Sticks of Fire: a Tampa blog

So last month we learned that Tampa is a finalist for the 2008 Republican National Convention. Actually I found it more facinating to see our two biggest local papers fall all over themselves to tell us about the horror that would be visited upon us were we to host the latest Republican coronat… I mean nomination. Things seems quiet now.

I want to look more closely at an example of unity between historic enemies that the middle east could learn a few things from.

He heads the GOP finance committee in Florida, but Al Austin says everyone wins if Tampa lands the 2008 Republican National Convention. “Even Democrats enjoy spending Republicans’ money,” Austin said Wednesday. “It would be, in my opinion, a terrific thing for the community.” Janet Zink - Times 8/11/05Tampa apparently is going to put in a bid to host the 2008 Republican National Convention. My only disappointment is that so far we haven’t offered to host the next world’s fair. Where is Ed Turanchik anyhow? A world’s fair would be his kind of windmill tilting. Steve Otto - Tribune 8/17/05

Both papers start off kind of nice, poking a little fun. Everybody seemed to remember the bid for the 2004 convention that fizzled rather early. But some comparisons of the cities show what appears to show better organization in Tampa Bay and dwindling opponents elsewhere. Things get a bit uglier when we all seem to realize that between we actually have a real shot.

The Tampa Tribune filed a lawsuit Thursday to compel the Tampa Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau to disclose its bid for the 2008 Republican National Convention. Carrie Weimar - Times 6/2/06

Hosting the Republican National Convention in Tampa could cost about $124 million, with about $85 million coming from public sources. Ellen Gedalius - Tribune 6/6/06

In trying to lure the Republican National Convention to Tampa during the height of the 2008 hurricane season, officials are rolling the dice that a storm won’t hit while 50,000 delegates, journalists and visitors are in town. Neil Johnson - Tribune 6/11/06

Though an $85-million taxpayer tab for the 2008 Republican National Convention might smack you with some serious sticker shock, Tampa would look great on TV, right? Except for those protesters. What a buzz kill. Sue Carlton - Times 6/12/06

They continued:

Convention Venues Could Lose Revenue

GOP Bid could be a bad idea

Tampa is a not-so-exclusive GOP Finalist

Too Much for Tampa?

It was unrelenting for most of June. I could find no examples of papers in New York, Minneapolis, or Cleveland voicing similiar concerns. Instead I read about how we might get hit by a hurricane on those particular days. Or how 500,000 protestors would cover the city like flies on a fresh cow pie (incidentally, this number was dropped by a Fire Dept. administrator and picked up by reporters from both papers before Janet Zink at the Times seems to have debunked it with a few phone calls). Both dailies lamented the waste of taxpayer dollars, although the same papers have also reported how local budgets are bulging after 6 years of property tax growth.

My concern is this attitude that the papers have taken - so stridently and uniformly negative. I have to wonder would they be so vehement if the Democrats were thinking of coming to our city?

I don’t really care if the GOP comes here or not, although it would be fun to see them all scrambling if a hurricane does threaten. Plus, if you were to stand on the pedestrian overpass at the end of Morgan St. and timed it right, I bet you can moon all the fancy politician-carrying limos as they drive into the parking garage beneath. There’s just enough clearance so your bare ass will likely be seen on national TV. That might be fun, too.

C’mon and pick Tampa Bay.

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