Philadelphia to Host 2016 Democratic National Convention

By Kara Seymour

Philadelphia has been selected to host the 2016 Democratic National Convention, party officials announced Wednesday.

The event is scheduled for the week of July 25, 2016.

Philadelphia promised “a seamless and safe convention,’’ Democratic National Committee Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said in a statement. “I cannot wait to join Democrats across the country to celebrate our shared values, lay out a Democratic vision for the future, and support our nominee.”

Local officials expressed excitement over the decision.

“The City of Philadelphia is excited and honored to be selected as the host city for the 2016 Democratic National Convention,” Nutter said in a statement. “We believe that it was our proven track record of hosting big events safely and efficiently with a dynamic team of top-tier professionals to organize and manage a conference of this magnitude, paired with our City’s tremendous amenities, its accessible location and historical significance, which made Philadelphia the ideal choice for the 2016 DNC.”

In June, Philadelphia was selected as one of six finalists to host the convention. The City of Brotherly Love beat out Birmingham, Cleveland, Columbus, Brooklyn and Phoenix.

Democratic party leaders toured Philadelphia for two days in August before making their decision. To welcome the committee, landmark locations around the city were lit up in red, white and blue and Love Park’s fountain sprayed blue water.

“Today’s announcement is tremendous news for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The birthplace of our democracy will host the Democratic National Convention in 2016, which will generate hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity in the state. We look forward to working with local leaders to ensure that Philadelphia will shine in the national spotlight,” Gov. Tom Wolf said in a statement.

Philadelphia, a historically Democratic city, has not hosted a Democratic National Convention since 1948, Philadelphia Magazine said. The city hosted the Republican National Convention in 2000.

The Republican National Convention will be held the week of July 18, 2016, in Cleveland, Ohio.