Next August, Tampa will host the 2012 National Republican Convention. Florida is finally getting another shot to host the convention after losing bids in 2004 to New York and 2008 to Minneapolis. The selection process is largely based on facilities to host the week long chain of events, available hotels in the immediate area, and security.
For Tampa, hosting this convention will be especially beneficial for the local economy. The GOP National Convention is slated to bring in an estimated $160 million and 45,000 visitors to the Tampa Bay area. This expected economic boost will also help to create new jobs in Tampa.
This will be the first time the convention is held in Tampa. From a political standpoint the goal of the GOP is to host in key swing states; Florida has been just that in the past elections. In the 2008 presidential race, Florida was won over by democratic candidate, and now President, Barak Obama. Having the Republican National Convention in Tampa will bring information and resources about the political party to the Bay Area that otherwise may have not been available.
Tampa proves to be a city that can host large events and crowds. The city has hosted the NFL Superbowl four times. This time around, things will be a little different being that this is the first non-sports related event of this size to be held in the area.
For more information on the Republican National Convention 2012, visit the official website here.
If you will be visiting Tampa during the convention, be sure to plan ahead. Here is some information to get you started:
