Posted on 07/08/2014 9:07:07 AM PDT by chrisser
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Capping off a months-long lobbying effort, Cleveland will be the host of the 2016 Republican National Convention.
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus announced Cleveland as the location on the Fox News Channel in a live, on-air interview. The interview was immediately preceded by a tweet, which has since been deleted, from a spokesman for the Republican Governors Association.
"We're excited about bringing the convention to Cleveland in Ohio, and we're excited about the decision. We think it's a smart decision," Priebus said.
Cleveland edged out Dallas, the other finalist, as the recommended location for the convention, giving the city an opportunity to strut its stuff to a national crowd while placing Ohio even more firmly in the political spotlight for the upcoming presidential election.
"I think it's great," said Rob Frost, the Cuyahoga County Republican Party Chairman. "I'm really excited to welcome our Republican colleagues from around the nation to Cleveland in 2016. I think this convention will really elevate Cleveland in the eyes of the nation, and elevate Republicans in the eyes of Cleveland."
Now that the recommendation from the Republican National Committee's site selection committee is in, negotiations with Cleveland officials are expected to begin shortly. A press conference will be held later this afternoon.
The courtship with the national GOP dates back to at least February, when the city submitted its bid. Cleveland was selected a week later as one of eight contenders.
The RNC narrowed the list to four in late May, and on June 25 picked Cleveland and Dallas as the two finalists to host the event.
And last week, RNC officials visited Cleveland to assess "creative ways" to make the city's bid work.
Conventions can be significant economic generators for a city. One study showed that the 2012 GOP convention pumped more than $200 million into the Tampa and Florida economies. That convention drew roughly 50,000 visitors.
Cleveland's convention pitch was rooted in political geography and in a downtown renaissance that leaders said occurred after the city lost its bid for the GOP's 2008 convention. Since that audition, Cleveland has added more hotel rooms and a new convention center.
It's also believed that the expected June availability of Quicken Loans Arena, which will host floor events for the convention, played a role.
Fundraising is another key consideration, and local boosters have estimated that Cleveland will need to raise $55 million to $60 million to cover the costs of hosting.
Boosters are also working to lure the 2016 Democratic National Convention, although officials have said it is highly unlikely the city could host both events.
I am quite sure that your family has not been inside the city in decades as MOST suburbanites hold a distinct bigotry for the Inner City. Those lily whites in Chagrin Falls are no different.
I have been to Dallas on numerous occasions for work and for conventions and they can not compare to what Cleveland has to offer for a convention setting. The same could be said of every city that the RNC looked at. Including the other Ohio Cities that where dropped early Cincinnati and Columbus.
Cleveland has entirely new convention center, state of the art arenas and stadiums Downtown all interconnected and available for unlimited usage. They have a huge live entertainment district with more theaters than any city in North America except NYC, ALL WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF EACH OTHER.
The University Circle area, just a few miles and short shuttle ride from Downtown boasts dozens of World Class entertainment facilities including The Cleveland Museum of Art (Just completed a NEW $300 million addition and physical upgrade) The Cleveland Botanical Gardens, The Cleveland Museum of Natural History, The Cleveland Institute of Art, MOCA Cleveland, Severance Hall (Home of the World Renowned and MOST recorded Cleveland Orchestra.
It has a 1,000,000 Square Foot convention IX Center adjacent to the Airport.
All these venues are available for meetings, speeches, parties and all the ancillary events that accompany a major party convention and they can all be accessed by walking or with short, under ten minute, shuttle or cab rides.
The fact is that the RNC looked at dozens of cities and they picked Cleveland for the same reason the Democrats are very interested in Cleveland for their convention. It has everything a major convention needs in a city that has great amenities and access.
Florida wouldn’t be a bad choice. Republicans need to bring it back after 0bama’s carrying it twice. On the other hand, Republicans can win Florida and still lose the presidential election; Nixon 1960, Ford 1976, and Bush 1992 all did. Ohio’s just more strategically situated at the tipping point of victory and defeat.
There was a time when the Great Lakes were seen as convenient sewers for various kinds of wastes and, sadly, some of the inland rivers still are.
I was glad to be employed in an industry that supported the clean up of one small part of the Lakes system. I own a bell and big wooden wheel from one of the old US Steel Steamships. It came up for sale from a guy who needed cash to pay his taxes.
Big changes are coming in 2015. The steamships, including the 1,000 footers, will no longer be allowed to burn heavy oil blends. The EPA’s new sulfur specs are forcing this issue. Interestingly, there are four new Canadian ore carriers that are being built with integral scrubbers. They can continue to use N6 fuel.
Very well said.
As I always told my customers in Chicago & NYC “Anything you can do in Chicago, you can do in Cleveland. The only difference is that you can actually get there and don’t need a bucket of change.” And I always loved Chicago, NYC not so much.
BTW. Everyone, I mean everyone that I brought into Cleveland for training or a sight visit was SHOCKED at how much they liked the city.
I have a feeling they chose Cleveland because not many of the ConCon GOP would want to go..there.
I am in Cleveland and this is going to be a PR nightmare for the RNC.
No matter where it’s held, there will be organized protestors, so in that sense, Cleveland is as good as anyplace. The same with the media. Wherever they are, they will lie through their teeth. So, it really doesn’t matter in that regard.
Ohio does have a state government that is friendly to the republicans given that Governor, Lt Gov, Sect State, Treasurer, Attny Gen, House, Senate, and Supreme Court are all currently republican.
‘I believe Cleveland was a bad choice, and I won’t be going.’
Good. Don’t come! There are many people who will be happy to take your place.
That chandelier and all those lights are a joke. We went to the playhouse in January and the interior still looks like it’s 1940 something. The murals on the ceiling looked dirty and need of repair. There were bare light bulbs without shades protruding from the ancient wall sconces. From the outside it looks great, the interior is looking shabby. What a waste of 4 million dollars!
Bull Crap!
Why would it be any different than any other city?
Have you ever been to any of the other cities they looked at?
I have, all within five years and some of them a dozen times including Dallas where I was at a convention LAST YEAR!
On what exactly do you base this statement?
Yeah...those potholes were the absolute worst last winter!
You know they are real bad when you can see the red brick road underneath, not peaking through, but glaring at you like a great white shark with its mouth open!
WTF is the GOP thinking? BLUE CITY/VERY BLUE COUNTY/ light blue state!
They wanted to be near people who are just like them.
Which theatre? There are nine full theatres and over a dozen separate stages all of them in various stages of restoration.
If there's overflow from the hotels, it'll go south-side a few miles down route 77, with hotels, restaurants, and easy transportation downtown.
EVERYONE who comes to Cleveland for a convention or short vacation seems to give it rave reviews. I'm surprised the RNC was smart enough to choose Cleveland.
call me "south side" grania
The mistake on the lake. GOP better watch out for those Canadian soldiers.
Heck. I have that song on a 1960s randy Newman Album.
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