The political season is upon us. This is the time of year that money flows for many. Radio, television and newspapers feed on the frenzy as advertising space gets booked up quickly. Printing shops will do well as candidates try to out do their opponents with promotional yard art. Just a few months ago, states were clamoring over each other, even threatening to sue, in order to move their primaries up on the calendar. The simple reason states want that earlier campaign cacophony is all about being in the spotlight. There is little doubt that politicians will be where the glare of the spotlight falls.

September 3rd through 6th, 2012, there will no brighter glare–international glare–than the spotlight on Charlotte as the Queen City hosts the Democratic National Convention. There is perhaps no other event in the country (aside from the Republican National Convention) that will garner as much attention. It is expected that the convention will draw 30,000 delegates, their families and visitors (possibly a conservative estimate) as well as 15,000 media representatives from around the world. We can also expect to see thousands of political action committee representatives. The short-term economic impact of the DNC has been suggested to be as much as $200 million dollars. If you or your business are interested in being considered as a vendor during the DNC, you can register at www.demconvention.com. There are opportunities for a vast array of service and product providers.

Conversations among community leaders discussing how our community can benefit from the convention are ongoing. Surely, there will be a plentiful amount of fun(d) to be shared, right? Large blocks of rooms have been reserved at local lodging facilities. We can expect moderate positive impact on local restaurants and other service businesses. Be cautioned, however, that betting the bank on the cash register ringing continuously is probably a long shot. During the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, communities 30 to 50 miles away from the epicenter expressed only moderate short-term benefits. If that is indeed the case, what is the big deal?

The big deal has nothing to do with your political party affiliation nor is it the short-term cash infusion into the region (although that doesn’t hurt). The most important thing the Democratic National Convention will bring to this area IS the attention. What do we look like under the glare of the global spotlight? Economic development organizations in the Charlotte region spend thousands of dollars every year to promote the high quality of life in the area, and we hope that their marketing materials prompt people to glance at us. This coming September, we won’t have to hope.

Rest assured, community activists will probably pull together some events that might attract a small contingent of the conventioneers. Our best opportunity to shine will be, however, in the positive impression that we present. People WILL talk about the Charlotte region before, during and after the Democratic National Convention. Through our hospitality, acceptance of diverse opinions, and our willingness to help when asked, we can ensure that the talking about Charlotte, as well as Iredell County, will be positive.