Guess it falls to me, Charlotte’s official bubble-burster, to interject some reality into what is already wild DNC Convention hoopla.

You know those folks who press their noses on the window outside the Today show? That’ll be everyday Charlotte when the DNC comes to town. The security bubble which surrounds the White House and the Capitol Hill complex will be picked up and moved down to cover everything in Uptown — perhaps the entire I-277 donut.

The transit center will have to be emptied and shut down, the train — yes, the train — will have to be stopped as it runs within feet of the arena, parking decks and lots shut down or hard-carded for exclusive access of VIPs. Not for a few hours. For days, possibly weeks. The official media center is supposed to be open by Aug. 20th so access control and security sweeps will have to start sometime around then as well. Walk-up biz in Uptown involving locals will come to streeching halt by then, as streets are closed and buildings emptied of non-convention related activity. Post-Tucson don’t expect to see members of Congress in the wild, outside the bubble, as was common back in the day.

The Uptown restaurants and bars who are seeing dollar signs in the DNC hype need to check up. Unless you get contracts to host events you might not see the windfall you expect. Delegates pay for nothing out of pocket — that is left to lobbyists and corporations doing the hosting. Even then they will drive hard bargains that will push your margins. Meanwhile, your workers will have to shuttle bus or hoof it from distant locations further straining your ops. Good luck. Some of you will do well, some will not.

There will be some free “community” events that will help the mask the fact that the Beltway elite is in town fleecing the yokels and they could be worthwhile. Or a disaster.

Overall, best to think of the event as the Rolling Stones coming to town. You might get to see the concert, feel the excitement, be glad they’re in your town instead of Raleigh. But no way in hell are you getting backstage to hang with Mick.