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Originally Posted by wong21fr
Just how much money do you think the LoDo elite has to throw around on a dubious advertising campaign with no real impact indicators to measure effectiveness? Specifically for the properties that would benefit from investment and not the one's that are slated for development and with equity partners already lined up? Hines ain't looking for GOP convention goers as equity partners, those guys are small fish.
Do some of your storied research and see who owns a lot of the remaining, develop-able lots in LoDo. You might be a bit surprised at the decided lack of a moneyed elite.
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The last pickins...
There would be a huge amount of 1%s and <.5%s that would be delegates. Remember, too, we are talking about GOP delegates which, I strongly suspect, are higher up the financial chain than Democratic Delegates. Many such delegates would have both money in their pockets and would desired to be "romanced" by locals. A tremendous number of contacts between local money and money from other states could be made via hospitality suites, planned luncheons/dinners, and informal meetings at restaurants and watering holes.
But, you are correct, IMO, that the objectives would be a hard sell to those who do not have a direct stake in profit making enterprises in Lodo.
Outside of Pepsi Center which would profit enormously, the other major venue, the Convention Center itself, is government owned. Likewise, the other major benefactors- the DIA line and DIA both are government owned too. So, that leaves smaller players, such as individual hotels, taxicab companies, restauranteurs, and bar owners who really do not have much money to spare to provide monies.
However, I believe that the "elite"- who are not confined to those who benefited from the real estate plays associated with DUS, but also include those who own property across I-25 from Riverfront; those who own property on 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, and, 18th Streets; those who own property surrounding the Denver Art Museum/Denver Library complex; those who own property in the DIA to Peoria Street Corridor; all stood to gain national exposure.
(However, I also think that metro Denver big money went short because many in that club had reservations about national exposure for the embarrassing issue of legal pot. I also believe that the next presidential elections electoral college delegate count precluded Denver being the choice. Perhaps those with big money believe that founding candidates via other means than sponsoring the "show" might provide a better return on their dollars. I know that if I wanted to influence politics and had $250,000 or so to spare, I would target the money to individual candidates directly or indirectly... )