To hear Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson tell it, the story is all about the silver lining. When he received a phone call Wednesday afternoon from the RNC's site selection committee, it wasn't the news he wanted to hear.
Frank Jackson: I want you to understand we intended to win. I firmly believe the exposure we would have received... All that being said, we have a victory - that we came together as a community and as a people.
Officials estimated the convention would have attracted about 50,000 people and brought close to $100 million into the region's economy.
Along with the Twin Cities, which had been a three-time loser as the political convention site, Cleveland had been in contention with Tampa Bay and New York City, the site of the 2004 Republican National Convention.
The city and its partners spent just under $400,000 in their attempt to woo the GOP, and the mayor says he has no regrets.
Frank Jackson: A good fight now and then don't hurt nobody. It's worth the effort. As I said it produced a lot of things that lots of people said could not be produced in Cleveland.
The Mayor declined to say if the city would position itself for any conventions in 2012. Dan Moulthrop, 90.3.