http://66.225.205.104/CM20110620.mp3
Democratic National Convention organizers and Charlotte boosters are reaching out to spread the good news. Their message is that great things are looming for the region because of the 2012 convention. Dan Murrey, the head of the Charlotte in 2012 host committee, says the convention is an endorsement of the city. "The impact for us is not just that week. The impact is going to be throughout the future and having a reputation as a national city as opposed to a regional city," Murrey said last week at a forum sponsored by the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce. Some of the comments made at the forum got the attention of Charlotte Observer columnist Ron Stodghill. He stopped by our studios and recorded this commentary. The sentiment is surely flattering. Steve Kerrigan, convention planner for the Democratic National Committee, sat coolly before an expectant crowd last week at Central Piedmont Community College: "The story of Charlotte is the story we want to tell at this convention," he said. Kerrigan gushed over the Queen City's remarkable gift for reinvention and resilience. And he predicted that, during these rough economic times, the world will be inspired by our city's fortitude. That's not hard to imagine. What's tougher is Kerrigan's prediction of a windfall between $200 and $300 million based on the previous two Democratic National Conventions - Boston in 2004 and Denver in 2008. "The short- and long-term benefit of hosting a convention is staggering," he told a standing-room-only crowd. In Denver and Boston, there are some valuable lessons to be learned about sorting hype and hubris from reality. Click here to read the rest of the commentary, or click here to listen.