After weeks of waiting for an announcement from the Republican Party about the site of its 2004 national convention, New York's hospitality industry got some happy news: George W. Bush and his crew will bring 50,000 people and $150 million into the city during the last week in August next year.
City officials guaranteed the Republicans 22,000 hotel rooms, including 17,000 within a mile of convention host Madison Square Garden, and promised that 9,000 would go to delegates for $156 a night, according to The New York Times. About 15,000 reporters (who have worked in tents, trailers and spare office space in other cities) will be across Eighth Avenue from the arena in the Farley Post Office Building, which is to be converted into the new Pennsylvania Station. The Times also speculated that state political organizations are likely to book any New York restaurant with a theme vaguely connected to the other 49 states.
To win the big event, the city also pledged to raise $53 million in private contributions to defray the Republicans' estimated cost of $80 million for the convention, according to Times. The city's only expense will be police overtime and other law enforcement costs, which is estimated at about $25 million.
Posted 01.08.03
More Bash Buzz...
City officials guaranteed the Republicans 22,000 hotel rooms, including 17,000 within a mile of convention host Madison Square Garden, and promised that 9,000 would go to delegates for $156 a night, according to The New York Times. About 15,000 reporters (who have worked in tents, trailers and spare office space in other cities) will be across Eighth Avenue from the arena in the Farley Post Office Building, which is to be converted into the new Pennsylvania Station. The Times also speculated that state political organizations are likely to book any New York restaurant with a theme vaguely connected to the other 49 states.
To win the big event, the city also pledged to raise $53 million in private contributions to defray the Republicans' estimated cost of $80 million for the convention, according to Times. The city's only expense will be police overtime and other law enforcement costs, which is estimated at about $25 million.
Posted 01.08.03
More Bash Buzz...
