Will Kansas City hold the 2016 Republican National Convention (Nevada: 2013, how much)

[kcmo]

Regardless of your political interests, I think this would be great for KC.

Kansas City is a front-runner for Republican National Convention - Kansas City Business Journal

It would also force KC to do more urban infrastructure improvements such as build a convention hotel and extend the streetcar line to the Plaza.

It looks like KC and Vegas are the top two contenders right now. Come on KC, go for it.

[pioneer88]

I'd love it! For all the reasons you mentioned as well. Talk about a great opportunity for Kansas City and regardless of anyone's political leanings seeing a major convention up close would be cool. I definitely hope it helps hustle up expansion of the street car and other infrastructure.

[CrownVic95]

I remember the '76 Republican convention like it was yesterday.

It was an exciting time for KC with all the national media there. And it was cool watching Air Force One on approach to MKC runway 01.

[TabulaRasa]

I'm all for anything that fast-tracks improvements...even if it means that I schedule a week out of town at that time.

[MidWestCityNative]

Not sure how to feel about this. I always felt political conventions should be in swing states (or states that aren't representative of the party's constituency...like the 2012 DNC in North Carolina and the 2004 RNC in New York).

In recent years, Missouri has shed its image as a swing state, and is now considered "red". The last two presidential elections prove that. Even if its not entirely true, people will look at "KANSAS" City as being too obvious of a place for the GOP to gather for a convention.

[kcmo]

I think it would be great for KC and I don't think it matters if it's the DNC or the RNC.

[CrownVic95]

Originally Posted by kcmo

I think it would be great for KC and I don't think it matters if it's the DNC or the RNC.

I agree with this as both parties are repugnant today. Nonetheless it is a major boon to the metro.

[ProspectiveTransplant]

Maybe they'll hole up some space down on the Paseo for the "free speech zones".

(Both major parties are guilty of setting these up; this isn't meant to be a partisan potshot.)

[topchief1]

When ours came to Charlotte last year, there was all this talk about how much of a distraction of was going to be, and back and forth between it costing us money, or us making money, but after all was said and done, there wasn't much impact at all, either good or bad. I wandered down around the area they were doing all that stuff though, and it wasn't terribly exciting, I think you really need to be a delegate to get anything out of it.

[MrIndependent]

I doubt that KC will be selected in the end. Especially not above Las Vegas (considering Nevada is a battleground state the GOP is eager to win back from Dem hands).

MO has essentially become a "leans-Republican" state over the past several years. KS is about as red as Utah. So there is really no benefit to the GOP to host it in Kansas City.

With that being said, it would overall be nice for KC. I don't see it as being a negative to host the event.