| With health care behind us, lets catch up on some 2012 Republican convention news: - The GOP site selection committee was in Phoenix this week:
After a 24-hour tour of the city, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele said he was impressed with the region’s growth, amenities and cleanliness –– positioning Phoenix for a run at its first presidential convention, despite being the birthplace of the modern conservative movement.
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Steele said the Phoenix delegation brought its “A” game and did a wonderful job of laying out venues, the transportation system and hospitality features, as it tries to shed its Wild West image.
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Addressing a question about the heat, considering the event will occur in August, Steele said, “Wherever you go in the summer, there’s going to be issues related to the heat. The goal is to be in a place to have a good time. We want this to be the people’s convention.”
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Earlier in the day, RNC members toured US Airways Center, the potential site for the convention; the Phoenix Convention Center, which would house administrative offices; and the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel and J.W. Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa.
- As for the heat, Oreo was also in Phoenix this week and emails:
Seriously... I'm in phoenix in March and its in the 80s. There's no way they'd hold the convention here in august. They'd be crazy... Oh... Wait... This is the GOP we're talking about.
- The GOP site selection committee is visiting Tampa starting tomorrow, and tourist officials are looking
 for local support:
"A key to our success is showing the Site Selection Committee the hospitality that the Tampa Bay area is known for. When they arrive, we want to give them a welcome that they’ll never forget," Tampa Bay & Co., president Paul Catoe wrote today in a news release."We want them to know that our community stands prepared to welcome the 2012 Republican National Convention with open arms."
Here's the schedule: On Monday, stops include the St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa Convention Center, the Tampa Museum of Art, the Channelside entertainment complex and Columbia Restaurant. On Tuesday, they'll visit Tropicana Field and the Don Cesar. There's also a rally being held at 10:30 AM tomorrow to support the convention bid. After Tampa, the site selection committee heads to Salt Lake. - Also next Friday, Obama will be in Charlotte, and Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx wants to bring up the 2012 Democratic convention:
Foxx also seemed ready to make a pitch for the 2012 Democratic National Convention, an event local tourism leaders are eager to land.
"We'll all treat it like an early interview," Foxx said. -Charlotte Business Journal
Still a cone of silence around the DNC on anything to do with the Democratic convention. |
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