Image via WikipediaMr. Media® Radio Network • Email • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn • YouTubeby Mitch Perry
August 18, 2011
Despite Florida's Democratic voter majority, Republicans dominate the state elections. And because the Sunshine State is as critical a battleground as any in the country, it makes sense that the GOP would hold its national convention in Florida.
But it's not just anywhere in Florida, of course — it's in Tampa, where organizers say they're ready for an expected 45,000 people (mostly delegates, reporters and protesters) to jam into the Cigar City the week of August 27, 2012, to observe the Republican Party's 40th national convention. The city was left at the altar in both 2004 and 2008 in its attempts to host the event, but as Mayor Bob Buckhorn would say, "This is our time." So what's going to happen?
Show us the money
When you write about a convention, you've got to employ a lot of dollar signs, since that seems to be really what the whole thing is about: cash.
And optimistic officials with the RNC Host Committee are expecting to bring in a lot of it — a boost to the Tampa Bay economy of approximately $175 million, the bulk of it to be spent on hotels, transportation, food, entertainment and security.
Is that number real? Other cities' track records suggest it could be. A study conducted by the Minneapolis/St. Paul 2008 Host Committee found that the GOP convention generated a direct economic impact of more than $153 million and an indirect impact of an additional $15 million. The Beacon Hill Institute says the 2004 GOP New York City convention generated $163 million.
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