Denver To Host Democratic National Convention In 2008

Update: video of press conference

Denver overcame labor pains and fundraising issues to grab the Dems' August '08 convention.

Howard Dean:

"I am delighted to announce that the city of Denver will host the 2008 Democratic National Convention," Dean said today. "I congratulate Governor Ritter, Mayor (John) Hickenlooper, Senator (Ken) Salazar and the members of the Denver Host Committee for assembling an outstanding bid that demonstrates the community's commitment to organizing a first-rate national convention that will put our nominee on the path to victory in 2008.

The convention will be held Aug. 25-28, 2008, at the Pepsi Center in lower downtown Denver.

The win is seen as acknowledgement of the growing political importance of the West on the national political stage and an unmistakable message for Colorado: help us elect the next president of the United States.

"There is no question that the West is important to the future of the Democratic Party," Dean said. "The recent Democratic gains in the West exemplify the principle that when we show up and ask for people's votes and talk about what we stand for, we can win in any part of the country. Additionally, we have a number of strong Democratic leaders in the West who will be a part of showcasing the vision of Democratic leadership for America as we introduce the next Democratic President in the Rocky Mountains."
. . .
"New York is a wonderful city but in the end, it was the strength of Denver's bid that made it the best choice," Dean said in a prepared statement released today. "From the state-of-the-art facilities to the commitment of community leaders to hosting an outstanding event, Mayor Hickenlooper and the host committee made clear that the Denver convention will be a great one. We thank the team for its hard-work during this process and look forward to working with them over the next year and a half to put on the best Democratic convention in history."

A look back at Denver's last Democratic Convention in 1908.