The Republican National Committee is expected Tuesday to choose between two cities — Dallas and Cleveland — to host the party’s 2016 presidential nominating convention. The city selected will win a week in the national spotlight and host tens of thousands of visitors and the millions of dollars of economic activity those visitors bring.
Dallas and Cleveland have spent months wooing the nine members of the RNC’s site selection committee. The cities have sent delegations to RNC meetings, hosted happy hours and rolled out the red carpet for the site selection team.
The ability to raise sufficient funds to cover security and venue costs is the most important factor to national Republicans, several top party officials said. In 2012, Tampa, Fla., that year’s host city, struggled to raise the necessary money.
“Number one: It is a business decision. Number two: It is a business decision. Number three: It is a business decision,” said Sean Spicer, the RNC’s communications director.
Denver made it to the final four cities before being eliminated along with Kansas City, Mo.
