Republicans pick Charlotte for 2020 convention

The 2020 Republican National Convention will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina, the party announced Friday.

The gathering has been a subject of fierce debate in Charlotte. Though the city — North Carolina’s largest, with about 680,000 residents — hosted the Democratic National Convention in 2012, many residents balked at allowing the 2020 conference.

Earlier this week, the Charlotte City Council voted 6-5 to support contracts related to the convention. A Republican National Committee panel then recommended the city, and Friday, party officials formally chose Charlotte in a unanimous vote.

‘‘Charlotte has so much to offer, and we are excited to bring delegates to a city that has demonstrated its Southern hospitality, showcased its vibrant energy and proven that possibilities are endless,’’ Ron Kaufman, the committee’s siteselection chairman, said in a statement.

Republicans and a handful of Democrats in the city argued that the convention would bring many millions of dollars into the local economy — officials estimate the 2012 convention had a $164 million impact — and offer a crucial opportunity for Charlotte, which has long strived to be seen as a ‘‘world-class city,’’ to stand on the global stage. Hosting a controversial convention, they said, would signal the city’s commitment to free speech at a caustic moment.

‘‘Cities need to stand up for our democratic process, and I’m proud that Charlotte is standing up for the democratic process,’’ said former Gov. Pat McCrory, a Republican who was also mayor of Charlotte for 14 years.

But many others in Charlotte think the city is imperiling its carefully tended reputation as an orderly, prosperous city, and risking protests that could dissolve into the kind of violence seen last year in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Democrats have winnowed their convention options to Houston, Miami Beach and Milwaukee.

Columbus declined to bid for either the Republican or Democratic 2020 convention, despite having made it to the final three for the 2016 Democratic convention.