Democrats ask Tampa to bid on 2012 national convention
By Steve Huettel, Times Staff Writer
Posted: Nov 05, 2009 02:45 PM


The Democratic National Committee has asked Tampa to submit a bid to host the party's national convention for 2012. Mayor Pam Iorio received the letter Wednesday from Virginia Gov. Tim Kane. She was noncommittal about the idea Thursday, saying the event would require significant "noncity resources.'' The Republican National Committee also invited the city to bid on its 2012 national convention in August. Representatives of Visit Tampa Bay, Hillsborough County's quasi-public tourism marketing agency, will attend an "interested cities'' meeting in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday. But there's no decision yet whether to make a proposal by the Jan. 10 deadline. The city was among three finalists for that convention in 2002, eventually losing to New York City. In 2008, Tampa was again a finalist. But Republican leaders picked Minneapolis/St. Paul, saying they were concerned about the threat of hurricanes during the September event. Tampa has never bid for a Democratic National Convention.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/local/democrats-ask-tampa-to-bid-on-2012-national-convention/1049674

I really don't mind who comes here in all seriousness. Certainly will increase our national mainstream coverage like the Super Bowl. Just make sure to avoid Tampa due to all the protesters.

It's silly to bid--with hurricane season in its peak they wouldn't (or at least shouldn't) seriously consider us. Not to mention it being hugely expensive.

The local GOP would not willingly allow a Democratic National Convention to be held in thei area. Those guys -- Al Austin and company -- are the ones behind other large-event bids (Super Bowl's and what not) and have been trying for ages to get the RNC to be hosted in tampa.

Both conventions would bring a whole lot of crazy to the area.

I would like to see either but I do not believe it will happen. The last few times we have been eliminated because of a lack of having enough hotel rooms in the core area of down town as well as not having mass transit, specifically a link with the airport and down town. Neither of these issues have been resolved or will be resolved by 2012 - maybe 2016, but not 2012.

Steve

But you can't deny the importance of the area. We are part of the I-4 Swing Belt or w/e its called lol. I'm sure they really will try to put something here, one of the parties at least.

Oh, there is no doubt that we are an important area for votes. It is just that using cruise ships as floating hotels as they planned is really less than desirable. I could maybe see the DNC coming if we get the HSR and LRT started on construction to highlight the recovery monies.

Steve

Tampa to bid for 2012 GOP convention
By Janet Zink, Times Staff Writer
In Print: Thursday, January 14, 2010


TAMPA — After being rebuffed by the national Republican Party twice, Tampa officials on Friday will submit a bid to host the 2012 Republican National Convention.

"We should be a contender and hopefully the third time will be the lucky time," said Al Austin, a developer and Republican fundraiser who led the failed efforts to bring the 2004 and 2008 conventions here.

Tampa was one of three finalists for the 2004 convention, but New York was chosen. Local Republican leaders consoled themselves with the thought that after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, choosing that city made a strong patriotic statement.

Tampa also was a finalist for the 2008 convention, but the GOP chose Minneapolis/St. Paul instead, saying it was concerned about hurricane threats during the September event.

Only four cities bid on the 2008 convention. Local organizers estimated hosting the event, which had a price tag of $124 million, would cost taxpayers about $85 million from local, state and federal sources. The balance could have been covered by $40 million in donations.

Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio had capped the city's contribution to the 2008 convention at $1 million in in-kind services.

But this time, the city will contribute nothing.

"The city will not be liable for any costs whatsoever," said Iorio, whose term as mayor ends in the year before the 2012 convention. "If we get selected, we will enter a legal agreement with the host committee and the host committee will be responsible for all costs that the city incurs. We have made it very, very clear."

http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/local/tampa-to-bid-for-2012-gop-convention/1065242

We might have a shot now for the GOP now that we voted for Obama. I think the GOP could win this state in 2012, especially with a convention hosted here.

^ With hurricanes and no money there's not a prayer. The hurricane factor alone should seal it, but why go to a city that won't pay you when there are others who will?

Tampa has become a finalist for the 2012 Convention. Salt Lake City is also rumoured as a finalist.

http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2010/02/tampa-is-finalist-for-2012-gop-convention.html

I could see the RNC picking Tampa as the 2012. Espicially with the announcement of the funding for HSR, bringing the convention here would show the Republicans are serious in the I-4 Corridor.

Wow. I would love to know where the money is coming from to pay for that.

With that said, it certainly couldn't hurt the local economy.

Wow. I would love to know where the money is coming from to pay for that.

With that said, it certainly couldn't hurt the local economy.

Apparently from the RNC/donors:

"The city will not be liable for any costs whatsoever," said Iorio, whose term as mayor ends in the year before the 2012 convention. "If we get selected, we will enter a legal agreement with the host committee and the host committee will be responsible for all costs that the city incurs. We have made it very, very clear."

I wouldn't mind having a convention here. It brings big bucks to the city, not to mention the national spotlight.

Sounds good to me. But only if they help pimp rail for us in Congress after coming here and seeing what we put up with. lol

We leanr next week if we get the 2012 Covention! Fingers crossed! :banana:

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/may/04/gop-committee-select-host-2012-convention-next-wee/news-politics/

Tomorrow is the day! If we don't get it, screw the RNC Convention and lets get the DNC one. And thats coming from a Republican lol

Tomorrow is the day! If we don't get it, screw the RNC Convention and lets get the DNC one. And thats coming from a Republican lol

If the DNC chooses us it would def bring more people than an RNC one since the President and Congress are both Dem.
What's the possibility of both, lol...

Only way possible is for the RNC to have their convention in the SPTF while the DNC has theirs in the Sun Dome. What could also happen is RNC is in Tampa with SPTF while the DNC is in St. Pete in Tropicana Field. Imagine that playing out on media outlets. FOX, MSNBC, CNN, BBC, and other major ones would likely come up with a "Battle on the Bay" catchphrase (now copyrighted by me just in case) and the whole region would politically crazy.

They could also have RNC in Tampa and DNC in Orlando, but a Tampa/St. Pete scenario would be awesome.

The Sun dome? That's at USF. Do you mean Tropicana Field?

Regardless, I don't want the Teabaggers Ball here. I could do without either convention.

The Sun dome? That's at USF. Do you mean Tropicana Field?

Regardless, I don't want the Teabaggers Ball here. I could do without either convention.
Nah, I meant the Sun Dome. It was the only other venue I could think a convention could take place in Tampa besides SPTF.

The Tea Party is here regardless either. Every convention, be DNC or RNC, has it share of protests. I think 2008's RNC Convention brought out Anarchists. Be the case, every convention does a good amount of security during the convention, even before 9/11. It will be one week that you avoid DT Tampa out of how many weeks? The city isn't forcing you to go to the city or anything.

According to Politico we got it... Official announcement later today. Humorously it came down to the fact that Arizona hates the GOP at the moment (immigration is a dicey subject) and Utah is "too white" combined with Mitt Romney being a front runner it's also "too Mormon". Won by default!

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0510/37129.html

^I'm not really sure Arizonia hates the GOP but I'm glad we got it.

Great news for Tampa.. 45,ooo to visit the Downtown area. and more than 15,ooo journalists, put's Tampa on the world stage again..

While Tampa continues to be a huge player Miami and Orlando sit idle, as Tampa continues to get Superbowls-Final Four's-Conventions and was the only Florida city that went for the Olympics.

Maybe just maybe we can get a 40 story hotel to be built in conjuction with the August 2012 event..

^I'm not really sure Arizonia hates the GOP but I'm glad we got it.

When their NBA team is very visibly protesting GOP political policy on jerseys during the playoffs it's a toxic environment to say the least. It's a long ways off still but I doubt immigration will be fixed by then.

Really, I'm not surprised. I had a good feeling that this was in the basket for Tampa and I was proven right. Hopefully we can impress not only the RNC but the DNC enough to get another convention 4 or 5 presidential elections after.

I doubt a 40 story tower would get built just because of the convention. The city will likely push to get the Riverwalk completed the convention so it's continuous from the History Center to Curtis Hixon.

So do you all think the street car will be completed up to cass street by then and maybe some starter LR to airport....It seems like rail connection to the airport would be a priority...or maybe not, just for the convention

Study, Design and ROW acquisition will take well into 2012. So I doubt you'd see anything on the LTR done by then. You could have a decent express bus service up and running down Kennedy by then though.

I think it's awesome that we will have a big political convention here. The publicity is always a good thing... But if they show up and disrespect us by whining about the HSR project or any other stimulus project we've got going, I'm going to be at the front of the line of locals eager to stomp someone out.

And here's to hoping we get the Superbowl again in 2014... How great would it be to keep landing these big media events every 2-3 years?

So do you all think the street car will be completed up to cass street by then
Probably not. But I do think we'll see a smaller hotel project or two get done in DT Tampa after all (maybe 400-600 rooms total)... The Hard Rock expansion will put some serious pressure on the other hotels in the area though, so I don't think we would see any big hotels until there are clear signs that local tourism and the convention business has picked up again.

1-2 more hotels.
Streetcar might get pushed ahead to be done by then.
Hard Rock Hotel completed.
I-4 connector close to completion.
Riverwalk completed....

Study, Design and ROW acquisition will take well into 2012. So I doubt you'd see anything on the LTR done by then. You could have a decent express bus service up and running down Kennedy by then though.

Maybe, if the sales tax passes through. If not, at least expect Route 30 to be split up into 29/30, with perhaps heightened frequency. That's HART's plan anyways. Idk about any other transit plans for Kennedy as of the moment

I think it's awesome that we will have a big political convention here. The publicity is always a good thing... But if they show up and disrespect us by whining about the HSR project or any other stimulus project we've got going, I'm going to be at the front of the line of locals eager to stomp someone out.

And here's to hoping we get the Superbowl again in 2014... How great would it be to keep landing these big media events every 2-3 years?
We'll be close to that if everything we're getting/bidding plays out.

-2012 NCAA Frozen Four
-2012 GOP Convention
-2014 Super Bowl
-2018/20 World Series

We need something in 2016 and we'll have a major national/international media events every 2 years.

The 2012 Frozen Four and the 2015 Women's Final Four aren't exactly big events like the others. If we ever landed the Men's Final Four, now that would be something!

And obviously, we're not getting the 2014 Superbowl, I was just clowning around. (NYC for sure has that in the bag, just like I've said all along)

We'll be close to that if everything we're getting/bidding plays out.

-2012 NCAA Frozen Four
-2012 GOP Convention
-2014 Super Bowl
-2018/20 World Series

We need something in 2016 and we'll have a major national/international media events every 2 years.

How about the 2010 World Series as well.. And many more after that.:):soon:
If we don't get the 2014 Superbowl we will probably get 2015 or 2016 for sure..

Also we've hosted the NHL All Star Game as well..
And Jasonhouse we did host the Men's Final Four in 1999...:banana:

I'm hoping we get to the World Series this year. Even the Playoffs bring in some amount of media attention to this region. If they don't play like they did in Oakland, then we're good. :)

We also can't forget the Outback Bowl, but that doesn't bring in major media attention. It's still another important sporting event to this city.

And Jasonhouse we did host the Men's Final Four in 1999...:banana:
That's so long ago, I didn't count it... Plus, it was held in St Pete and didn't go over too well.