Denver and the Democratic National Convention
Besides the snow and the cold and the snowy cold, the big story here in recent days has been the selection of Denver as the site of the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Depending on who you talk to, this either means the end of life as we know it in the Mile High City, or it's the greatest thing to ever happen in the history of man kind. Like anything, the truth falls somewhere in between. But it promises to be an exciting stage to highlight Denver to the world. And I suspect that it will be quite a boon for area hotels...just a hunch.
With some 35,000 people descending into town on August 25, 2008, hotels, bars and restaurants will be booking up quickly, if they haven't already. Every venue in the metro area will be hosting rallies, galas, cocktail parties, concerts, receptions, and all kinds of different gatherings. Politicians, reporters, media personalities, celebrities, donors, activists, and many more will all be showing up. And probably some protestors too.
It promises to be a much different event than the smoke-filled convention Denver last hosted in 1908. But there will still be a lot of bunting and American flags. Check out the Denver 2008 Host Committee web site for more information, including on how to volunteer, donate, and the expected economic impact, which is estimated to be anywhere around $160-$200 million for the city.
Stay tuned, and get your rooms while you can. It's only about 585 days away.
