Nashville drops campaign to host 2020 Republican National Convention

WASHINGTON – The Republican National Convention won’t be coming to Nashville in 2020.

The Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. confirmed Friday it has notified the Republican National Committee that it will not be submitting a bid to host the GOP gathering.

“After extensive review of the RFP — due to available dates and necessary space — our office notified the RNC in February of this year that we unfortunately would not be submitting a bid,” said Butch Spyridon, president and chief executive officer of the Nashville convention and visitors group.

Just last fall, state GOP leaders hoping to land the 2020 convention were openly courting the RNC at its summer gathering at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center.

Republicans from across the country who descended on the hotel in August were given gift bags filled with Sun Drop, Goo Goo Clusters, Moon Pies and Sen. Lamar Alexander’s Little Plaid Book. They also were treated to a cruise on the General Jackson on the Cumberland River and a reception at the County Music Hall of Fame.

A site has not yet been chosen for the 2020 convention, in which Republicans will officially nominate their candidates for president and vice president.

A report published Friday in The Hill, a Washington-based newspaper, indicated that cities across the country are turning down the opportunity to host the convention.

The cities cited the high security costs and disruptions in the normal flow of business and traffic as the reasons for backing out. But Republican strategist Evan Siegfried speculated that some of them may have been reluctant to play host because of the blowback they would get from their residents for hosting President Donald Trump.

The report said only three cities are in the running to host the convention, but Charlotte is the only one that's public about its interest.

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