DNC could spur major spending in Denver
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A person carrying a sign for Denver's DNC bid at Ball Arena. Photo: Esteban L. Hernandez/Axios
For Denver, the pitch is simple: "Go West."
Why it matters: The only Western city named a finalist for 2028's Democratic National Convention wants to write itself into the party's future by winning the highly coveted bid to pump millions into the local economy.
Driving the news: Mayor Mike Johnston and Gov. Jared Polis greeted Democratic National Committee chair Ken Martin yesterday at Ball Arena for party officials' three-day city tour.
- The tour examined Denver's transit, hospitality, venue and amenity options.
By the numbers: If selected, Denver could draw $500 million in economic activity from the four-day convention, Johnston said, likening the event to "four Super Bowls in a row."
- The 2008 convention drew $266 million in spending across the area and $24 million in global publicity, Visit Denver spokesperson Taylor Shields said in an email Wednesday.
What we're watching: Whether Denver's business community rallies behind the bid during an uneasy economic climate.
- Some major companies have departed Colorado, and scores of leaders say innovation has stalled, while officials in the capital city are still working to bring both businesses and people back downtown.
Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce board chair Mowa Haile, who joined Johnston on Wednesday, struck an optimistic tone even as he acknowledged the country's "inflection point." But he added that the city is building economic opportunities for people.
Between the lines: Democrats would need to raise between $75 million and $90 million to host the convention in Denver, a Democratic analyst recently told CBS Colorado.
- Visit Denver declined to say how much it has already spent on its campaign to land the DNC, citing the active and competitive nature of the bid, Shields said.
The bottom line: Local businesses will likely be more interested in an economically prosperous event rather than a culturally significant one.