With balloons and fanfare, the committee that will stage the 2008 Democratic National Convention handed off hotel assignments Tuesday for each of the 56 delegations save Florida.
The Sunshine State’s omission from the list of 27 hotels that are congregated downtown, at Stapleton and the Tech Center marked the one bit of controversy on an otherwise breezy public-relations blitz.
The Democratic Party has stripped Florida of all its 210 delegates because the Florida Democratic Party says it will leapfrog a national party mandate and hold its primary early, on Jan. 29.
However, the Democratic presidential nominee could ask that Florida’s delegates be reinstated, and the powerful bloc is counting on just that. “We’re looking forward to visiting the beautiful Mile High City,” said Florida party spokesman Mark Bubriski.
Democratic National Convention Committee officials say their omission of Florida comes at the national party’s direction. But hotel assignments are just beginning, and only about 7,000 rooms are blocked for the 5,000 delegates, their alternates and guests. In all, the DNCC has 17,000 rooms to ration out to delegations, media and other party officials.
Colorado’s delegation will stay at the Grand Hyatt Denver downtown. Delegate-rich states California and New York will stay at the Adam’s Mark.
