Maybe the next NRA annual meeting should be held in Chicago.

Events last week attracted 85,000 visitors.

Visitors who descended on Charlotte's center city area for the National Rifle Association convention, UltraSwim and other events last weekend were the equivalent themselves of North Carolina's 10th-biggest city, officials said Tuesday.

Estimates from Charlotte-Mecklenburg police are that 80,000 visitors were in the uptown area Friday and 85,000 Saturday.

What's more, crime was much lower than usual.

How much lower?

It also was very safe. Captain Jeff Estes, commander of CMPD's Central Division, said crime for the week was 45 percent lower than the same week a year ago. Overall this year, crime in the Central Division, which includes center city, is down 19 percent from the first 41/2 months of 2009, police say.

Maybe instead of protesting in front of annual meetings, these "violence prevention" groups should be begging the NRA to come their city next year.