DNC and/or World Games? (Birmingham, York: license, design, friendly)

[Tourian]

Originally Posted by GotLuv4Bham

Well, we've already secured the 2021 World Games

Oh yeah, I know I just felt like necroing an old thread from back when it was a question.

and I can only imagine the economic impact of back to back years of hosting the two major events. Hopefully, we'll land DNC this time around.

Well, I think if he is going to spend the money to get the city's hat thrown in again, there needs to be a real plan and some infrastructure put in to make a real run at it. It was okay last time to pay for a "lesson" when we had no real shot of winning, but now that they know what it will take to really be considered...some cranes need to go up on some nice hotels and the BJCC needs to be renovated/replaced/added on to, whatever.


This would help our cause too:


Birmingham mayor to ask Obama for order creating Civil Rights National Historic Park | AL.com

Birmingham Mayor William Bell plans to ask President Barack Obama to issue an executive order designating the AG Gaston Freedom Center and the Civil Rights District as a National Historic Park.
Bell plans to make the request next week, the mayor's office released today.
U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell introduced legislation earlier this year to create the Birmingham Civil Rights National Historical Park, but there's not enough voting days left in the legislative term to get the bill passed.
Bell will request the use of presidential executive order via the use of the antiquities act.
"This project will be transformative for the Civil Rights District and beyond," Bell said in a written statement. "Not only will the history be preserved, but the economic impact has the potential to really transform the surrounding neighborhoods as well.
"We are working with the Department of Interior (DOI), National Park Service (NPS), the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) for the White House, Congresswoman Sewell's office and the White House to coordinate this designation and we really cannot wait to see it all come together," he continued.

Having that that designation would make the city a great backdrop for the....for....um...for both parties.

[TimCity2000]

I think Birmingham is a long shot for a national convention. I agree that the convention center / BJCC would need a major overhaul or upgrade. Also the hotels as you mentioned. Finally, I'd have to research previous locations, but I feel like these are usually held in fairly purple states.

[wetdawg]

Yeah They always go for battleground states. I was surprised B'ham got as far as it did before.

[TimCity2000]

^ To be fair, Birmingham requested an invitation to bid. People tend to leave that out (or forget it altogether).


The DNC sent out RFPs to 15 cities in early 2014. Birmingham was not one of them. We requested one and were granted it. 6 cities turned in bids. Birmingham was one of three that were initially cut after they scouted all the sites.


I would love for us to host something like this, but I'm just being realistic. We need major facilities and transportation upgrades.

[preguntas]

Yeah, they could hold it in an open air UAB college football stadium.

[steveklein]

Originally Posted by preguntas

Yeah, they could hold it in an open air UAB college football stadium.

Yeah... because as if it wasn't already a big stretch to hold the convention in a non-purple state, the two parties would want nothing more than to leave weather to chance, right?

And of course all of this is going to take place in a venue that has no firm plans to be built and no construction timeline, right?

The optimism around here knows no bounds.

[Tourian]

Originally Posted by preguntas

Yeah, they could hold it in an open air UAB college football stadium.

Ha ha. It is either that or build a pop up Ritz-Carlton next to Legion Field.

[preguntas]

Originally Posted by Tourian

Ha ha. It is either that or build a pop up Ritz-Carlton next to Legion Field.

At least you know cynicism when you read it. ( like the pop up Ritz)

[_OT]

lol.

[jero23]

Yes, Birmingham is again vying for the Democratic national convention | AL.com

Last month, in a letter to mayor Randall Woodfin, obtained by AL.com, Democratic National Committee chair Tom Perez asked the city to "consider" vying for the 2020 convention, which he called "an historic event that could shape the future of Birmingham for years to come."

Now, this is an interesting turn of events. The DNC Chair Tom Perez requested the City to apply for hosting the 2020 Democratic National Convention. One of the caveats that I have noticed about Charlotte, whom was the last city of similar size to Birmingham to host the DNC, was the Charlotte Convention Center (280,000 sq ft) is smaller than as the BJCC (350,000 sq ft) not including the Legacy Arena. This is prior to the proposed additional 90,000 sq ft expansion coming. Ironically, the DNC was at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, which will be the similar size as the Legacy Arena after its renovations.

If Birmingham can keep increasing its number of hotel rooms in the region closer to 18,000 then the region might stand a significant shot at hosting the convention in 2020.