Denver Mayor: Cooperative Tone Important In DNC Bid Process

DENVER, Colo.,None — With Charlotte in the running to host the 2012 Democratic National Convention, Eyewitness News anchor Blair Miller went to Denver, the site of the last DNC, to see what it takes to win the bid. You can see all of his reports here. For extended coverage of Charlotte's DNC bid, click here.

If Charlotte wins the bid to host the Democratic National Convention, residents will notice. Thousands of people will descend on the city, which may change many people's everyday routine.

Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper led the campaign to get the 2008 DNC to come to the city. He said once the city was chosen, he worked to set a tone of support and cooperation in the city, and said Charlotte would likely need to do the same.

"Hopefully, your Chamber of Commerce, your Convention and Visitors Bureau, and your downtown organization should all be coming together trying to build a non-partisan effort to say, ‘Hey, we can do this,'" Hickenlooper said.

Hickenlooper took that message and a plea for corporate funding all across the country. He made 22 out-of-state trips, some as far away as Miami, to get corporate donations.

Largely as a result of those efforts, Denver raised $52 million.

"To get into those boardrooms and be able to tell the story of how great Denver or Charlotte is … you know … that's worth the price of admission anyway," he said.

Once the convention arrived, Hickenlooper said it was nearly flawless.

On the 16th Street Mall, where many Denver residents eat and shop, Eyewitness News anchor Blair Miller found mixed reactions to the event.

"There were a lot of visitors and [it] gave Denver a chance to get ahead," Ella Major said. "I thought it was excellent. I took pictures, actually."

"I work downtown, but I wanted to avoid it," Maggie Graybill said. "It was just too much congestion for me."

WSOC