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Cleveland To Compete For Major GOP Event

GOP and Cleveland...together in 2016? (City photo by Brian Bull)
GOP and Cleveland...together in 2016? (City photo by Brian Bull)

City officials confirm that the Republican National Committee has invited Cleveland to bid for its 2016 convention, an event that would make use of its newly-finished convention center.

And a spokeswoman for Mayor Frank Jackson's office says that they’ve accepted that invitation.

Meanwhile, Jennifer Kramer of Positively Cleveland says the city’s flourishing hotel business means for major groups like the Republican National Committee, there are more rooms than ever in Cleveland’s downtown.

“We are now able to go after conventions twice the size of what we’ve been able to go after before," says Kramer. "We’re able to offer them accommodations between two and three hotels, and we’re able to even offer in those same three to three hotels, up to 2000 rooms. And the difference between a group of 1200 and 2000 (rooms), is about $1.5 to $1.9 million dollars per meeting.”

Besides Cleveland, Denver, Kansas City, and Charlotte, North Carolina are also competing.

An analysis of the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida last year says the event generated $214 million for the local economy.

(Story by ideastream's Brian Bull)