The Democratic National Committee has asked Detroit – along with 14 other cities – to make a pitch to host the presidential nominating convention in 2016.
The DNC on Tuesday said the party will accept proposals through June 6 and will pick a host city either late this year or early in 2015. Most cities expect the convention to cost between $55 million and $60 million.
In addition to Detroit, the cities under consideration include: Atlanta; Chicago; Cleveland; Columbus, Ohio; Indianapolis; Las Vegas; Miami; Nashville; New York; Orlando; Philadelphia; Phoenix; Pittsburgh and Salt Lake City.
Detroit hosted the Republican National Convention in 1980. The city has not hosted a Democratic National Convention.
Various factors go into deciding where to plant the convention, most notably whether the city has the facilities to stage the pageantry and whether there are enough hotels to house the delegates and media who descend on the region, as well as the ease with which visitors can navigate the city.
In addition, weather has thwarted recent conventions. The Republican National Committee delayed the start of its 2012 convention in Tampa, Fla., because of Hurricane Isaac. Storms forced the Democrats that year to scrap and outdoor rally in Charlotte, N.C. The history would weigh on officials considering storm-vulnerable Atlanta, Miami and Orlando.
Some of the 2016 cities have obvious appeal for Democrats.
For instance, President Barack Obama, who will be leaving the White House in 2017, calls Chicago home and his potential successor Hillary Rodham Clinton is from Illinois. Clinton also represented New York in the Senate.
