FORT WORTH -- Thousands of Texas Republicans are expected to swarm Fort Worth this summer for the country's largest political convention and bring with them a Texas-size economic impact.
As many as 18,000 delegates and alternates -- more than the total expected for the Republican National Convention in August in Tampa, Fla. -- could pour into North Texas for the June 7-9 event. And as they fill hotels, dine at restaurants and visit tourist attractions, they could have an economic impact worth $4.4 million, according to conservative estimates from the Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau."This is clearly shaping up to be one of, if not the largest, state conventions ever, even though it's likely that not all 18,000 will actually attend," said Chris Elam, a spokesman for the Republican Party of Texas.Local officials say it's a coup to have landed the GOP convention this year, in the heart of a presidential election, and for 2014.This will be the first time the GOP has held a convention here since the Fort Worth Convention Center was updated and since the Omni Fort Worth Hotel was built. It last convened here in 1998; Texas Democrats met here in 2006."Our goal is, if they have a tremendous turnout and tremendous experience, which we expect them to have, to try to bring them back in 2016 and 2018," said David DuBois, president and CEO of the visitors bureau. "This will probably be the largest convention we hold this year."In addition to the thousands of delegates and alternates, the convention will draw high-profile speakers such as former presidential candidate Rick Santorum, Gov. Rick Perry and U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis. Countless elected officials and candidates are expected to attend as well.Economic impactOfficials say turnout is expected to be so large that the rooms set aside for the convention at eight hotels have been booked.The hotels closest to the convention center are "booked solid" and the overall 5,000 rooms in a dozen Fort Worth hotels are expected to be quickly reserved as well, Elam said.As many as 9,000 delegates and 9,000 alternates could attend -- more than expected at t he Republican or Democratic national conventions -- pouring into downtown Fort Worth and beyond, visiting restaurants, nightclubs, shops and tourist attractions."This downtown is phenomenal, with the restaurants, entertainment venues and shopping venues," said Kirk Slaughter, the city's director of public facilities and events. "It's all right here. And folks who come to the convention can enjoy it all."But the impact is expected to be felt far beyond just downtown Fort Worth."Some people will drive in, some people will stay at hotels up and down I-35 and drive in," DuBois said. "They'll stay [at hotels] up and down University [Drive], in Irving, Arlington, even at the Gaylord Texan" in Grapevine."This is not just a wonderful economic impact for the city of Fort Worth, but Tarrant County will be a big winner in this as well."In 2008, the last time Texas Republicans met during a presidential year, they drew 15,800 attendees to Houston and had an economic impact of about $15.3 million, said Lindsey Brown, a spokeswoman for the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau.The Texas Democratic Party will hold its convention in Houston this year. It is expected to draw around 10,000 attendees, potentially creating a $9.7 million economic impact, Brown said.Texas Democrats last met in Fort Worth in 2006, bringing about 7,400 delegates and had an estimated economic impact of $2.4 million.And when Texas Republicans met in Fort Worth in 1998, they brought about 8,500 delegates and had an estimated economic impact of $2.8 million, DuBois said.These estimates are based on visitors' purchases ranging from hotel rooms and meals to shopping excursions."Visitors' spending is very, very important to us," Slaughter said.Lure of downtownSome political, business and community leaders say this convention is a prime example of why talks went on for the better part of a decade about why Fort Worth needed a convention center hotel.After years of discussion and the creation of a blue-ribbon panel to study the issue, Irving-based Omni Hotels built its Fort Worth hotel through a deal that included millions of dollars in city tax rebates and refunds.The 614-guest-room hotel -- geared to complement the $75 million renovation of the convention center, across the street -- opened in 2009. Shortly before that, the Sheraton Fort Worth, with more than 400 rooms, was renovated and reopened.And the Hilton Fort Worth underwent multimillion-dollar renovations as well.These are among the many downtown hotels being used for the Republican gathering.City leaders were in talks with GOP officials dating back to 2005, hoping to draw the convention back to Cowtown."It has been in the works for quite a while," Slaughter said. "This is one of those definite examples of where we needed to expand the convention center and build the hotel as well."Organizers now say the convention will be so large that the entire convention center will be used: a 13,500-seat arena, 250,000 square feet of exhibit space, nearly 60,000 square feet of meeting rooms, a 28,000-square-foot ballroom and more.Nearby hotel ballrooms and meeting facilities will also host everything from caucus meetings to fundraisers."We should be in pretty good shape," Slaughter said. "This center can handle it."Anna M. Tinsley, 817-390-7610Twitter: @annatinsley
2012 Texas
conventions
Republicans, June 7-9, Fort Worth Convention Center
Democrats, June 8-9, George R. Brown Convention Center, Houston
Libertarians, June 8-10, DFW Airport Marriott South, Fort Worth
18,000
Delegates and alternates who could attend the convention in Fort Worth
$4.4 million
Projected economic impact
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