Chicago unveiled its pitch to host the 2024 Democratic National Convention Tuesday morning, releasing a slickly produced video narrated by favorite son Common that showcases Chicago as the “heartland of Democracy” and the best place to launch the party’s pitch to voters.
Chicago is one of at least seven cities to be asked by the Democratic National Committee to bid for the convention to be held in the summer of 2024, officials said. […]
Illinois’ top Democrats joined forces with labor and business leaders to announce the bid, with Gov. J.B. Pritzker saying the convention would infuse $150 million into Illinois’ economy and boost Chicago’s flagging tourism and hospitality industries, which have been slow to recover amid the lingering COVID-19 pandemic.
A convention hosted in Chicago would “invite the nation to explore the Land of Lincoln and Obama,” Pritzker said in a statement.
The last Democratic convention in Chicago was in 1996 and propelled President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore on to reelection. Before that, there was the tumultuous 1968 convention, which is often best remembered for anti-Vietnam protests and violence.
Much of Chicago’s current image around the country is focused on crime - and leaders say this would be an opportunity to change that.
“This is a really important economic development and branding tool for Chicago,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said.
“We have the right leadership, the right infrastructure,” said Senator Cristina Castro, a convention delegate. “The city of Chicago is the perfect location to host this.”
It would either be an opportunity to help change the city’s image or reinforce that image if something really bad happens.
Last month, the DNC sent out formal letters to eight cities, including Chicago, Houston and Atlanta, asking city officials to submit bids for holding the quadrennial nominating convention. Organizers said that cities have until May 27 to submit their proposals to the DNC in order to be considered. The financial commitments are expected in the city’s formal response to the DNC’s request for proposals later this month.
As expected, the video submission for Chicago did not touch on outbreaks of violent crime in the city, something Republicans seeking to challenge Pritzker in the November general election and opponents of Lightfoot have noted as she faces reelection next year.
The announcement also did not include a dollar amount of prospective city, state and private financial inducements to lure the DNC to Chicago. […]
But hospitality industry officials said they were hopeful of winning the 2024 event to provide an influx of as many as 50,000 people to the city and inject revenue into hotels and restaurants that were severely hurt by pandemic closures and restrictions.
* Rather than focus on the video, the Sun-Times reported out some substance…
The Request for Proposal the Democratic National Committee sent to Chicago said the city would need to accommodate 50,000 participants — with the DNC alone needing a block of 15,000 hotel rooms for delegates, party officials, high-end donors and President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Cabinet members, Secret Service and White House staff. […]
The bid will also stress how accessible Chicago — in the center of the nation — is by car, plane and train. A very strong selling point of Chicago — with 50,000 hotel rooms within the city — is unlike other convention cities — where participants may face horrendous commutes from hotels to convention events — the event venues, restaurants, tourist attractions, even the Cubs and Sox stadiums are all close to downtown. […]
The bid will provide the DNC with menus of multiple options for using not only the United Center but — and this is not the complete list — McCormick Place, the Wintrust Arena, Navy Pier, Soldier Field and the Museum Campus. […]
The DNC will require an extensive financial package from the host city to cover a variety of costs — from festivities connected to a political convention to paying for the venue itself, to covering costs for a visit from the DNC site selection team. […]
Pritzker, asked about taxpayer expenses, said, “We have a lot of conventions as you know that come to the city of Chicago. We’ve had major gatherings, international and national, in the city of Chicago, and I wouldn’t expect that the expenditure by the city would be any more than any of those.”
===It would either be an opportunity to help change the city’s image or reinforce that image if something really bad happens.===
Agree.
It gives Chicago a real opportunity to showcase the political strength Illinois has in Durbin, Duckworth, Pritzker, the congressional delegation, that Illinois may be “flyover country” but one, if a Dem, wants to be considered, gotta stop in Illinois.
If I’m Illinois, I’m all for it to try to sell people on Chicago or Illinois.
If I’m the Democratic Party, I’d go somewhere less risky and more boring. Chicago’s reputation just gives Republicans too many things to hit them on especially if crime is still a high profile issue in 2024. Whereas, no one really talks about or knows much about a place like Milwaukee.
Having the convention in Chicago would be a show of support by the Democratic Party for a very loyal constituency that’s constantly being dumped on by the national media and especially the opposition party. So put your money on them running away from us screaming.
Given the red meat attacks Chicago has taken recently on issues such as crime, I just think it would be a bad idea for the convention to come here. Go somewhere more in play and try to fire up the base there.
- Excitable Boy - Wednesday, May 4, 22 @ 11:54 am:
- or reinforce that image if something really bad happens.-
Given that LL is hated by both the public and the cops, I’m betting on “or” here.
“…releasing a slickly produced video narrated by favorite son Common…” Favorite son of who? I don’t listen to rap, and I never saw or heard of Common until I watched the movie “Street Kings.”
“heartland of Democracy” (???) How is that true? It took like what, 40 years until the U.S. Attorney took down Mike Madigan and the Democratic Machine? No Illinois officials did anything to bring us democracy or honest government.
But I guess if rappers like Ice-T, who wrote “Cop Killer” can sell out and now play TV cops, then yeah, having a rapper do political endorsements probably sends a message about where Chicago is at culturally. Bring the DNC, it will be fun to watch.
- Just Sayin ... - Wednesday, May 4, 22 @ 12:29 pm:
Wow … did they deliberately omit the 2016 Chicago Cubs WS victory and instead used footage from the White Sox victory 10 years before?
- don the legend - Wednesday, May 4, 22 @ 12:37 pm:
By the time the convention starts the SC abortion decision will be handed down. That should make for some excitement. Perhaps Illinois providers can offer a discount for any of the delegates from red states needing a procedure.
Is former CPD Superintendent Garry McCarthy available as a consultant for the DNC in Chicago 2024. McCarthy’s management in 2012 of NATO visitors in the city worked well.
Am not confident in the current leadership’s ability to manage this event considering the current crime fest occurring on Chicago’s streets and public transportation.
When a theater stage hand on break near State Street catches a bullet on a Sunday afternoon…really.
Although hotels and restaurants would benefit, Chicago may not be the best location for such an event.
I’m for any event that gets the CTA to clean up its stations. The red line subway stops downtown smell like an open sewer. They can’t get somebody to power wash those stations once in a while?
As a Chicagoan, I love the idea of a convention being held here. As a Democrat, I think it makes more sense to go to one of the sunbelt battle ground states like Nevada or Arizona.
Don, So you know whoever gave you the impression you are remotely funny or clever, they were wrong.
- don the legend - Wednesday, May 4, 22 @ 2:01 pm:
Sonny. Just yesterday this site had information regarding Illinois passing legislation reaching out to people in those states that will make getting an abortion difficult and encouraging them to come to Illinois.
- Bruce( no not him) - Wednesday, May 4, 22 @ 2:53 pm:
“Pritzker…wouldn’t expect that the expenditure by the city would be any more than any of those.”
As a downstater, I don’t care how much the city puts in. As long as the state doesn’t use my tax dollars.
Kinda snark, kinda not.
- MisterJayEm - Wednesday, May 4, 22 @ 11:21 am:
“It would either be an opportunity to help change the city’s image or reinforce that image if something really bad happens.”
Or an opportunity to further militarize the CPD in an attempt to stop “something really bad” from happening.
– MrJM
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 4, 22 @ 11:26 am:
===It would either be an opportunity to help change the city’s image or reinforce that image if something really bad happens.===
Agree.
It gives Chicago a real opportunity to showcase the political strength Illinois has in Durbin, Duckworth, Pritzker, the congressional delegation, that Illinois may be “flyover country” but one, if a Dem, wants to be considered, gotta stop in Illinois.
Chicago and Illinois needs a boost.
If it needs a partisan twist…
- City Zen - Wednesday, May 4, 22 @ 11:31 am:
The Macarena line starts over the endless construction on the Jane Byrne Interchange.
- AD - Wednesday, May 4, 22 @ 11:41 am:
If I’m Illinois, I’m all for it to try to sell people on Chicago or Illinois.
If I’m the Democratic Party, I’d go somewhere less risky and more boring. Chicago’s reputation just gives Republicans too many things to hit them on especially if crime is still a high profile issue in 2024. Whereas, no one really talks about or knows much about a place like Milwaukee.
- 48th Ward Heel - Wednesday, May 4, 22 @ 11:48 am:
Having the convention in Chicago would be a show of support by the Democratic Party for a very loyal constituency that’s constantly being dumped on by the national media and especially the opposition party. So put your money on them running away from us screaming.
- Ron Burgundy - Wednesday, May 4, 22 @ 11:50 am:
Given the red meat attacks Chicago has taken recently on issues such as crime, I just think it would be a bad idea for the convention to come here. Go somewhere more in play and try to fire up the base there.
- Excitable Boy - Wednesday, May 4, 22 @ 11:54 am:
- or reinforce that image if something really bad happens.-
Given that LL is hated by both the public and the cops, I’m betting on “or” here.
- Payback - Wednesday, May 4, 22 @ 12:03 pm:
“…releasing a slickly produced video narrated by favorite son Common…” Favorite son of who? I don’t listen to rap, and I never saw or heard of Common until I watched the movie “Street Kings.”
“heartland of Democracy” (???) How is that true? It took like what, 40 years until the U.S. Attorney took down Mike Madigan and the Democratic Machine? No Illinois officials did anything to bring us democracy or honest government.
But I guess if rappers like Ice-T, who wrote “Cop Killer” can sell out and now play TV cops, then yeah, having a rapper do political endorsements probably sends a message about where Chicago is at culturally. Bring the DNC, it will be fun to watch.
- Just Sayin ... - Wednesday, May 4, 22 @ 12:29 pm:
Wow … did they deliberately omit the 2016 Chicago Cubs WS victory and instead used footage from the White Sox victory 10 years before?
- Captain Obvious - Wednesday, May 4, 22 @ 12:29 pm:
And if a delegate from Mississippi, say, ne
- don the legend - Wednesday, May 4, 22 @ 12:37 pm:
By the time the convention starts the SC abortion decision will be handed down. That should make for some excitement. Perhaps Illinois providers can offer a discount for any of the delegates from red states needing a procedure.
- Rudy’s teeth - Wednesday, May 4, 22 @ 12:47 pm:
Is former CPD Superintendent Garry McCarthy available as a consultant for the DNC in Chicago 2024. McCarthy’s management in 2012 of NATO visitors in the city worked well.
Am not confident in the current leadership’s ability to manage this event considering the current crime fest occurring on Chicago’s streets and public transportation.
When a theater stage hand on break near State Street catches a bullet on a Sunday afternoon…really.
Although hotels and restaurants would benefit, Chicago may not be the best location for such an event.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, May 4, 22 @ 1:10 pm:
I’m for any event that gets the CTA to clean up its stations. The red line subway stops downtown smell like an open sewer. They can’t get somebody to power wash those stations once in a while?
- Roman - Wednesday, May 4, 22 @ 1:12 pm:
As a Chicagoan, I love the idea of a convention being held here. As a Democrat, I think it makes more sense to go to one of the sunbelt battle ground states like Nevada or Arizona.
- Sonny - Wednesday, May 4, 22 @ 1:19 pm:
Don, So you know whoever gave you the impression you are remotely funny or clever, they were wrong.
- don the legend - Wednesday, May 4, 22 @ 2:01 pm:
Sonny. Just yesterday this site had information regarding Illinois passing legislation reaching out to people in those states that will make getting an abortion difficult and encouraging them to come to Illinois.
- Bruce( no not him) - Wednesday, May 4, 22 @ 2:53 pm:
“Pritzker…wouldn’t expect that the expenditure by the city would be any more than any of those.”
As a downstater, I don’t care how much the city puts in. As long as the state doesn’t use my tax dollars.
Kinda snark, kinda not.
- Levois J - Wednesday, May 4, 22 @ 2:54 pm:
If there was a new administration in city hall we can really be serious about bringing the DNC here to Chicago!
- Padraig - Wednesday, May 4, 22 @ 2:57 pm:
Wow … did they deliberately omit the 2016 Chicago Cubs WS victory
It’s not crickets it’s Ricketts
- MisterJayEm - Wednesday, May 4, 22 @ 4:05 pm:
“I don’t listen to rap…”
Don’t worry, the rest of your comment left no doubt.
– MrJM
- Dankakee - Wednesday, May 4, 22 @ 4:58 pm:
===Favorite son of who?===
Chicago. It’s right there in the title. Man has an EGOT and has been a civic treasure for 30 years.