Some Charlotte small business owners will be completely cut off or nearly so during the Charlotte Democratic National Committee Convention due to road closures, which they learned from an ABC reporter. The convention begins in less than a month, on Sept. 3, 2012. ABC Charlotte reports:
ANCHOR: Businesses in Uptown wondering for months if roads will be open and if they will be able to send and receive delivery during the DNC.
SCOTT WICKERSHAM (REPORTER): Today I broke the news to some business owners who will be completely cut off or close to it during this convention. I showed maps detailing vehicle and pedestrian restrictions to Tim Doe, at the No Grease Barbershop. Today we learned most customers won't be able to drive or even walk anywhere near their shop near Cable Time Warner.
TIM DOE (BARBER SHOP OWNER): We don't get the average Joe coming in here that week.
WICKERSHAM: That’s what you expected?
DOE: That’s what we expected.
WICKERSHAM: Doe considers the DNC a benefit for Charlotte. Hasani Latif calls it a bust. I showed him the same maps. He's concerned about losing regular customers and getting deliveries.
HASANI LATIF (PIZZA SHOP OWNER): We don't know what to expect. [unclear] It might be a hit or miss. So far I see a miss more than a hit.
WICKERSHAM: And his concerns grew when I told him deliveries in restricted areas will first have to stop off at a remote location to be inspected, then escorted to their drop-off. It's not just restaurants affected by all of this. The owner of this hotdog stand told me he's been out here for eight years. But he has so many questions about what will happen during the DNC that he just decided to cut his losses and take the week off and lose out on this revenue. Today, I asked Mayor Anthony Foxx about their concerns.
ANTHONY FOXX: We've done the best job we can to ensure that Charlotte stays open for business. Folks that want to stay open will be able to stay open.
WICKERSHAM: And while Foxx says many uptown businesses are expecting higher than normal sales, it may not come from locals.
CHARLOTTE RESIDENT: I'm not going to be here. I’m either going to go out of town or make a point not to come Uptown.
WICKERSHAM: Parking along the streets in Uptown will not be an option for drivers. Officials plan to post signs and use physical barriers to mark off my restricted area, disabled or abandon vehicles will be towed.