CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Delegates arrived for The Republican National Convention, Friday. Over 300 people are making their way to the Queen City. Thousands of people were originally expected but the pandemic greatly scaled back the event.
As a result, money that local restaurants and businesses were banking on has been cut. The much-needed business will now be minimal.
"We were all extremely optimist and excited about hosting the RNC," CEO of The North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association, Lynn Minges said.
The RNC was supposed to be a huge opportunity for Charlotte. Now, the pandemic making it an unconventional convention.
Over 300 delegates and their guests are arriving for the RNC, a much smaller crowd than what was originally expected.
"The influx of 20 to 30 thousand people that may have come will be scaled back to 300 people or so but none the less the eyes of the world will be on Charlotte next week," Minges said.
Nearly two years ago, the RNC selected Charlotte as the 2020 host city, pointing to numbers from the DNC.
Back in 2012, the DNC pumped around $164 million into the local economy.
A full RNC was estimated to bring in around $200 million.
"Well take anything over nothing," Owner of Brazz Carvery and Brazilian Steakhouse Mital Naik said.
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For seven years Naik's restaurant has sat across the street from The Charlotte Convention Center. He says anything helps right now amid the pandemic, even if it's just a fraction of what was once expected.
"I just feel that we try and make the best of the situation we're in," Naik said.
CRVA because of the limited scope of activity taking place in Charlotte, they will not be commissioning an economic impact study of the 2020 Republican National Convention.