The Region’s Convention

This probably won’t surprise you. I’m ecstatic that the GOP yesterday chose Tampa Bay to host the 2012 Republican National Convention. I have attended the last two Republican Conventions (New York in 2004 and Minneapolis in 2008), and I can assure you, it’s a big deal for our region. I know, I know, I’m not supposed to be partisan in this space, and, as soon as I finish telling you how happy I am that our convention’s coming to Florida for the first time since 1972 (Miami), I’ll dispense with partisan euphoria. Ok, one last thought…we deserve it.

But the convention is a big deal for the region – I’m even comfortable arguing that it’s bigger than the Super Bowl. And my argument here has not really as much to do with specific economic gain for the region as it does perception and display for the region, if we handle it well. Because of the 24 hour national and cable news cycle, the host city – and its region – are truly on display for an entire week. In recent history, the conventions kick off the race to the Presidential election’s finish line. It’s when the electorate really begins to tune in and pay attention. And arguably, this time around, all eyes will be on the Republicans since we‘ll have the challenger in the race. So, as America wakes up to pay attention to politics at the highest level in our land, what will they see as they switch on Tampa Bay in High Def?

I hope they see a truly high-tech corridor. I hope we show off higher education. I hope they see transportation infrastructure. I hope our airports are on their best behavior. I hope Ybor City shows off Tampa’s Hispanic heritage. I know St. Pete/Pinellas will show the world the charm of the Suncoast. I hope that Plant City, Eastern Hillsborough/Polk show off our agricultural roots and transforming economies. I hope the Florida Southern visitor’s center is packed with patrons. I hope the high tech students at USF Poly ensure our convention values state of the art innovation and technology. I hope the political science students at USF St. Pete and the main campus play a significant role, as Dr. Susan McManus makes a semester’s worth of impact. I hope the side trips to Disney, coincide with side trips to Legoland. And I trust that the entire I-4 corridor will claim this event as their own.

If I learned one thing from my experience in Minneapolis, distance isn’t a factor. I stayed as far away as you could from the convention center (not by choice), but that didn’t matter. The events surrounding the main event were held all over the twin cities and we found ourselves shuttling back and forth and throughout the region as we visited the different venues. All that to say that convention visitors in 2012 will literally inundate the entire Bay Area region. If our region treats them warmly and welcomes the intense international spotlight, it will make all the difference in the world. I truly hope that as we send the GOP nominee off to the races, we show the visitors and viewers around the globe why we truly are the world’s leading super-region. The Region’s Convention – what a chance to shine!

photo credit: ShootsNikon