CINCINNATI "ALL IN" FOR BID TO LAND 2016 REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION

We have a new hat thrown into the ring from Cincinnati.com

Cincinnati Republican leaders are “all in” on the decision to pitch the Queen City as the host of the 2016 Republican National Convention.

A group of leaders flew to Washington, D.C., on Monday for an “interested cities meeting” in which the Cincinnati contingent delegation was one of eight city delegations that questioned the selection committee about proposal specifics.

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We’re all in,” Hamilton County Republican Party Chairman Alex Triantafilou told The Enquirer. “A careful review of the (request for proposal) made us understand that we have what it takes.” 

Proposals are due Feb. 26. Cities must meet 47 benchmarks. 

The convention will be held sometime between June 27 and July 18, 2016, according to the Republican National Committee. 

Cincinnati’s proposal will include Kentucky and Indiana, giving it what the delegation hopes is a unique three-state pitch.

But the question, once again comes down to venue.

• Is U.S. Bank Arena ready for prime time? The privately-owned arena seats 17,556 people, but is widely thought to need upgrades. UC officials say Cincinnati and Hamilton County officials want them to consider playing home basketball games in the downtown arena, but they have not seen a plan that would make it work. 

"They would like to have UC be downtown because they think that would mean more dates and more activity downtown," UC board Chairman Fran Barrett said. "I would say it's realistic talk, but I don't know that anything's going to come of it." 

UC's Fifth Third Arena badly needs a renovation that could cost more than $100 million, and the university already has launched an $86 million renovation of Nippert Stadium for football. Sales of suites and club seats, and private donations, are paying for the Nippert project.

Those financial strains could make an arrangement that splits renovation costs downtown attractive to UC. Men's basketball coach Mick Cronin has publicly supported the idea. Arena manager Kristin Ropp declined to comment on whether there have been talks with UC.

The U.S. Bank Arena

To make an event like this work well you need as many bid as possible to find the best location. So I welcome Cincinnati's bid. What is interesting that Ohio will now have THREE cities bidding on the 2016 RNC. Both Columbus and Cleveland have thrown their hats into the ring as well. What needs to happen is for the three cities not fight with each other but fight to win the bid for Ohio. 

We will wait and see.