Tagged: DNC2012

An outside study released Monday says the Democratic National Convention pumped $163 million into the Charlotte-area economy – making it the largest tourism event the city's ever held. WFAE's Julie Rose has this analysis of the study.

$163 million is on the low end of the original estimate city officials gave for what the DNC might mean to the Charlotte economy. That's what stands about this economic impact study – typically they're criticized for being way too rosy.

Original estimates placed the economic impact of the DNC in Charlotte between $150 million and $200 million.  We'll know today if it came close. WFAE's Julie Rose reports:

Charlotte tourism officials have been known to over blow predictions of economic impact for various conventions, so they hired an outside firm to come up with a credible number for the DNC. 

Last weekend, volunteers for both campaigns knocked on doors and called voters to get them to head to the polls. There were also some big names in the area – at least for President Barack Obama.

Early voting is now underway in North Carolina. And this year, registration data show more voters are choosing not to affiliate with any political party. One quarter of the state’s electorate is now “unaffiliated”---a rise of 21 percent since 2008. In fact, in Mecklenburg County, unaffiliated voters have overtaken Republicans. But NOT SO FAST says WFAE’s political analyst Michael Bitzer. He’s been analyzing the data, and he tells Duncan McFadyen just because people are distancing themselves from parties, it doesn’t mean they’ve changed their partisan leanings.