Denver Holds 18,000 Hotel Rooms For DNC

At least the visiting Democrats will have a place to sleep:

Local hotels are expecting a major economic boost if the Democrats pick Denver for their 2008 convention.

In Boston, the 2004 Democratic National Convention boosted local hotel revenue by 33 percent for the month and increased local occupancy rates to 84 percent, according a report by the Pinnacle Advisory Group.

A decision is expected soon on whether Denver or New York will win the right to host the political convention. If Denver is chosen, the convention would be held at the Pepsi Center in late August 2008 and attract an estimated 35,000 attendees.

The Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau has guaranteed the group at least 18,000 of the roughly 38,000 local hotel rooms, all within a 16-minute drive of downtown, they said. It declined to release a complete list of participating hotels.