Why Did The RNC Choose Tampa Over Orlando?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

Orlando has much more hotel , convention space , and five star hotels.

Maybe because full nudity is allowed in Tampa bars and is not allowed in Orlando...

Is it an affinity for strip clubs on the part of the planners?

[BumRushDaShow]

1. It's on the coast (i.e., has beaches) vs inland like Orlando?

[HooptieWagon]

23. Tampa is 30 miles from the coast.

And the beaches ain't so good in summer. Sun will fry you to a crisp in 30 minutes. Plus sudden violent thunderstorms.

[CherokeeDem]

32. Actually, Tampa is on Tampa Bay...

oops...make that Hillsboro Bay..a smaller bay but the point is...it is also on the water. just not directly on the Gulf.

And if you have been there you know just how large Tampa Bay is....

Also, no beach in Florida is fun in the summer....it's really hot then....

But, I kind of like the frequent t-storms...

Edited to update the geographical booboo...

[HooptieWagon]

36. No beaches worth noting on the bay.

Generally, "the beaches" refers to the Gulf of Mexico side of the barrier islands.
I live here (St Pete).
Most of the bay shoreline is mangrove. A lot is seawall. St Pete has N Shore Beach and Gandy Beach. Tampa has a tiny beach at south end of Davis Islands, locals call it beer can beach. All are used by locals. Tourists and most locals use the Gulf beaches (Ft DeSoto being my favorite).

[TeamPooka]

49. if it's in Orlando the delegates whole damn family will want to come...

and who wants that?

[longship]

51. Yes. How d'ya ditch the spouse n kids when you want nookie?

That's it. Disney World!

Gee! Why didn't the RNC choose Orlando?

Maybe there aren't thousands of private escorts at Disney World. Well, there's always Minnie Mouse, Snow White, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty. The rest will have to settle for Grumpy, Sleepy, Dopey, etc., Pluto, and... shudder... Scrooge McDuck.

The solution. Draw your lot early.

[onehandle]

2. Tampa is more of a right-wing stronghold. A lot of crazies there.

And yes, full nudity sells.

[HooptieWagon]

6. Not true.

Tampa is pretty solid Dem. Eastern and southern Hillsborough Co has fundies, which vote in Rs from their districts, but are out-numbered by urban Dems in county-wide elections.
Orlando is sprawling suburbs and such. They are about 50/50, due to high numbers of blacks and latinos.

[stevenleser]

10. Correct. nt

[Mojorabbit]

14. Orlando/orange county went blue last Presidential election. nt

[DemocratSinceBirth]

18. Orlando Is A Bit Different Than Orange County. Much More African Americans In The City Limits

More Latinos.

[HooptieWagon]

26. Yes, that is the case in Tampa also.

Substantial number of blacks and latinos in city limits. And although Tampa has suburban sprawl (fundie-land) outside city limits, its not as much as Orlando ( yet).

[CherokeeDem]

33. There is a large Puerto Rican population...

in the I-4 corridor that has changed the dynamic some in the Orlando area but still a ways to go....the city of Orlando has seen some leaning toward the Dems.

If you saw the wonderful billboard posted on DU yesterday, it appears that the Mayor and entire city council of Tampa are Dems. Yea!!!

[HooptieWagon]

38. This is true.

Lots of Puerto Ricans in both Tampa and Orlando. Tampa also has sizable numbers of Colombians and Cubans. Tampa's Cubans are from earlier era than Miami. Tampa's Cuban community dates back over a hundred years, with the establishment of the cigar industry. Miami Cubans only go back to Castro taking power.

[sadbear]

7. Which one is it?

There's posts saying that Tampa is a Democratic city, with a Democratic mayor and city council.

We need some clarification here.

[stevenleser]

8. Absolutely not true. Between the two, Orlando is much more conservative.

In general, the entire I-4 corridor between Tampa and Daytona is the swing-zone of Florida. Daytona-Orlando-Tampa/St.Pete are much less conservative than the panhandle and much less Liberal than the Miami area.

But Democrats are much more likely to win state legislative or state senate or congressional seats in Daytona and Tampa-St.Pete than in Orlando.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

12. The City Of Orlando Is Anything But Conservative

It has a Democratic mayor and an openly gay ,female council member.


It also has strict anti-discrimination laws that extend to sexual orientation.

In that respect it's actually to the left of the nation.

[stevenleser]

13. That is not what I said. I said compared to Tampa and Daytona, it is Conservative. nt

[DemocratSinceBirth]

16. What Makes Tampa More Liberal Than Orlando?

?

[HooptieWagon]

19. Fewer fundies?

Most of the fundies in Tampa area live outside city limits. While Hillsborough Co is purple, City of Tampa is pretty blue. Reps that get elected to city offices are fairly moderate.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

22. Very Few Fundies In The City Of Orlando

.

[stevenleser]

31. Over the last 20-25 years, more Democratic congressmen and more Democratic state reps. nt

[onehandle]

17. Ah. I was judging by the stories that come out of the Tampa area. nt

[quaker bill]

50. It was more conservative

over the last decade we have edged out Daytona. Most of the Orlando City Council and the Mayor are now dems. Grayson will have an easy ride back to congress in his new district, drawn to bleed off all the new dems from other districts.

[bupkus]

3. They were afraid George Zimmerman might feel threatened by their presence

And we all know what that would lead to.

[former9thward]

4. If it was in Orlando Disney World woud be the backdrop.

Not a good image for a political party. In addition there would be competition for those hotels between convention goers and Disney World vacationers especially since it is not even Labor day yet.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

5. It Projects A Family Friendly Image

That's why Orlando closed down all its strip clubs in the early eighties.

[former9thward]

20. Family friendly or not it will never host a poltical party convention.

[GoCubsGo]

34. Also, "Mickey Mouse" is sometimes used as a pejorative

As in "insignificant", "trifling", "foolish" and "frivolous". They were probably afraid Romney would be referred to as "that Mickey Mouse candidate", or that they would be seen as "the Mickey Mouse party". Holding their convention near Disney World leaves them open to way too much mocking.

[pstokely]

48. School has already started in a lot of places

nt

[ornotna]

9. Because you can drive from one side of Tampa to the other

And not have to pack a lunch.

The traffic in Orlando sucks.

[Mojorabbit]

15. This is true nt

[Drale]

11. Tampa has more strip clubs?

Tampa has more Conservative seniors?
Orlando is to close to the happiest place on earth and Repukes want everyone to be miserable?

[former9thward]

21. If you are referring to Disney World as the happiest place on earth

you have a sad life.

[Drale]

24. Thats their meme

also hey I like Disney World. Its not my favorite place ever but its still a fun place.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

25. It Will Be Happier Than Tampa Next Week. That's for sure.

.

[spinbaby]

39. Wrong park

Disneyland is the happiest place on earth, not Disney World. I'm quite fond of both parks and do not, in spite of what you may think of Disney park goers, have a sad life. And I'd just as soon the Republicans don't stink up my laughing place.

[HopeHoops]

27. MORE HOOKERS AND STRIP BARS! Why else?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

28. Much More

.

[dballance]

29. Probably the usual way these things are done

Some money changed hands, some favors were promised and boom. You have a convention city.

Is there any other way it happens?

Hope they enjoy the hurricane.

[Blue_Tires]

53. Just as simple as that...The GOP is doing a favor for some connected cronies there

[DonCoquixote]

30. Because, to be frank

Orlando does not need the help filling hotel rooms. Disney IS a 365 day a year convention. This means that Orlando does not have to kiss ass, giving up taxpayer money, while Tampa pretty much bent over and did not even ask for Vaseline.

[d_r]

37. the Orlando convention center

is HUMUNGOUS

[DonCoquixote]

46. yes, however

Orlando is too big to be pushed around. They know that they can have conventions out the wazoo, simply because of Disney. Tampa does not have that kind of pull yet, and the GOP always wants to be able to force kowtowing.

[d_r]

52. yeah, I don't doubt what you are saying

[HockeyMom]

35. Naples - Winter home of the 1%

Crimsom Red, and as dead as a doornail in Summers. The resorts and hotels would have welcomed them with open arms just to get any Off-Season business. The Repukes would fit right in here, providing they stay out of where "those brown" people are in Golden Gate.

THE place for Republicans.

[KamaAina]

45. Not big enough

Of course, knowing them, they'd build a Naples Convention Center just for the RNC and pay for it by slapping a $5 toll on the highway to Golden Gate.

[dembotoz]

40. tampa might have just put together a better package

orlando perhaps has more year round touristy stuff.
doesn't need the huge convention this will be.

perhaps also afraid of bad photo op of romney or ryan next to goofy.

[tableturner]

41. The reason is....

Orlando has tremendous experience as a 365 days a year convention and vacation destination to a much greater degree than Tampa, even though Tampa has a reasonably good track record of hosting both types of experiences.

However, Tampa is light years ahead of Orlando in hosting huge, somewhat singular events, such as Super Bowls, Final Fours, etc. Orlando has no track record at all of hosting events such as these. Tampa has a stellar record doing so, and has done such a good job of hosting Super Bowls, it is now part of a semi regular rotation of metro areas that have hosted, and which will continue to host, multiple Super Bowls. Tampa's hosting of both the male and female basketball Final Fours, for example, were highly praised by the visiting press and the attendees of those events.

The Tampa Bay area has a much larger population than the Orlando metro area, and outside of pure touristy facilities and attractions, the Tampa Bay area has more of the amenities typically found in large metro areas. It is a much more mature metro area, and the people and institutions of the region are well organized, so the civic effort necessary to properly host such events is more easily achievable than in Orlando.

[DonCoquixote]

47. I would love to agree with you, but

Yes,Tampa has Ybor City and much more restaurants, stores, etc, but if that were the factor, the main convention would be held in St. pete, which has a much more developed downtown. The fact is, the GOP wanted someone hungry, not someone they could negotiate with. Of course, I will add another factor, Macdill AFB is something Orlando does not have, and that place is a giant GOP machine.

[tableturner]

57. The part about St. Petersburg.....

First off, while Tampa itself is the host city, the entire Tampa Bay area is what attracted the convention, and without all of that, Tampa itself would not have won the job of hosting the convention. Just as many attendees are staying in hotels in Pinellas County (St. Pete, Clearwater, and the beaches) as in Hillsborough County (Tampa). There are not enough hotels in Hillsborough to house all those visiting for the convention.

The convention is in a first class 20,000 seat arena, and the only one in the area is located in downtown Tampa. Tropicana Field is too large for the convention, plus it is a mediocre facility, but it is hosting a huge kickoff party for the GOP, the press, and other dignitaries. Plus, adjacent to the St. Pete Times Forum in downtown Tampa is the Tampa convention center, which will house the press, and it is important to have such a facility next to the convention itself. Downtown St. Pete just does not have the facilities to handle the convention itself.

But remember, this was an area wide award.

[DonCoquixote]

58. I know

especially since Pinellas has voted GOP. I am sure that Bill Foster will use this as an excuse for why they need to build another stadium.

[librechik]

42. afraid tourists would confuse it with "Fantasy Land"

[truebrit71]

43. Better strippers?

[The Second Stone]

44. Because the delegates would all spend a day or two at DisneyWorld

and the chairs would be empty. You don't hold a televised conventions near a Disney park for that reason. Nothing to vote on for real at the convention, so why not screw off?

[DonCoquixote]

54. also one thing to keep in mind

Tampa had already extend out a lot of projects because they had hoped to land the 2012 Olympics. From what i understand, we were a good candidate until the last few moments, when England agreed to shell out more money. So, a lot of the improvements that were in for the Olympics got salvaged by the convention.

[MrMickeysMom]

55. Thus, their nickname...

"Orblando"

[Rosa Luxemburg]

56. Orlando said it doesn't like Republicans