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.
Detroit, Youngstown, Pittsburgh, Toledo all blue...all union...all the time.
#2 Dude, I live here. I have ranted for the last 4 Presidential election cycles that Cuyahoga County has been the testing grounds for how to steal an election.
#3 Take a look at an Ohio map from the last Presidential election, if Cleveland wasn’t so heavily blue...Romney would have taken Ohio’s electoral votes. The rest of the State is Red.
#4 No way, no way Cleveland Police Department is going to be able to handle the chaos that is going to go down in the streets. And that my FRiend is what the media will focus on...Republican message...guarantee it will be lost on the ears that need to hear it most. Especially if Kasich is the nominee...
Come into the my Parlor said the Spider(Democrat Stronghold) to the fly (RNC).
That’s why I’m so despondent on the 2016 POTUS election.
The R candidate has to win Ohio and Florida, and both locations (despite having R gov & R SoS) have shown lots of vote fraud.
Will they ignore Sarah Palin again or not have Sen Cruz as a speaker??? I really don’t feel inclined to watch a RINOfest.
“Haven’t been to Bo Loong”
Li Wah is more modern. Donna really runs it as upscale. I saw Malkin eating there one day! Bo Loong is quite a bit funkier, but has good Dim Sum chefs.
It will be worse than the stockyards when all the protestors from the east side show up.
Shaker Heights is not Cleveland.A stroll down Euclid Ave would show you what Cleveland is like.
It was the State.
The city is still planning to make all of Public Square a park. Cutting off Superior and Ontario will make it a pain in the keister to get to the Justice Center from the highway. And there are already three parks north of Lakeside (not counting Voinovich on the shoreline). Some of the ideas for downtown seem pretty dumb to me.
The GOPe is dead.
I am quite certain it is entirely accurate. As was my contention that they haven’t been near the city in years.
So what we have learned is that you bloviate from a position of ignorance.
If it makes you feel superior (and I’m pretty sure it does) knock yourself out.
But Cleveland was and is a bad choice.
Closing the square to traffic would not cut off Ontario and Superior. There are feeder roads that bypass the square now and could be expanded to handle additional traffic.
If you are going anywhere near the Square to get to the Justice Center I would advise a different approach. The Justice Center is on Lakeside. Several blocks North of Public Square.
The traffic pattern now causes the square to be unkempt as it is a large bus stop for RTA. Closing the Square would create a much better atmosphere and a great place for all sorts of activities.
As for the State it is the least ornate of all the theatres and always has been. Try the Palace or the new Hanna.
The bar scene moved up the hill to W6th St and E4th St.
#1 So? What is the point. Cleveland is a union dominated area. ALL convention centers have union labor and require union workers. EVEN Dallas. You certainly must be FROM Cleveland as you have a defeatist attitude.
#2 DUDE, I actually LIVE in the city. Do you? I doubt you even live in an inner ring suburb. Yes, there is certainly corruption in the Cuyahoga elections. Regardless, you should keep your friends close and your enemies closer. The Republicans didn’t carry Dallas County either. They lost Dallas County 57% to 41%.
#3 Also So what? So the county votes Democrat. Perhaps some of the nitwit out of work, working class, unionist whites might actually pull the lever for the Republicans because they may take an interest in learning something. It is also great opportunity for outreach to the Black community. That is an actual reason to hold the convention there.
Take a look at the County Election Map of Texas. That dark blue spot in the North of the State is Dallas County. Regardless, they took Texas by 10 points. They lost Ohio by .9 points. Once again, What is you point.
#4 I am more than certain that the police department will be able to handle the situation surrounding any type of protests or crowd control that comes with a major convention. They handle this type of thing on a regular basis. They handle crowds of hundreds of thousands several times a year.
They just had 25th The Star Spangled Spectacular on Public Square with The Cleveland Orchestra and hosted close to 100,000 people. Pull the police blotter and see how many incidents there where. VERY FEW. tens of thousands of workers left the city while tens of thousands of people entered to go to the free concert with no major incidents of any kind.
You have little knowledge about what you speak.
The Police and the other Safety Forces will love the chance to have the overtime pay. The labor unions will love the chance to build out the venues and programs. The local entertainment venues and restaurants will love to have the millions of dollars in business. And everyone will be treated with as much respect in Cleveland as they would in any other city. Better than most.
That is your unbacked opinion. You state nothing but your opinion with no supporting facts.
The Republican Party made their decision based on facts. You make your statements based on preconceived prejudice.
What are your facts?
The Fact is that I have stated facts and reasons why they made the choice. since I have facts, my statements ARE superior on their face.
When, and where are actual conservatives having their 2016 convention?
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