CHARLOTTE – Today the Democratic
National Convention Committee (DNCC) received the keys to Time Warner
Cable Arena. With this handover, the DNCC officially moves into
the
arena and marks another major milestone in its convention
planning.
Today’s event at Time Warner Cable Arena was marked by DNCC CEO Steve
Kerrigan, convention chair Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa,
Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx, speaking for the construction and
architect team Rogers Builders CEO Pat Rogers, Charlotte Regional
Visitors Authority Tom Murray and Executive Vice President of the
Charlotte Bobcats Bill Duffy.
"Receiving the keys to the Time Warner Cable Arena means the countdown
is officially on toward the 2012 Democratic National Convention.
We
still have a lot of work to do between now and September, but we have a
great arena to work with, fantastic local partners, and an experienced
and talented construction and architect team,” said DNCC CEO Steve
Kerrigan.
With the convention’s first two days of official business taking place
at Time Warner Cable Arena, temporary modifications will be made in
order to transform the facility from a basketball arena into a
convention hall. The convention’s construction management and
event
architect team have been planning these modifications for months and,
now, with the official handover of the keys, the physical construction
work will begin in full.
Today’s key handover was also covered by twenty Tweetup participants –
grassroots individuals from across the region who got a
behind-the-scenes look at the key handover and tweeted live from Time
Warner Cable Arena. The Tweetup is just one of many ways in which
the
2012 Democratic National Convention is working to be the most open and
accessible in history.
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa participated in today’s event
and praised the efforts of the DNCC to engage more Americans in this
convention than ever before, “I’m here today not just to celebrate this
milestone and the transformation of this arena into a convention hall,
but to celebrate the transformation of our convention into one that
engages more Americans and brings us together. That’s why we are
opening and closing the convention with events that are open to the
public.”
Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx shared his enthusiasm for the opportunity
the DNCC is bringing to Charlotte’s business community saying, “I am
proud to say that much of the work to transform this facility into a
world class convention hall will be done by local companies and by
local workers. Their first-class work will be seen by tens of thousands
of people in this arena, and by millions on television – across the
country and the world.
And the Bobcats Executive Vice President, who handed over the keys to
the arena expressed his excitement for the partnership saying, “Over
the next 50-plus days, the arena will partner with the DNCC to ensure
the smooth transition of this facility from a basketball arena to a
convention hall. Most summers at the arena are relatively quiet except
when a concert comes to town. Going forward, I expect to arrive at work
and find a place bustling with activity and excitement—and I can’t
wait,” said General Manager of the Charlotte Bobcats Bill Duffy.
To learn more about today’s event, including the Tweetup, visit:
www.demconvention.com.