The Republican National Convention in Tampa will kick off with an invitation-only, cocktail-style reception for 20,000 that will feature local talent and designs tailored to highlight Pinellas and Hillsborough counties.
The Host Committee announced that the Aug. 26 event will mark the first time delegates and the media will be jointly welcomed at a convention.
The event will be a tremendous opportunity for the media, delegates and other guests to get to know each other and build relationships prior to the start of the convention, said Ken Jones, Host Committee president and CEO.
In addition, the attendees will get a taste of the Tampa Bay areas history, culture and other local themes, which we plan to highlight during this event.
We look forward to hosting an incredible event that will showcase everything Tampa Bay has to offer in a way that future host committees will constantly strive to outdo in years to come.
The announcement for the kick-off event comes as the Democrats canceled a political convention kick-off event at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, moving activities to Charlottes main business district.
Bloomberg reports that the move comes as party planners are grappling with a fundraising deficit of roughly $27 million.
With a party ban on direct contributions from corporations, the host committee has raised less than $10 million, well short of its $36.6 million goal, said one of the people, Bloomberg reported.
In Tampa, Pinellas County Commission Chairman John Morroni and Hillsborough County Commission Chairman Ken Hagan were named event co-chairs.
Pinellas County is thrilled to have the Host Committees Welcome Event located here, said Morroni. The eyes of the world will be on Tampa Bay in August, and we intend to show everyone what makes our area such a wonderful place to live, work and play.
I want to extend the warmest welcome to each visitor to Tampa Bay, said Hagan. I am confident they will experience us as a true melting pot community that is authentic, exciting and worthy of a return visit.
The city of St. Petersburg cannot wait to warmly welcome delegates, media and other guests to the Tampa Bay region in August, said city of St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster. It is our pleasure to be the first city in the Tampa Bay region to officially welcome guests of the convention.
It is an honor to have the Host Committees Welcome Event at Tropicana Field, said Matt Silverman, Tampa Bay Rays president. It is a great way to begin what will be a showcase week for the entire Tampa Bay region.
The 2012 Tampa Bay Host Committee Inc. is a Florida not-for-profit corporation that operates as a public charity under501(c)(3).
Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889.
