* Crain’s last week…
Downtown Chicago hotels that were counting on a Democratic National Convention bump in business might need a late surge of reservations to pull it off, based on booking data ahead of next week’s event.
As of Aug. 5, visitors have booked between 63% and 70% of downtown hotel rooms during the four days of the convention, which kicks off Aug. 19, according to data tracked by real estate information company CoStar Group. Those occupancy rates are slightly below the numbers downtown hotels saw during the comparable week of August last year, CoStar data shows
I reached out to CoStar and asked if they had any updated numbers. Turns out, those Crain’s numbers compared apples to oranges. Here is what CoStar told me about 2023 hotel occupancy in the Chicago business district for this year’s DNC dates…
On the books (42-45%), Actualized (63-75%)
The most recent 2024 numbers Costar has are for August 12…
On the books (60-68%), Actualized (TBD)
Crain’s was comparing actual numbers last year to pre-booked numbers this year.
However, if past is prologue, we can likely expect that the eventual “actualized” number to be significantly higher than the “on the books” number, which is from a week before the DNC began.
* Meanwhile, this is from the Washington Post yesterday…
The Democrats’ 2024 convention seemed likely to unfold with echoes of the unrest that disrupted the ’68 gathering. And it’s still possible, with an estimated 40,000 demonstrators expected to gather Monday to protest the Biden administration’s position on the war in Gaza.
* But here’s the Washington Post today…
Organizers of the Coalition to March on the DNC had predicted a crowd of tens of thousands as recently as Monday morning, noting that buses of protesters had arrived from out of state. But by afternoon, spare protest signs littered the ground and fewer than 2,000 protesters filled a portion of Chicago’s Union Park, according to police stationed nearby who had surveyed the area with a drone.
* More…
…Adding… Sun-Times…
The group of protesters marching down Washington Boulevard was briefly split into two groups but have re-organized in the face of a roadblock — the media.
Photographers and a gaggle of media are getting in the way of the protest route. The protest briefly stopped to tell camera crews to get out of the way.
Hilarious…
- Alton Sinkhole - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 2:35 pm:
LOL
- Alton Sinkhole - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 2:36 pm:
Media got their clicks on that completely unverified “Over 25,000 people” number that I am 100% certain they were fed from some “organizer”
- NIU Grad - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 2:42 pm:
Local and national media have been desperate for these protests to get out of control for months. Two people getting into an argument would probably get live coverage from the networks.
- Demoralized - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 2:46 pm:
Seems like their protest for today kinda of fizzled out. Maybe they’ll get their act together. Or maybe people didn’t want to carry signs saying we support terrorists.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 2:46 pm:
I was downtown yesterday and stopped by the protest to see firsthand what they got. There were almost as many cops as protesters. A pretty weak showing and nothing like the very challenging 2020 summer demonstrations.
- Frida's boss - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 2:48 pm:
What a joke. That video shows a whole lot of aimless white kids.
My favorite this week was Progressive Aldermen telling rally organizers not to come to their neighborhood as it will disrupt things they are trying to do. I’m guessing applauding the kicking in of store windows and rioting are cool if it’s other people’s neighborhoods. Congrats to the Aldermen and NIMBY organizations who signed the letter for becoming members of the Republican Party.
https://x.com/Ward26Chicago
- Rich Miller - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 2:48 pm:
===Maybe they’ll get their act together===
They have another one planned for Thursday, but this was supposed to be the big one.
Ope
- Amalia - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 2:55 pm:
Cornell West. Oh my.
- Norseman - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 2:56 pm:
The Post is doing their clickbait thing. A little mayhem would do wonders for increased reading.
68 was a baseline to prepare, but that year also involved an unpopular war where Americans were dying. While Gaza is heartbreaking, I don’t see the great masses from campuses as was seen in 68. That being said, evil forces will do what they can to cause violence and destruction. However, 68 also serves as a lesson on what to do in response.
- GoneFishing - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 3:00 pm:
Whoever came up with 40,000 must have been also figuring out the ‘real’ number of people at Trump rallies. I know someone who is part of the security effort and they really thought zillions of people would be protesting. I sort of shrugged it off as all these numbers sounded wildly wrong.
- Donnie Elgin - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 3:00 pm:
=Some were blowing away in the wind=
such hypocrisy…
“We will also be bringing together the demands of the people’s movements to the door of the Democratic party: Money for Jobs, School, Healthcare, Housing, and Environment, Not for War!”
https://www.marchondnc2024.org/
- DuPage Saint - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 3:03 pm:
I bet this is the big demonstration today. I don’t know why they harp on 68. This is not 1968. Doesn’t the media remember or know we had a Democrat convention in the 1990s and it came out fine.
- Homebody - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 3:04 pm:
So many national media outlets seemed desperate for chaos to make their jobs easy and salacious. It is like they are rooting for riots.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 3:04 pm:
===The Post is doing their clickbait thing===
That was just one example of many, many stories from all sorts of outlets. I had several more in the originally planned post but cut them for length concerns.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 3:07 pm:
===It is like they are rooting for riots.===
Yep, and it’s grotesque.
- Emma - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 3:11 pm:
This convention will be more Chicago ‘96 than Chicago ‘68.
- Dance Band on the Titanic - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 3:11 pm:
Maybe the protesters couldn’t get here due to Texas Governor Greg Abbott reserving all the buses heading to Chicago.
- JoanP - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 3:13 pm:
WaPo has definitely been pushing this narrative, but they are not alone.
On the other hand, WaPo also had this excellent article by three Chicago writers: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/08/19/welcome-to-chicago/ The comments are (mostly) great.
- Hmmmmmmmm - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 3:17 pm:
Sun Times coverage on this is truly abysmal. Clearly obfuscating how small this really is to get those precious clicks.
They’ve been hyping it up as the rally of all rallies for weeks now and they managed to get a crowd half the size of the ones you see at the average Chicago Dogs game.
- Norseman - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 3:25 pm:
=== That was just one example of many, many stories ===
You’re correct. My bad. I should have said MSM.
As I mentioned on Twitter, it’s legit for journalists to ask organizers if they’re prepared for 68 style problems. But the wolf pack stories scream clickbait.
- Been There - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 3:35 pm:
I just booked a room downtown last night for Tues, Weds, Thurs. There was more available than when we stayed downtown 3 weeks ago. But once schools start to go back the tourist start to slow so that’s not apples to apples either.
- Rudy’s teeth - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 3:36 pm:
Wonder if Darren Bailey can repurpose all the discarded signs at Union Park for his next campaign? Surely, there’s room in the barn.
- GoneFishing - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 3:36 pm:
Yes, I noticed the Sun Times has a very click bait picture, zoomed way in, and headline. Article is mostly ok. Just trying for clicks seems like. Not sure why lots of people are all about the doom and gloom. I know you want to be prepared but still that attitude needs to stop.
- GoneFishing - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 3:38 pm:
Also, seems like at their march the media is causing more issues than the marchers according to the sun times.
- NewToSpringfield - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 3:48 pm:
Dems in array, for once.
- Donnie Elgin - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 3:51 pm:
can’t beat the weather - but the accommodations are not great
Jason Meisner
@jmetr22b
From the Trib’s Megan Crepeau in Union Park:
“By 12:30, at least 150 people were in line for the port-a-potties, stretching nearly the entire length of the park. City officials approved only 7 for use at the park, where organizers expected thousands to gather.”
- Original Rambler - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 3:55 pm:
I don’t recall, how many protesters showed up at their rally in Milwaukee? /s These organizers talk tough about not voting for KH but how do they think DJT will treat the Palestinians if he wins (shudder)? I’m sure at the end of the day some of these hard core believers will sit out the election but the vast majority will vote for KH. (This kind of reminds me of the emptiness of AFSCME strike threats.)
- granville - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 4:03 pm:
I also noticed there was a sudden uptick in stories the last few weeks in which violence and unrest was assumed.
I’ve been downtown and in the Gold Coast for the last 3 days and I’ve never seen so many cops in my life.
== My favorite this week was Progressive Aldermen telling rally organizers not to come to their neighborhood as it will disrupt things they are trying to do.==
The “things they are trying to do” is deal with a homeless encampment in a public park in a humane and ultimately effective way rather than just pushing it down the street, and surely it’s not hard to imagine a group of protest tourists camping on the same spot could have unpredictable consequences?
- JoanP - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 4:09 pm:
That photo of media photogs completely blocking the intersection is the best.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 4:10 pm:
Most people here are just not that motivated by a very complicated issue happening on the other side of the world.
- Two Left Feet - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 4:16 pm:
What information was used by the City, State and DNC to determine the level of preparations needed? I’m going to assume it was more than the media reports and organizers. What number of protestors did they prepare for? It appears that they prepared for a very high number.
- NIU Grad - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 4:17 pm:
More media than protesters at this point (snark)
DNC/Pritzker Comms should be working a narrative today that the protests are fizzling to try to get those reporters back to the DNC…
- Senator Clay Davis - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 4:20 pm:
“Labor for Palestine”
Very silly omni-cause protesting. If I was a member of that union, I’d be pretty annoyed they’re spending money and staff resources hanging around that protest. Big fan of staying in your lane.
- Annonin' - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 4:28 pm:
Meisner should stick to be the echo box the guys on Dearborn. Headcounting does not appear to be a skill.
- Friendly Bob Adams - Monday, Aug 19, 24 @ 4:53 pm:
With all the advancements in computer technology, I think that by now they should be able to count the number of people at any large gathering. It would save a lot of trouble for everyone.
Reminds me of when Jane Byrne claimed that 2 million people came out to see the Pope. She said something like, well Philadelphia said they had 1 million, so we doubled that number.