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President Barack Obama speaks to the delegation at the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Democratic Party has requested bids for the 2016 convention from 15 cities including Cleveland.

(Todd Sumlin/Charlotte Observer)

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Democratic National Committee is courting Cleveland -- and 14 other cities -- to host its 2016 presidential nominating convention and city officials plan to submit a bid to the Democrats while wooing national Republicans.

In addition to Cleveland, the DNC extended invitations to apply to: Atlanta, Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Miami, Nashville, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia Phoenix, Pittsburgh and Salt Lake City.

The party will accept proposals through June 6 and will choose a host city either late this year or early in 2015, according to a party spokeswoman.

Cleveland city spokeswoman Maureen Harper said the city will submit a bid for the DNC convention, even as it prepares to host Republicans evaluating the city's hotels, convention venues and financing next week.

“The city would be a great venue to be host for a national presidential nominating convention and we would really like to increase our odds of hosting a successful convention,” Harper said.

Cleveland officials submitted their bid in February for the Republican convention. Cleveland made it past the first round of applications earlier this month. Columbus and Phoenix, also invited by Democrats to apply, did not make the cut.

Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald said he thinks Cleveland is well-positioned to make a serious run at the convention. Factors he cited include Ohio's perennial status as a closely watched swing state and the city's state-of-the-art convention facilities.

"We're in a very good spot, and I think you saw that with the Republican process and how impressed they were, and I think you'll see it on the Democratic side too," he said. "Ultimately, it's a political decision, and they'll make the decision based on their political calculations. We can't control that. What we can control is we can make a professional presentation, and I'm sure we will."

In a letter sent to cities, DNC Chairwoman and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz said the party will look for a city that "shares our values of equality, inclusion, diversity, respect and dignity" and has strong relationships with organized labor.

"Our priority is to work with a community that will partner with us as we plan this historic event," Wasserman Schultz wrote.

Cleveland and Cuyahoga County officials launched a joint effort to lure national party officials to consider the city for a convention. Cuyahoga County Council has committed $5 million to support a convention, $2.5 million of which for law enforcement services.



Las Vegas is the only other city asked to apply by both parties.

Cleveland advanced to the final stage of the 2008 GOP convention search, but the RNC chose Minneapolis-St. Paul instead.

Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern applauded the DNC's inclusion of Cleveland and Cincinnati.

“We’re excited that the DNC is interested in hosting the convention in not just one but two Ohio cities. Democrats know just how important our state is—and we’ll continue to be a crucial, must-win battleground state," Redfern said in a statement.

Northeast Ohio Media Group reporter Andrew J. Tobias contributed to this report.