Representatives from the Democratic National Committee will evaluate Phoenix in coming days as part of the selection process for the 2016 convention.
Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton spoke about the benefits for the committee of choosing Phoenix as the host city and the economic benefits that choice would bring the city during a press conference Wednesday afternoon at the Phoenix Convention Center featuring Democratic National Convention CEO Amy Dacey.
“It’s a great thing, not just for the city of Phoenix, but for this entire valley, and for the entire state of Arizona,” Stanton said. “I am confident that when the DNC leadership leaves here, they will leave with an understanding that, logistically, there is no better place than Phoenix.”
Phoenix is the fifth and final city the DNC is visiting before choosing a host city. The committee has already visited Birmingham, Alabama; Columbus, Ohio; New York City and Philadelphia as part of its search. The host city will be chosen later this year or early next year, Dacey said.
The city failed in its bid to get the Republican National Convention earlier this year.
The city that gets to host the Democratic National Convention could reap substantial economic benefits. A report by Tourism Economics put the economic impact of the 2012 convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, at nearly $164 million.
When President Barack Obama accepted his party’s presidential nomination at the 2008 convention in Denver, the event provided the city with an economic impact of $266 million, according to a report from the city and county of Denver.
No studies have been done to determine the possible economic impact in Phoenix, but past conventions show that the 2016 convention could have a positive impact on the city and state, Arizona Chamber of Commerce spokesman Garrick Taylor said.
“When you’re able to put your city on the world stage and prove that it’s a great place to host a large-scale event, it’s an opportunity we should seize,” Taylor said.
The downtown area would be directly impacted the most by the convention, but the state as a whole, especially the tourism industry, would also benefit, Taylor said.
Dacey said the purpose of the committee’s visit is to evaluate the readiness of the city from a financial, logistical and security standpoint.
“We’re going to have a lot of delegates and a lot of interested parties coming into the city, and we want to make sure they have the best experience possible,” Dacey said.
Stanton said the city is well-equipped to handle the challenges that come with hosting such a large event because of the infrastructure that has been developed in the past decade. The light rail and hotel accommodations along its route will provide convention attendees with easy access to convention locations, which will include downtown landmarks such as US Airways Center, Chase Field and the Phoenix Convention Center.
“I’ve personally been to numerous democratic conventions, and logistics matter a lot,” Stanton said. “And they can make or break the experience for the conventioneers that will be visiting here in Phoenix.”
The demographic trends of Phoenix are a reflection of the country’s trends as a whole, Stanton said. He pointed to the city’s growing minority population and its track record on gay rights issues as examples of Phoenix’s unique social dynamic.
“Politically and demographically, Phoenix is where our country is going,” Stanton said.
Downtown Phoenix has struggled to attract large events recently, including the Republican National Convention, despite the remodeling of the convention center in 2008.
Stanton said next year’s Super Bowl events that will be held downtown and the possible convention in 2016 would show the country that Phoenix is capable of hosting large-scale events.
The city’s bid has support from members of both political parties, including Gov. Jan Brewer. Taylor said this is an opportunity that both parties need to support.
“Attracting large-scale events, like a national convention, is a nonpartisan endeavor,” Taylor said. “Republicans and Democrats alike should get behind this bid.”
Contact the reporter at agnel.philip@asu.edu.
