The official announcement arrived in the form of a video release from Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry: the city checked it’s schedule, and has decided it can easily squeeze in a series of keynote events that will highlight the Republican National Committee’s nomination of President Donald Trump.
“It’s official! We are thrilled to host the Republican National Convention this August and look forward to sharing with the rest of the country the things that make Jacksonville, and our people, so special,” said Curry, in a press release that landed in inboxes within the last hour. “We are confident Jacksonville is able to host a successful convention for our visitors on this expedited timeframe and look forward to the future opportunities for our residents, workers and business owners. Jacksonville isn’t just any city. Here in the River City, we do things big and bold and we’ll be ready.”
In the accompanying video, a slick, well-produced spot, Curry stands alone in a dark room, acknowledging the concern that Jacksonville isn’t big enough to handle the events. The video does an excellent job of putting those concerns to rest. No spoilers – just watch it for yourself, below. Curry also acknowledges the short time frame that the city has in order to prepare for the arrival of delegates, dignitaries, and the President of the United States – all in the midst of “corona chaos.”
Curry, though, has an advantage few other mayors can boast about: he was Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida in 2012, when Florida hosted the Republican National Convention in Tampa. While he didn’t have a direct hand in the planning process, he nevertheless is familiar with the work that is required.
According to the release, Jacksonville is banking on previous economic impact studies of past events, which found that “National Conventions have the potential to create hundreds of direct jobs with an associated tens of millions of dollars in labor income, draw tens of thousands of visitors to the host city and inject $100+ million into the local economy.”
The release also included an email sign up link for those who want to get breaking updates as the events get closer.
Check out the video:
