DENVER — Denver is one of five cities in the running to host the next Democratic National Convention in 2028, where Democrats will decide who will represent their party as the Democratic nominee for president.
The other cities under consideration include Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia and Boston, The Democratic National Committee has announced.
“Denver really has, like, a town square feel to it. You know, you can turn a corner, and we have the most venues per capita in the country, and so you have a great opportunity to see your favorite elected officials, your favorite activists, your favorite musicians," Colorado Democratic Party Chair Shad Murib said. "So many people will converge on the city. Huge economic benefit to not just the city of Denver, but also the state of Colorado.”
Murib said the city could expect millions of dollars in economic benefit generated from people staying in hotels, eating at restaurants and going out to bars. In 2008, the last time it was hosted in Denver, the Democratic National Convention led to an estimated $154 million economic impact for the city and generated an estimated $266 million in economic benefit for the greater metro area, according to a Colorado Democratic Party news release. The city anticipates an even greater economic impact in 2028 if awarded the convention.
“In 2008, we were able to host a landmark, historic event where we nominated Barack Obama, our first Black president," Murib said. "And that was something that I think mimicked the situation we're in right now, which is our country is at a crossroads trying to figure out what America is, what America could be, and who we should be. And every time we've had to ask ourselves this question, we've looked to the West."
Murib said Denver is uniquely positioned as an ideal city to host the Democratic National Convention due to a combination of accessibility, infrastructure and experience.
“We saw a revitalization of Denver when we hosted the convention in 2008 under then-Mayor Hickenlooper," he said. "We saw all sorts of great construction, which equals great paying jobs and new opportunities for businesses to open and find new customer bases and show off the best of Denver. We hope that the same opportunities are available to us for 2028.”
Murib said the Democratic National Committee will likely announce the 2028 host city within the next few months.
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