State GOP Chair Says Denver Would Be Great Host City For 2016 RNC

DENVER (CBS4) - Colorado Republicans have mile high aspirations for 2016.

The state GOP says they will make a bid to have Denver host the 2016 Republican National Convention.

Colorado Republican party Chairman Ryan Call says the success of the Democratic National Convention in 2008 and the fact that the required infrastructure is already in place makes Denver the perfect choice.

"In many ways a lot of the investments, the nature of the host committee, the different players that need to be brought together have already been brought together," Call said.

The DNC in 2008 put Denver on the national stage for four days, pumping hundreds of millions of dollars into the local economy.

Call says preliminary meetings with Gov. John Hickenlooper and Denver Mayor Michael Hancock have been positive. He says Denver is ready to face stiff competition from other cities

"(Also being considered are) Las Vegas, Kansas City, San Diego and Phoenix, but I'd put Denver up against any one of those," Call said.

Call says host committees will have to raise as as much as $60 million, but Denver could have that number reduced because many of the venues are already in place.

He says the RNC would be good for the party and put the national political spotlight back on Colorado.

"It's really helpful anytime Colorado can insert itself into the national dialogue," Call said. "We can re-establish Colorado as swing state."