murrey.

Those interested in registering should be prepared to provide a variety of information such as the name of their business, Federal Tax ID number, questions regarding the size, nature, and capabilities of the business, among many others. The Vendor Directory can be found on the Host Committee’s website, www.charlottein2012.com.

If you are a member of the press and would like speak with a member of the Committee for Charlotte 2012 about the new website or the Vendor Directory, please contact Suzi Emmerling at semmerling@clt2012.com or 980-228-6327 .

Contact:
Suzi Emmerling, 980-228-6327
semmerling@clt2012.com

Charlotte's selection on Tuesday as the site of the 2012 Democratic National Convention not only marks a triumph for organizers but signals President Barack Obama's intent to build on the Southern inroads he made in 2008.

"We wanted to show we were playing in a very aggressive way going to the South," said Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine.

2/1/11 - Jim Rogers (left), CEO of Duke Energy, and Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx celebrate Charlotte being named the site of the 2012 Democratic National Convention, at the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday afternoon.

Copyright © David T. Foster III

Charlotte, once considered a dark horse by some, beat out Cleveland, Minneapolis and St. Louis and will host the party's first Southern convention since 1988.

"We have an unmatched opportunity to show the world what a beautiful, energetic, innovative and diverse city we are building," Mayor Anthony Foxx told a packed news conference.

Copyright © Paul Purser

Or, as Democratic fundraiser Cameron Harris gushed in opening the event, "Hot damn! Wasn't that good news!"

One organizer said the city's demonstrated ability to raise the needed private money - at least $53 million - may have given it an edge.

The convention that starts on Labor Day 2012 is expected to generate more than $150 million in economic benefits. It will bring in more than 35,000 delegates and visitors as well as international attention to a city that has long aspired to be "world-class."

"This is the culmination of decades of city-building," said Foxx as he recounted the mushrooming growth that brought NBA and NFL franchises.

It also affirms the once-lonely dream of the late city council member Susan Burgess, who pushed for the convention years ago when few thought it possible.

"It was such a lofty vision no one thought it could happen," said her son Jason, who was named to her council seat after she died last year.

First lady Michelle Obama was among those who broke the news in an e-mail to supporters.

"Charlotte," she wrote, "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."

The convention will bring President Obama to a county that helped him become the first Democratic presidential candidate in 32 years to carry North Carolina and drive a wedge into the traditionally solidly red South.

His 100,000-vote margin in Mecklenburg County helped him carry North Carolina by a scant 14,000 votes out of 4.3 million. It was his narrowest margin of victory in any state.

"This selection should put to rest any notion that the presidential map in 2012 is going to shrink," said a senior party official who asked not to be identified.

"President Obama will be very active in North Carolina and ... despite what some have speculated, we are going to go as big in 2012 as we did in 2008 - and that means fighting hard for North Carolina, Virginia and all the states and more that helped elect President Obama in the first place."

A poll last month found Obama's popularity rebounding in North Carolina.

For the first time in more than a year, more North Carolinians approved of his job performance than disapproved, according to Raleigh-based Public Policy Polling. Obama also led each of his four most prominent Republican rivals.

Former Democratic U.S. Rep. John Spratt of York County said a Charlotte convention can help Democrats in the South.

"It's an astute choice," said Spratt, who lost his seat in November. "It's an indication Democrats are not giving up on the South and are serious about trying to strengthen their foothold here."

A tough U.S. Senate race in Missouri also may have affected the choice.

The New York Times reported Tuesday that Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill told the White House a St. Louis convention that could attract protesters and compete for fundraising might complicate her re-election bid. Obama narrowly lost Missouri in 2008.

But Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics, said Charlotte made the most political sense of the four finalists.

"We don't know where the economy is going to be but if it's much better, Obama has at least a shot in North Carolina, he has a much better shot in Virginia," Sabato said.

"All you can do with a convention is send a message. And the message of choosing North Carolina is that Obama is going to fight for every state he won in 2008."

Big fund drive ahead

Organizers will have to raise more than $50 million in direct and in-kind contributions. Some of the money would go toward major upfits of Time Warner Cable Arena.

Denver organizers raised $60 million for the 2008 convention - more than the $40 million it originally promised. The 2004 Boston host committee raised $57 million. Much of the money came from labor unions and corporations.

"Boston went into it with no money. Denver went into it with $1 million. We're much beyond that," said Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers, co-chair of Charlotte's convention effort.

Rogers declined to say how much has been raised or pledged. "The fact that we demonstrated we can raise money was one of the edges we had," he said.

This wasn't the first time Charlotte tried to lure a national political party convention.

In mid-1997, a group called Carolinas 2000 sought to interest both parties in choosing the city. Charlotte failed to make the cut with Democrats but did make the short list of nine cities in the running for the GOP convention, which ultimately went to Philadelphia.

Republicans announced last May that their convention would be in Tampa the week before Democrats convene in Charlotte.

Gov. Bev Perdue called the decision "fantastic news for North Carolina regardless of your political party. 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."

Rogers said the selection "clearly elevates our city to a new level in national and world stature.

"Only a few singular events in the U.S. rival the domestic and worldwide media exposure of a major political convention: a presidential inauguration, a royal wedding, the Super Bowl and the Olympics. The economic and reputational significance of being chosen for this honor cannot be overstated."

In her e-mail to supporters, Michelle Obama called Charlotte "vibrant, diverse, and full of opportunity."

"The Queen City," she said, "is home to innovative, hardworking folks with big hearts and open minds. And of course, great barbecue."

Staff writer Steve Harrison, The New York Times and Matt Garfield of The (Rock Hill) Herald contributed.

Charlotte, which Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama carried in 2008, has earned the party's 2012 national convention. Obama won the primary and general election in North Carolina – the first Democrat to do so since Jimmy Carter in 1976.

Copyright © Calvin Ferguson

Charlotte will host the nation’s Democrats – and President Obama’s presumptive re-election campaign – in 2012.

The Democratic National Committee announced today that Charlotte beat out Cleveland, Ohio; St. Louis, Mo.; and Minneapolis, Minn.

“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,” First Lady Michelle Obama wrote in an email to supporters Tuesday. “Vibrant, diverse, and full of opportunity, the Queen City is home to innovative, hardworking folks with big hearts and open minds. And of course, great barbecue.”

“We’re honored that the Democratic National Committee chose Charlotte to host its 2012 convention,” Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx said in a statement. “Thanks to the hard work and support of so many throughout our community, we have an unmatched opportunity to show the world what a beautiful, energetic, innovative and diverse city we are building in Charlotte. As we tell the story of Charlotte, and what a great place our city, state and region are to live and do business, we also will tell the story of America to our fellow citizens and our neighbors around the world.”

North Carolina was critical to Obama’s election in 2008. He clinched the party’s nomination by beating Hillary Clinton in May, then topped Republican challenger John McCain in November – making him the first Democrat to win the state since Jimmy Carter in 1976. North Carolina Democrats benefitted from Obama’s strength, especially Gov. Bev Perdue, whose victory over Charlotte Republican Pat McCrory was attributed to record turnout among young adult and black voters. Another beneficiary, U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, called the pick “a great day for the people of

North Carolina. It’s a testament to the great things going on in North Carolina. We’ll have a lot of flights coming in from all over and people will take advantage of what the state has to offer. It’ll show the impact of North Carolina on the rest of the nation and that it’s the best state in the country.”

“This process offered some great choices,” DNC Chairman Tim Kaine wrote in an email. “There were many cities eager for the opportunity to host our convention, and we are thankful for their participation throughout the year. The bid process was thorough. Our Technical Advisory Group conducted extensive site visits, and our allies and political leaders offered lots of important input.

“After reviewing feedback from all these individuals, I am confident that Charlotte is an ideal location.”

Duke Energy Corp. CEO Jim Rogers, who co-chairs the Charlotte In 2012 organizing committee with Foxx, said: “Charlotte’s selection clearly elevates our city to a new level in national and world stature. Only a few singular events in the U.S. rival the domestic and worldwide media exposure of a major political convention: a presidential inauguration, a royal wedding, the Super Bowl and the Olympics. The economic and reputational significance of being chosen for this honor cannot be overstated.”

The convention will provide another boost to Charlotte’s tourism industry, which has scored major singular events like the National Rifle Association and the annual CIAA basketball tournament to bolster the bottom line. The city apparently benefited from the Obama family’s fondness for North Carolina’s diversity.

“Barack and I spent a lot of time in North Carolina during the campaign – from the Atlantic Coast to the Research Triangle to the Smoky Mountains and everywhere in between,” Michelle Obama wrote. “Barack enjoyed Asheville so much when he spent several days preparing for the second presidential debate that our family vacationed there in 2009.”

The convention, which will take place the week of Sept. 3, 2012, will attract an estimated 30,000 to 35,000 delegates, international media and national political leaders.

“Today’s decision is fantastic news for North Carolina regardless of your political party,” said Perdue, honorary chair of Charlotte In 2012. “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. What they will see when they get here 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.”

DNC Chairman Tim Kaine, in an e-mail to committee members Tuesday morning, called it a “tough choice.” He congratulated Charlotte on its selection and called it “an ideal location.”

The party picked Charlotte over St. Louis, Minneapolis and Cleveland for the event to be held the week of Sept. 3, 2012.

In an e-mail to members of Organizing for America later Tuesday morning, first lady Michelle Obama called Charlotte “a city marked by its Southern charm, warm hospitality and an ‘up-by-the-bootstraps’ mentality that has propelled the city as one of the fastest-growing in the South.” She also cited its “great barbecue.”

Barack Obama narrowly carried North Carolina in 2008, and the administration has lavished attention on the Tar Heel State in the years since in hopes that it again will be in the Democratic column in 2012. (See POLITICO 2012 LIVE)

Charlotte’s convention bid touted it as an exemplar of the cosmopolitan “new South.” But the city also has potential drawbacks: Its hotels are not unionized. It is a hub for the banking industry — a sometime populist villain. And the local NAACP recently called for a boycott after the city’s public schools used the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday as a makeup for snow days.

Still, Charlotte officials hailed the selection Tuesday.

“We have an unmatched opportunity to show the world what a beautiful, energetic, innovative and diverse city we are building in Charlotte,” Mayor Anthony Foxx said in a news release. “As we tell the story of Charlotte, and what a great place our city, state and region are to live and do business, we also will tell the story of America to our fellow citizens and our neighbors around the world.”

Jim Rogers, CEO of Duke Energy Corp. and co-chairman of the city’s convention bid, said the convention would put Charlotte on the map in a major way. “Charlotte’s selection clearly elevates our city to a new level in national and world stature,” he said.

In her e-mail to supporters, Michelle Obama called for a grass-roots “People’s Convention” and provided a link for online input.

“We will finance this convention differently than it’s been done in the past, and we will make sure everyone feels closely tied in to what is happening in Charlotte,” she wrote. “This will be a different convention, for a different time.”

She noted, “Barack and I spent a lot of time in North Carolina during the campaign — from the Atlantic Coast to the Research Triangle to the Smoky Mountains and everywhere in between. Barack enjoyed Asheville so much when he spent several days preparing for the second presidential debate that our family vacationed there in 2009. And my very first trip outside of Washington as first lady was to Fort Bragg, where I started my effort to do all we can to help our heroic military families.”

Although studies show that political parties’ choice of convention state has no apparent effect on their electoral performance there, the site inevitably becomes part of a story the party hopes to tell about its path to victory.

In 2008, Democrats chose Denver as part of a narrative designed to highlight the interior West as a new battleground region; the party, with Obama atop the ticket, went on to win Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico. The RNC’s 2008 selection of St. Paul, however, couldn’t save the party’s chances in Minnesota.

The 2012 GOP convention is slated to be held in Tampa, Fla., another perennial swing state.

Officials in St. Louis, which along with Charlotte was an unofficial front-runner for the convention, expressed disappointment but sent well wishes to the winner.

“The news today ... was not what we all wanted to hear, but we offer sincere congratulations to Charlotte and look forward to being there in September of 2012,” St. Louis Host Committee and city Democratic Chairman Brian Wahby wrote in a statement.

St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay, a Democrat, said on his blog that he believed the party made its decision because of the dim electoral prospects Missouri offers. Obama narrowly lost the state in 2008.

“St. Louis was not selected for 2012 for reasons of electoral politics,” he wrote. “That is a decision of the president and his reelection team. I will not fault it. ... We just aren’t the South.”

Democrats suffered massive losses in the South in 2010, leading many to conclude that the party can no longer compete in the region and might focus its energies elsewhere as Obama seeks reelection. But party strategists believe Virginia, Florida and North Carolina, all of which Obama won previously, are not out of reach in a high-turnout presidential election.

The selection of Charlotte, a senior Democratic official said, “should put to rest any notion that the presidential map in 2012 is going to shrink. President Obama will be very active in North Carolina and ... despite what some have speculated, we are going to go as big in 2012 as we did in 2008 — and that means fighting hard for North Carolina, Virginia and all the states and more that helped elect President Obama in the first place.”

North Carolina has a Democratic governor, Bev Purdue, who is up for reelection in 2012, as well as a Democratic senator, Kay Hagan, who is not. Foxx, the mayor of Charlotte, is viewed as one of the Democratic Party’s African-American rising stars.

DNC Chairman and former Virginia Gov. Kaine, another Southerner, said in his e-mail, “In less than two years, I look forward to coming together with you to renominate President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden for a second term — and to help propel them to victory in November 2012.”

Republicans were quick to signal they plan to put up a fight.

“We look forward to Charlotte being in the spotlight in 2012, but North Carolinians will not be fooled again by empty promises of ‘Hope’ and ‘Change,’” North Carolina GOP Chairman Robin Hayes said in a statement.

“Just last November, North Carolinians rejected the failed policies of President Obama and Gov. Perdue and elected Republicans to lead the North Carolina state House and state Senate for the first time in over 100 years,” he added. “We welcome the Democrats to Charlotte, but they must answer for their misguided policies that have led to more debt, more spending and more government.”

With that, one of the city's most prominent Democrats and business leaders, Cammie Harris, made it official: the 2012 Democratic National Convention is coming to Charlotte.

Harris and a slew of political and business leaders crowed over the selection during a celebratory press conference at the Charlotte Chamber this afternoon.

Charlotte beat out fellow finalists St. Louis, Cleveland and Minneapolis to win the convention, expected to generate $150 million to $200 million in economic impact. Mayor Anthony Foxx and Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers led the successful bid to woo the Democrats for a convention that will re-nominate President Barack Obama.

Time Warner Cable Arena, home to the NBA Charlotte Bobcats, will be the site of most of the convention's major activities.

The news came a day after philanthropists disclosed plans to invest $55 million in private money to bolster the local school system. Mayor Anthony Foxx began his remarks by saying, "I can't wait for Wednesday."

Foxx called Charlotte's successful bid a testament to decades of investing in the city, from Charlotte Douglas International Airport to growth in the center city and beyond. He learned of the Democrats' selection Tuesday morning in a phone call from Tim Kaine, the chairman of the party and a former Virginia governor.

"We will have the best Democratic convention in the history of Democratic conventions — in Charlotte," Foxx said.

The mayor pointed to his co-chair, Rogers, as a key player, describing him as "one of the most tenacious, competitive, we-will-not-lose folks along the way with this effort."

Rogers vowed to raise the $40 million to $50 million in private donations from all over the country to pay for the convention. Since this will be the first national political convention ever staged in Charlotte or North Carolina — and the first for Democrats in the South since 1988 in Atlanta — it takes on greater significance, Rogers said.

Referring to the national party leaders who chose Charlotte, Rogers said, "Our deepest thanks. We will make you proud."

A flurry of congratulatory statements followed news of the convention coming to Charlotte.

U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, a Democrat from Greensboro, said, “I am thrilled that Charlotte has been picked to host the Democratic National Convention in 2012. The economic impact of the convention will be a terrific boost for the many businesses, restaurants, stores and hotels in Charlotte. Once visitors see everything we’ve got going on, I know it will promote tourism to the region in the future."

Denver hosted the Democrats in 2008 and credited the event with an economic impact of $266 million. Tampa Bay is hosting the Republican National Convention next year.

The countdown begins for the city's biggest national moment in 19 months. Members of the Democratic National Committee arrived this afternoon in Charlotte to begin preparations. Kaine and other party leaders will tour the uptown arena on Wednesday as part of the advance work that will continue through 2012.

"We obviously have a lot of working together to do," Foxx said. "Now that we are married, so to speak, we need to introduce ourselves to each other."

The convention begins Sept. 3 and includes a blitz of reporters and TV networks telling the story of the presidential campaign. An estimated 30,000 to 35,000 delegates will attend. Rogers envisions an Olympic Village for uptown during the convention.

Charlotte hosted the NCAA men's Final Four in 1994. Hotels can expect to reap major rewards from the convention, particularly those in and around uptown.

N.C. Gov. Bev Perdue, who, like Foxx, is a Democrat, said in prepared remarks that "today's decision is fantastic news for North Carolina regardless of your political party." Republican political leaders in the state have also supported the bid, including former Mayor Richard Vinroot and former Gov. Jim Martin.

In 2008, Obama won North Carolina, the first time a Democrat had carried the state since Jimmy Carter in 1976. North Carolina has 15 electoral votes. The ticket of Obama and Joe Biden won Mecklenburg County with 62% of the vote in 2008.

While Charlotte's mayor and North Carolina's governor are both Democrats, Republicans took control of the state legislature in the November elections. That victory gave the GOP majorities in the N.C. General Assembly for the first time in more than a century.

Harris and other backers bypassed partisanship in favor of civic pride. Or, as Rogers put it, "We're getting our mojo back!"

On Obama's website, he billed the 2012 convention "the people's convention."