Denver To Host Democrats' 2008 Convention

The 2008 Democratic presidential convention will be held in Denver, the Democratic National Committee informed party and local officials Thursday.

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean chose Denver to host the convention despite several logistical and labor concerns, several Democrats briefed on the situation told The Associated Press.

Dean's only other choice, New York, had eagerly sought the convention for months, but its mayor, Michael Bloomberg, said in recent weeks he would not commit the city to underwrite the convention's costs.

"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 statement.

Dean also highlighted the strategic significance of the Rocky Mountain West for the Democratic Party.

"There is no question that the West is important to the future of the Democratic Party," Dean said, "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."

The convention — which is expected to attract 35,000, including 4,950 delegates and alternates — will be held from Aug. 25-28 after the Summer Olympics in Beijing.

The Republican National Convention will start just 4 days later, on Sept. 1 in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.

In November 2005, the Democratic National Committee invited 35 cities to apply to host the convention. Eleven cities eventually submitted applications, but only three were selected as finalists — Denver, New York and Minneapolis-St. Paul, which withdrew its bid this fall after it was selected to host the GOP convention.