Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau
Salt Lake Chamber

Site Visit April 5-7, 2010

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Introduction: A Regional Perspective

Throughout the second half of the 20th century, the Rocky Mountain States were known at the national level as “fly over states.” Made up of vast open land with few population centers, the states of Montana, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona each had only a few Electoral College representatives and were fairly consistent producers of Republican votes. That trend started to shift after the 2002 mid-term elections, due largely to population shifts from more liberal states into the region. Today the Rocky Mountain States have an oddly purple hue. To date, the RNC has never held its nominating convention in this region. We believe that the Republican National Convention is long overdue for a taste of the traditional Rocky Mountain West’s attitude toward government: keep the government out of our lives and let us thrive on the fruits of our labors.

A Regional Convention

The Rocky Mountain States share common issues that are unique to our region. More than half of our land is owned by the federal government, minimizing state revenues from property taxes and corporate development. We have an abundance of natural resources – coal, oil, natural gas, oil shale, etc. – yet these energy deposits lay mostly on federal land which creates onerous restrictions on their development. We are considered “high desert” states and fight over water rights for crops and people. We have similar economic challenges, lacking major industrial ports and similar economic drivers. And we are proud of the grit and hard work by which this region was settled and continues to grow. While Salt Lake City is not the biggest city in the region, we are at its center and commonly referred to as the Crossroads of the West. Therefore, we propose not a Salt Lake City Convention, not a Utah Convention, but a Rocky Mountain Regional Crossroads of the West Convention. If selected by the RNC to host the 2012 Convention, we intend to include our neighboring state Republican Parties on our Host Committee and as partners in showing Delegates from across the country what the Rocky Mountain West has to offer. Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and New Mexico lack sufficient infrastructure to host a convention of this size themselves, so our offer of inclusion would present a unique opportunity for their GOP faithful to participate in such an exciting event. And even though Denver, Phoenix and Las Vegas could adequately host the Convention and are offering competing bids for the 2012, we would embrace them as co-hosts of our effort. We believe this regional concept presents a unique opportunity for the RNC to show Mountain State voters and the rest of the country that the Grand Old Party is ready for the turf battle of 2012 and committed to winning back the faith and support of the American electorate. We also believe our regional approach would send the message that the GOP is indeed still the party that represents those western traits of rugged individualism and principled government.

Leased Facilities

The Salt Lake Host Committee is recommending the Energy Solutions Arena as the Main Convention Venue. The EnergySolutions Arena, or ESA, (formerly the Delta Center) began operation in 1991. Though it has primarily been identified as the home of the NBA’s Utah Jazz, the facility hosts numerous events including concerts, rodeos, ice shows, circuses, motor sports, and conventions. The EnergySolutions Arena proudly hosted the 1993 NBA All-Star game; figure skating and short track speed skating for the 2002 Winter Olympics, and the 2007-2009 AST Dew Tour. The Salt Lake Host Committee is recommending the Calvin L Rampton Salt Palace Convention Center as the venue for the Main Media Center. Having served as the Main Media Center for the worldwide press here in Salt Lake to cover the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, the Salt Palace Convention Center is the perfect complement to the Energy Solutions. Just as the Energy Solutions Arena will insure that every delegate has an experience to remember, the Salt Palace Convention Center will insure that the press has an experience second to none. Located directly across the street from the Energy Solutions Arena, the Salt Palace Convention Center features 515,000 gross square feet of contiguous exhibit space divisible into 9 halls and 160,000 square feet of versatile meeting space including a 45,000 square foot pillar less Grand Ballroom.

Attractions

Very few cities offer the amenities of a large metropolitan city and at the same time access to renowned outdoor recreation quite the way Salt Lake does. Here you can find soaring snow topped peaks and lush, green expanses in the Salt Lake valley-tucked in between is a vibrant urban environment complete with shopping, dining, and nightlife that is as authentic as the natural surroundings. Add to that the red rock canyons to the south, and Utah’s unique geology creates an unparalleled natural beauty that you won’t want to miss. Salt Lake offers an unrivaled variety of recreation options outdoors: hiking, rafting, cross-country skiing, mountain biking, snowshoeing, fly fishing, bird watching, rock climbing, horseback riding, snowmobiling, hot air ballooning… the list goes on and on. Twenty-one national parks and monuments within a day’s drive only enhance Salt Lake’s natural playground.

Accommodations

Attendees at the 2012 Republican National Convention in Salt Lake City will benefit from the hospitality legacy of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City. With the Convention (15,000 rooms on peak night) second in size only to the successfully-hosted Olympics (20,000+ rooms on peak night), the Republican National Committee can have confidence in a metropolitan area with more than enough capacity to accommodate them, coupled with a hotel community which has worked closely together in warmly welcoming visitors from around the world to their doors. Salt Lake and surrounding communities have reserved 16,400 rooms and 3,379 suites to accommodate the Convention, surpassing the minimum requirements of 15,000 rooms and 1,000 suites in the Request for Proposal. Over 5,000 of those rooms are within eight blocks of the Energy Solutions Arena. All of the hotels in Salt Lake City have met the conditions required in the Request for Proposal.

Transportation

The Salt Lake International Airport is served by all major US airlines, and provides hub service to the world’s largest airline (Delta). From the runway, you’ll be mere minutes from both the proposed main convention district and the Wasatch Mountains. Upon arrival in Salt Lake you will find a series of transportation options that includes light rail, award winning public transportation, Taxi and private transportation companies, an up to date freeway system all which make Salt Lake a city that is unsurpassed in its ability to move people to where they want to go.

Summary

As you review this proposal, you will find that Salt Lake City more than adequately meets the technical requirements to host the 2012 Convention. However, more important than the economic reasons, we want to host the GOP because it is our Party too. This is Republican country and we are fiercely proud of that fact. We feel the future of our Party, like the future of our nation, is at a crossroads. We want to be part of the resurgence and lend our region’s resilience and energy to the fight. For all of these reasons, Salt Lake City and the Rocky Mountain States would make the 2012 Convention experience like no other.