City promises to get $37M for DNC through fundraising

CHARLOTTE, N.C.,None — It will cost $37 million to host the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte in 2012 and city leaders have promised to reach that target via fundraising.

However, more than seven months after it was announced, city leaders are not revealing how much money has been raised so far.

Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers, who is co-chair of the DNC Host Committee, said he's been busy traveling coast to coast, trying to get people to donate.

"Getting people energized about the convention that's a year off is somewhat difficult, as you might imagine," Rogers said.

Former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt didn't mince words.

"It's tough!" he said, "in this economic environment that we're in."

Despite the challenges, Gantt, who's been involved in the efforts with Rogers, said the team is confident it will reach its goal.

"Everybody is working hard to make things happen," he said.

And Rogers said their silence is strategic.

He said the Democratic National Committee has actually advised them not to talk about how much money they've raised.

"If you start talking about if you are reaching the goal, well, then people go, 'Oh, they've got the goal,' and they won't contribute," he said.

WSOC