SLC a bad Choice for 2012 GOP Convention

DISCLAIMER: This post directly involves my employer. The views expressed in this post do not reflect the opinions of my employer, their parent company, nor their sponsors.

Bryan Schott over at Utah Policy shared the following yesterday:

Greg Miller (CEO of the Larry Miller Companies) sent this message via his Twitter account on Monday afternoon.

Just left a mtg @ SLCVB. Early planning on bid to host 2012 Republican National Convention in SLC.

Salt Lake City hosting the RNC is an interesting prospect, but there are a few things working against any potential bid. First, Utah is not a “battleground" state, so it’s not clear what hosting it here would do for the GOP. If Mitt Romney is the eventual nominee, there’s no glossing over his LDS faith, which is something the evangelical wing of the party is not exactly favorable toward.

If the goal is to bring the convention to the Intermountain West, which is becoming more and more of a political force, Phoenix or Denver seems like a more favorable choice.

However, it is interesting that Greg Miller appears to be part of the effort to bring the convention to Salt Lake. The financial backing and political capital he brings to the table cannot be discounted.

First, I'll take issue with a couple of things in Bryan's piece:

1) Phoenix or Denver would be better choices in the West (They are battleground states), but I don't think Denver is ready to mount an effort so soon after hosting in 2008.

2) The only viable venue for the convention is EnergySolutions Arena. Mr Miller is on board because, well, his family owns the venue. Holding to what has happened in the past, the Arena would be turned over to the RNC from the end of the NBA Finals in June until about a month following the convention. Assuming that the convention is around Labor Day, that affects a couple of touring events that are usually held there in September (the Dew Tour and the circus).

Now, a major logistics issue from my experience in Denver: Security.

The first checkpoint in Denver was a quarter mile from the Pepsi Center, which translates into about 1.5 Salt Lake City blocks. So, we'd be blocking off from almost West High School to almost Pioneer Park and from West of the Gateway to the backside of the Family History Library. There's a couple of hotels and several other businesses (including Triad Center) that would be affected by this, not to mention that the Secret Service would probably require the Gateway to be shuttered for the week. And, it would include the North Temple viaduct being closed, along with no TRAX service into downtown on the Airport line, no TRAX from the Intermodal Hub, and downtown TRAX ending at Temple Square.

The other issue is that the parking lots used fr the media tents in Denver are roughly three times the size as Park Place (the large surface lot across 300 West from Triad Center) which represents a large portion of the space available for such things.

Add to that the large amount of police protection that will strain every police force in the state (I saw officers in Denver from as far away as Durango), and you have just started to scratch the surface of what it would take to host the convention.

-Bob

UTA's $48,000 European Vacation

This is old news, but I have to get it off of my chest. After all, I am a UTA customer. I've endured several price hikes and reduced service in the 25 months since I started using them as my primary mode of transportation.

So, it comes as a great relief to know they are spending my hard-earned money wisely.

Like a vacation to Europe.

The Utah Transit Authority spent at least $48,000 last month taking nine managers and board members, a business booster and three mayors on a weeklong tour of six European streetcar systems.

The itinerary: Vienna, Munich, Zurich, Nice and Bordeaux, with incidental stops in Monaco and Paris. The goal: peruse state-of-the-art trains unlike any used in North America and consider them as possible connectors that can share traffic lanes with cars to link with Utah's expanding light-rail system. The travel tab: An estimated $3,700 a head -- all from UTA tax dollars.

Because we can't learn about stretcars without going to Europe to see them.

And, some of those cities have really modern streetcars systems. Munich's been using electric streetcars since 1895.

That's not a long time at all.

Video, Powerpoint, phones, the internet -- all ways you could learn about these systems for cheaper than a trip to Europe.

Not to mention, there are several places closer to home that have various systems that are worth looking at:

Electric streetcars, often called trams outside North America, once served transit needs in scores of North American cities. Most municipal systems were dismantled in the mid-20th century.

Today, only New Orleans and Toronto still operate streetcar networks that are essentially unchanged in their layout and mode of operation.

Boston, Mexico City, Newark, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and San Francisco have rebuilt their streetcar systems as light rail systems. Buffalo, Calgary, Dallas, Edmonton, Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, San Diego, and St. Louis have installed new light rail systems, parts of which run along historic streetcar corridors and in a few cases feature mixed-traffic operation like a streetcar. Portland, Oregon, has experimented with modern light rail and modern streetcar systems.

Edmonton, Seattle, Vancouver, Whitehorse, and other cities have restored a small number of streetcars to run as heritage lines for tourists.

But, back to Europe. You see, it wasn't a vacation:

The delegates shuttled to seven cities in seven days. [UTA General Manager John] Inglish doubts any of them got more than six hours of sleep a night.

"This wasn't a vacation," [Bountiful Mayor Joe] Johnson said.

Oh, poor babies.

I recently went to Denver for a week. While there, I fought crowds, learned about riot gear, learned about a transit system that used buses and rail, attended about 22 hours of a convention (including sitting on the floor of a hallway one day), wrote multiple blog posts for a blog other than my own, slept on a balcony, and got 6+ hours of sleep exactly once. Oh, and paid for over 90% of the expense myself.

Yet, I still considered it a vacation.

Live From Denver -- Day 1 Evening Roundup

It's hard to believe that day one is here. I was out way too late last night (so late that I had save instead of post when I wrote this last night- ...-Bob)

So, the links:

I got interviewed by Rich Piatt

Live, From Inside Pepsi Center


Sitting with the Utah Delegation

I Got the Smackdown from WWE United States Champ Shelton Benjamin

Live From Denver: Day 0 Evening Recap

Here's my posts from Sunday of the 2008 Democratic National Convention:

Bob On C-SPAN

CSPAN had one of their buses at the Presidential Experience Exhibit at INVESCO field. While we were waiting in line, they offered to have some people come and state what their #1 issue was.

Watch the Video at Utah Amicus.

Interfaith Meeting -- Part 1

I had the opportunity to attend the Interfaith Gathering this afternoon. This was the first official convention event.

Here was a place where we could all come together to worship as one. Where Muslim Scarves and Yarmulkes can sit together; where a Catholic could say "amen" to a protestant prayer. We all stood together as children of God.

Bob's Run-in With the Riot police on Sunday.

This is what happens when you make a wrong turn at the wrong time. Click on the link for the video.

-Bob

Live From Denver: Day -1 evening recap

As you know, I'll be doing most of my posting about the Democratic National COnvention over at The Utah Amicus. However, every evening, I will be posting highlights on this, my real blog, for all of my on the Amicus.

So, here's the posts from day -1:

Sidewalks Hurt

While walking down 16th Street Mall, I somehow missed a curb, and tripped over it, landing fairly hard. I banged up my knees and elbow, as well as my ego.

Yeah, I a klutz.

Bob, Biscuit, and the Bramble Burger

If having a burger named after their candidate wasn't enough to placate the Clinton people, nothing will satisfy them. It satisfied me!

Oh, and the burger I really wanted -- the Bramble Burger:

Chris Matthews is an Idiot

So I'm here in our hotel room watch MSNBC. Chris Mathews is complaining that about ow "terrible" the process of Obama picking a running mate, that it took too long and information trickled out.

I think it's a great way to do it. What has the media been talking about for two weeks? Obama.

Wind Energy -- How to Make Wyoming Beautiful

Anyone who had driven across Wyoming knows that it's not exactly the most scenic of drives.

Greetings From Denver

I made it to Denver. It's only been a few hours, and we really haven't gone and seen anything, but I already love this town.

While I am here, my main blogging focus will be over at The Utah Amicus. Head over there and see what we're up to. I'll try and post links from my posts on this blog every evening (or the next morning, depending on how late we're out).

-Bob

Live from Lovland -- Almost to Denver.

I'm almost in Denver. We'll post from there soon....

Team Amicus Denver Sendoff Tonight -- You're invited!

Salt Lake City, Utah – Rob Miller, owner of the political blog The Utah Amicus, and Vice Chair of the Utah State Democratic Party, has assembled a team of Utah political bloggers and activists to travel to Denver for the Democratic National Convention next week.

In 2008, the Democratic National Committee is opening their Convention to more people than ever before. Democrats, independents, and Republicans from around the country have been invited to attend. Bloggers, especially members of the DNCC State Bloggers Corps, will have unprecedented access to Convention activities.

In an effort to make their Convention coverage more responsive and interactive, The Utah Amicus Team will be holding an open house / kick off party on Wednesday, to coordinate and plan covered activities and meet with Democratic Party activists and other community members.

What: The Utah Amicus DNC Bloggers Kick Off Party

When: August 20 at 7 p.m. (MDT).

Where: 7119 West 8050 South, West Jordan

The media and community are encouraged to attend.

Follow the Utah Bloggers daily Convention reports on http://utahamicus.blogspot.com.



The Utah Amicus DNCC Utah State Blogger's Team also includes:

Jeff Bell – Owner of JMBell.org; host of KSL' s Left of the Dial.
http://www.jmbell.org/blog

Jason Williams - Co-Owner The Sidetrack
http://thesidetrack.blogspot.com/


Craig Blanch – Co-Owner The Sidetrack
http://thesidetrack.blogspot.com/


Aaron Thompson – Utah Amicus Writer
http://utahamicus.blogspot.com


Bob Aagard – Owner, The World, According To Me
http://www.theworldaccordingtome.us

Live From (Almost) Denver: Day -7

I haven't been posting this daily as much as I had hoped. Part of that has been because my schedule has not allowed me to post as much.

Now that we are down to the last few days before the start of The Convention, things are really hopping in Denver.

The Denver Post has a great calendar of events, both official and unofficial. Leave a comment and let us know if there is something that you would like us to cover.

Also, The Utah Amicus will be the first Utah Media outlet reporting from Denver. That's right, we're getting there before anyone else. However, we need help getting there. Click here to donate.

-Bob

Live From (almost) Denver: DNCC announces Nightly Headliners

The Democratic National Convention Committee announced their list of speakers that will finish each night of the Convention.

Monday, August 25: Michelle Obama -- If you thought Barack Obama is a great speaker, his wife makes him look like the kid you knew in high school that had a speech impediment. I had the opportunity to hear her live back in February, and I'm excited she gets a prime time spot.

Tuesday, August 26: Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton -- This is a nice concession to her. She deserves the spot.

Wednesday, August 27: Vice President Nominee

Thursday, August 28: Senator Barack Obama.

Live from (almost) Denver: Day -19

While I am not yet in Denver, the photo in this post does come from there, from the DNCC:



This picture is from the "end zone" seats. The stage is on the left, the VIP seating is on the right.

-Bob

Live From (Almost) Denver: Day -22 Online Dem Convention Coverage

I'm not 100% sure if I have told you this, but Rob Miller has invited me to be part of the Utah Amicus and Friends team at the 2008 Democratic Convention. As such, I will providing the Amicus stories from the convention. I will also be cross-posting (or "simulcasting") some of the posts here. I also will be delivering a series exclusively on this blog called "Live from Denver," giving some unique takes from the convention, and about Denver.

That daily series starts today, with this video from the DNCC about how to follow the convention from you computer at home:



It will be fun!

-Bob