Philly makes the cut as DNC names finalists for 2016

Posted: Monday, November 24, 2014, 7:09 PM

Whether it was the Mummers, the cheesesteaks or the doughnuts, the Democratic National Committee was impressed enough with what Philadelphia had to offer that it has selected the city as one of three finalists in the running to host the party's 2016 convention.

Philadelphia, New York City and Columbus, Ohio are the finalists, the DNC announced Monday. That mean Birmingham, Ala., and Phoenix, Ariz. have been eliminated.

'We're thrilled to move to the next step of the selection process to determine where Democrats will come together to nominate the 45th president of the United States,' the DNC's chairperson, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida said in a prepared statement. 'We are fortunate to have such a diverse and vibrant group of cities interested in hosting this special event.'

The winner is expected to be announced early next year. The committee is also figuring out the convention's dates. Potential time frames are the weeks of July 18, July 25, and Aug. 22, 2016.

One of the city's Democratic cheerleaders used a football analogy.

'Today, we are in the red zone. But like any Eagles fan knows, there is a difference between being in the red zone and putting points on the board,' said U.S. Rep. Bob Brady, who has helped lead efforts to bring the convention here. 'I am proud of the effort our team put in, but now is not the time to spike the ball but to redouble our efforts and get the job done.'

When the DNC's technical advisory team visited Philadelphia in August, they were feted with all things Philly - from a Mummers string band to a Rocky Balboa impersonator, plus doughnuts and all sorts of other delicacies at the Reading Terminal Market. The committee was also treated to a swanky party at the top of Hotel Monaco and a private breakfast at Comcast with its executive vice president, David L. Cohen, who made a big pitch for the city.

By most accounts, a big obstacle for Philadelphia is fund-raising. New York has a larger donor base that will be hard to beat. Then there's politics: New York state is home to the party's presidential frontrunner for 2016, Hillary Clinton. Columbus is the capital of the ultimate swing state, Ohio - that's a big reason why the Republicans have chosen to stage their 2016 convention in Cleveland.

'We have every expectation that we would certainly meet the financial requirements to put on a great convention,' Mayor Nutter said, later adding that about $70 million or $80 million in private funding will be required, possibly more.

Nutter said Philadelphia leads the pack in the other decision factors: security, logistics, and facilities.

'On all three of those, we, I think, hands-down are the best,' the mayor said Monday, following the announcement. 'We clearly have the capacity to raise the dollars that necessary to put on what I feel will be one of the best conventions in the last 40 years.'

The chairman of the state Democratic party, Jim Burn, greeted Monday's news with a reminder of the last time the party convened here: 'We will continue to work tirelessly down the home stretch to make Philadelphia the jumping off point for a winning Democratic campaign, just as it was for Harry S. Truman in 1948.'

The local team working on the DNC effort has been hosting several fundraisers in recent weeks.

Although no one would give a precise figure of how much has been raised so far, one insider said: 'enough to be competitive.'

cvargas@phillynews.com

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