CHARLOTTE, N.C. — CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- After hearing more than 100 speakers Monday afternoon, the Charlotte City Council voted 6-5 to accept contracts to host the Republican National Convention in 2020.
The Republican National Committee is expected to make a decision this week in Austin, Texas on which city will get the RNC two years from now. The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Charlotte will beat out Las Vegas as the host city.
When Charlotte formally submitted the bid in April, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority CEO Tom Murray said in a statement that hosting the RNC will not only generate "substantial economic impact" but also place the Queen City on a national stage.
The Democratic National Convention, held in Charlotte in 2012, generated an economic impact of more than $163 million to the Queen City. To put that number in perspective, the highly-anticipated 2019 NBA All-Star Game is expected to bring an estimated $100 million to the city of Charlotte.
Several Democratic city council members said they would vote against holding the event: Dimple Ajmera, Justin Harlow and LaWana Mayfield. Ajmera, in a statement, wrote, “Taxpayers will be on the hook for potential liability, unknown risk, and exposure.” Mayfield said her concern was President Trump’s policies on minorities and immigration.
Charlotte City Council released an executive summary of RNC contract ahead of Monday's special meeting. The contract said if the city's costs exceed $50 million, the host committee will be asked to pick up the tab.
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