Local Officials Anxiously Awaiting Word If DNC Is Coming To Philadelphia
By Mike Dunn
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A decision could come within a few weeks on whether the Democratic National Committee will choose Philadelphia to host its 2016 nominating convention. In the meantime, Mayor Nutter and other city officials are on pins and needles.
Mayor Nutter believes the Democrat's final decision on a convention site is less than a month away:
"The DNC anticipates announcing a decision somewhere in the late January- early February time period."
Competing against Philadelphia are Brooklyn, New York and Columbus, Ohio. Nutter won't put odds on this city being chosen, saying "I'm too poor to be a betting man." But like most city officials, he is voicing optimism:
"I feel very good about the proposal that we've put forward. We have an excellent team that's been working on this. We are taking this very, very seriously. We are doing every that we possibly can, putting forward our best face."
The Nutter Administration is currently in the midst of helping plan for the big event this September -- the arrival of Pope Francis for the World Meeting of Families. The mayor does not think that hosting a huge event this year will deter the DNC from coming here next year:
"What they're looking at is our ability to host huge events. We're anticipating upwards of two million people for the World Meeting of Families. As big as the DNC is, there won't be two million people here for that event."
The 2016 DNC convention has no firm date yet, though this latest statement narrows the weeks of July 18th, July 25th or August 22nd.
The 2016 Republican National Convention will be held in Cleveland.
You may also be interested in these stories:
