DENVER—The Denver 2008 Host Committee on Wednesday said it has canceled 24 individual delegate welcoming events for the Democratic National Convention and instead will hold a single celebration to mark the rebuilding of areas affected by Hurricane Katrina.
The Aug. 24 event, to be sponsored by the Friends of New Orleans, an organization supporting Gulf Coast rebuilding, will be held three years after Katrina devastated New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region.
Sponsors said the single-event format in Denver will provide a forum to unite convention delegates and other guests for a worthwhile cause on an important anniversary.
In a statement Wednesday, the host committee did not address fundraising problems it faces and a June 16 deadline imposed by the Democratic National Committee for raising $40.6 million. The committee reported last month it had just $25 million in cash.
Following the event, to be attended by all 56 delegations, Denver’s Fillmore Auditorium will present the “New Orleans All-Star Jam-Balaya,” a concert featuring the music and food that made New Orleans famous.
Friends of New Orleans is an international organization committed to supporting the ongoing recovery and rebuilding of the Gulf Coast Region.
“People across the country have poured their heart and soul into helping rebuild New Orleans and the surrounding Gulf Coast region. This event will recognize those efforts, and we hope all of the delegates and guests to the Democratic National Convention will join in this commemorative event,” said Host Committee President Elbra Wedgeworth.
Previous plans to welcome convention delegates included gatherings at 24 different locations around Denver, each of which was to serve from one to five delegations.
The host committee had reserved 24 venues for the delegations on Aug. 24, a day before the convention begins. Letters went out earlier this week to the venues withdrawing reservations for separate delegation parties. Whether the host committee will get deposits back from some of those spots is under negotiation.
Sponsors said consolidating the delegate celebrations will not detract from Denver’s efforts to showcase itself to tens of thousands of elected officials, delegates, media and other guests expected for the convention.
