1. The #RNC2020 saga in Charlotte has been a doozy. I've covered it from the start. Here's a recap of some key moments. 
2. When the presentation was made to Charlotte City Council about whether to submit a bid for #RNC2020, only one City Councilmember opposed- @lawanamayfield. This was around January 2018. The city then submitted a bid.
3. Things stayed quiet until March 2018. Sources told @AllisonWSOC9 and me the RNC was paying a visit to CLT. We got our hands of the RFP which said the RNC "will only travel to those cities that are designated as finalists." wsoctv.com/news/local/rnc…
4. In May 2018, we found out officially that Charlotte was a finalist. We also learned "7 cities submitted formal bids for the convention or went through some part of the process"
In retrospect, Charlotte always was the frontrunner.
In retrospect, Charlotte always was the frontrunner.
5. Later that month, the RNC paid another visit to Charlotte. This time 30 members of the delegation came and spent 3 days here. The group received detailed briefings from city leaders on things like traffic, hotels and security
6. Charlotte wined and dined the RNC delegation. Visits to Charlotte Motor Speedway. Breakfast at the Kimpton. A source tells me at the Kimpton, Councilmember James Mitchell announced to the crowd that "RNC2020 stands for "Republicans in Charlotte 2020"
7. We learned later that month through sources that Charlotte was a finalist with Vegas and an "unnamed city in Texas." I never did find out what the city in Texas was. The bid of Vegas was not backed by the city or tourism officials there. It was Charlotte's convention to lose.
8. June 2018. CLT knew they had the RNC in the bag. So much so, that 3 weeks prior to the RNC summer meetings in Austin (where the vote and announcement was took place), sources told me Mayor Lyles and 4 Councilmembers already had flights booked to Austin
9. A couple weeks before the RNC vote, Councilman @BraxtonWinston posted a video to Facebook saying there is a "strong possibility" the convention is coming to Charlotte and more engagement was needed.
qcitymetro.com/2018/07/03/cha…
qcitymetro.com/2018/07/03/cha…
10. After Winston's comments, public opposition started to mount. Councilmembers who were supportive, or at least not vocally opposed to the RNC, started to voice opposition. Dr. Justin Harlow was the second councilmember to come out against it.
11. As opposition picked up steam, Mayor Vi Lyles wrote an editorial saying why she wanted the RNC
"When I ran for mayor, I campaigned on values of community building, equity and job growth. The economic impact from the RNC is supportive of those values."
charlotteobserver.com/opinion/op-ed/…
"When I ran for mayor, I campaigned on values of community building, equity and job growth. The economic impact from the RNC is supportive of those values."
charlotteobserver.com/opinion/op-ed/…
12. CLTCC scheduled a vote and a public hearing on #RNC2020. Before that, Mayor Vi Lyles made a case for the convention to the Democratic Women of Mecklenburg County. The group voted to oppose it. Lyles ran from me as I tried to ask her about it
13. 132 people signed up to speak about #RNC2020. It was a marathon meeting. But days before the meeting, I confirmed CLTCC had enough votes to accept the convention.
14. 132 people spoke. Outside people protested. Here is what CLTCC ultimately voted on:
15. Charlotte City Council listened to the 132 speakers, had a brief discussion and then voted. 6-5.
Yes votes:
Bokhari (R)
Phipps (D)
Mitchell (D)
Eiselt (D)
Driggs (R)
Egleston (D)
No votes:
Newton
Mayfield
Ajmera
Winston
Harlow
(All D)
Yes votes:
Bokhari (R)
Phipps (D)
Mitchell (D)
Eiselt (D)
Driggs (R)
Egleston (D)
No votes:
Newton
Mayfield
Ajmera
Winston
Harlow
(All D)
16. Then it was off to Austin. It came down to CLT and Vegas. I waited outside a hotel ballroom for a couple hours. @DallasWoodhouse was there and brought donuts The Nevada GOP Chair confirmed the expected... RNC2020 is heading to Charlotte
17. On the third day of the summer meeting, GOP Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel and other leaders held a news conference.
McDaniel called Mayor Lyles "the best mayor."
Mayor Lyles said: "We are going to show you the true meaning of southern hospitality"
McDaniel called Mayor Lyles "the best mayor."
Mayor Lyles said: "We are going to show you the true meaning of southern hospitality"
18. In October 2018, I interviewed @realDonaldTrump. He praised Mayor Vi Lyles for her efforts to land #RNC2020.
"Your mayor was fantastic. Your mayor really wanted it badly -- who is a Democrat -- and the people want it."
"Your mayor was fantastic. Your mayor really wanted it badly -- who is a Democrat -- and the people want it."
19. April 2019. The city of Charlotte started making changes in preparation of the RNC. Like delaying the start of the expanded streetcar line. (FWIW I asked CATS if things have changed given the RNC's decision and haven't heard back)
wsoctv.com/news/local/str…
wsoctv.com/news/local/str…
20. July 17, 2019- a crowd at one of the president's rallies started chanting "send her back" about Rep. Omar. Publicly, that prompted City Council to create a resolution condemning the comments. Privately, they discussed if they could do more
21. In closed session, Charlotte City Council discussed whether it is possible to pull out of hosting the Convention. The City Attorney said no. He later made those same comments in public:
22. The city eventually released minutes of the closed session meeting to me. Council took a vote on whether to require the approval of RNC2020 purchases. It failed.
23. August 2019- RNC leaders came back to Charlotte to release the logo.
24. Everyone who voted for RNC2020 ran for reelection except for Greg Phipps. Some people thought it would be a major campaign issue. But everyone who voted for the convention won re-election. Mayfield, the only councilmember to be consistently opposed, lost
25. October 2019- Chief Kerr Putney said he was going to retire and then return as Chief. The treasurer said that violated the law. For a couple weeks there was a standoff between city and state. Eventually Putney said he would put off retiring until the RNC was over
26. November 2019- RNC hosted a walkthrough of the Spectrum Center. A few weeks later the Secret Service held a panel discussion about security.
27. March 2020- As the COVID-19 pandemic started to hit, NCGOP put out a statement saying they are committed to holding the RNC in CLT
28. March 27, 2020- President Donald Trump tells Hannity there is “no way” he will cancel the Republican National Convention in Charlotte this summer
29. On April 15, 2020, in a conference call with local reporters, GOP Convention CEO Marcia Lee Kelly said she was committed to following whatever safety guidelines are in place. She said they recognize the convention will look different
30. April 27, 2020- another contentious #CLTCC meeting about #RNC2020. This time it was over whether to accept $50 million to cover security costs. Council voted 6-5. Some councilmembers expressed concern about hosting RNC during a pandemic
wsoctv.com/news/local/cha…
wsoctv.com/news/local/cha…
31. May 14. President Donald Trump says for the first time that the Convention could be held somewhere other than Charlotte
32. May 15. The day after President Trump made comments about possibly moving the convention out of Charlotte, the GOP Convention CEO told me that would not be the case. She reiterated GOP leaders would follow whatever guidance is in place
33. May 25. President Trump says Governor Cooper is “in shutdown mood”
34. Then came the back and forth:
NC asked for a plan from the GOP.
GOP submitted a letter that didn’t mention masks or social distancing
President Donald Trump asked for a guarantee they could have a full convention
Cooper said he couldn’t provide it, given the pandemic
NC asked for a plan from the GOP.
GOP submitted a letter that didn’t mention masks or social distancing
President Donald Trump asked for a guarantee they could have a full convention
Cooper said he couldn’t provide it, given the pandemic
35. Ronna McDaniel said the RNC would start touring other cities. On June 2, President Donald Trump tweeted they are moving the Convention. GOP leaders said they would keep “official business” in CLT.
36. There were a couple last minute efforts to try to reconcile everything but nothing gained traction. Washington Post reported Jacksonville as the new site. Charlotte Host Committee said that’s a violation of their contractual agreement
37. GOP announced 336 delegates will head to Charlotte to conduct the “official business” of the Convention.
38. GOP Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel officially announced Jacksonville as the new host city
