Changes

When the [[Republican National Committee]] asked San Antonio municipal officials to submit a bid for the 2020 national party convention, Nirenberg agreed to meet with the city council to discuss the request but seemed hesitant over seeking the convention. Former Mayor Phil Hardberger, a liberal Democrat and a former judge, strongly opposes San Antonio hosting the GOP conclave. Hardberger said a political convention would cost the city more than the short-term boost in the downtown economy. He even predicted that rioting could occur because many in the Hispanic-majority city view [[U.S. President]] [[Donald Trump]] with disdain. (Trump polled nearly 41 percent of the vote in Bexar County in 2016.) Hardberger recalled that Mayor [[Richard J. Daley]] of [[Chicago]] was politically harmed by allegations of police brutality stemming from demonstrations at the 1968 [[Democratic National Convention]] and that party nominee [[Hubert Humphrey]] lost his presidential bid to [[Richard M. Nixon]].<ref>Josh Baugh, "Council to discuss '20 convention bi: Mayor to ask if city should pursue GOP", ''The San Antonio Express-News'', April 27, 2018, pp. !. A11.</ref> As it developed, San Antonio will not submit a bid to the RNC. Nirenberg claimed that the cost of pursuing the convention, which would bring 15,000 reporters to the city, outweights the estimated $200 million economic impact of such an event. The host city would have to raise $700 million, $6 million from public funds, to attract the convention.<ref name=noconvention>Josh Baugh, "S.A. won't try to get the GOP's national convention", ''The San Antonio Express-News'', May 4, 2018, pp. 1, A10.</ref> Clayton Perry and Greg Brockhouse, the only conservatives on the city council, criticized the decision on grounds that San Antonio is forfeiting an opportunity to be in the international spotlight.<ref name=noconvention/>  

When the [[Republican National Committee]] asked San Antonio municipal officials to submit a bid for the 2020 national party convention, Nirenberg agreed to meet with the city council to discuss the request but seemed hesitant over seeking the convention. Former Mayor Phil Hardberger, a liberal Democrat and a former judge, strongly opposes San Antonio hosting the GOP conclave. Hardberger said a political convention would cost the city more than the short-term boost in the downtown economy. He even predicted that rioting could occur because many in the Hispanic-majority city view [[U.S. President]] [[Donald Trump]] with disdain. (Trump polled nearly 41 percent of the vote in Bexar County in 2016.) Hardberger recalled that Mayor [[Richard J. Daley]] of [[Chicago]] was politically harmed by allegations of police brutality stemming from demonstrations at the 1968 [[Democratic National Convention]] and that party nominee [[Hubert Humphrey]] lost his presidential bid to [[Richard M. Nixon]].<ref>Josh Baugh, "Council to discuss '20 convention bi: Mayor to ask if city should pursue GOP", ''The San Antonio Express-News'', April 27, 2018, pp. !. A11.</ref> As it developed, San Antonio will not submit a bid to the RNC. Nirenberg claimed that the cost of pursuing the convention, which would bring 15,000 reporters to the city, outweights the estimated $200 million economic impact of such an event. The host city would have to raise $700 million, $6 million from public funds, to attract the convention.<ref name=noconvention>Josh Baugh, "S.A. won't try to get the GOP's national convention", ''The San Antonio Express-News'', May 4, 2018, pp. 1, A10.</ref> Clayton Perry and Greg Brockhouse, the only conservatives on the city council, criticized the decision on grounds that San Antonio is forfeiting an opportunity to be in the international spotlight.<ref name=noconvention/>  

Ron Kaufman, the site-selection chair for the RNC, disputed Mayor Nirenberg's claim that taxpayers would be compelled to underwrite costs of a convention. Kaufman said that the financial burden for such a convention, $65 million, does not rest with the host city but the host committee, a non-profit organization created to oversee the convention. The host committee would solicit donations from well beyond the local community.<ref>Gilbert Garcia, "Nirenberg draws rebuttal from RNC official", ''The San Antonio Express-News'', May 11, 2018, p. A2.</ref>

Ron Kaufman, the site-selection chair for the RNC, disputed Mayor Nirenberg's claim that taxpayers would be compelled to underwrite costs of a convention. Kaufman said that the financial burden for such a convention, $65 million, does not rest with the host city but the host committee, a non-profit organization created to oversee the convention. The host committee would solicit donations from well beyond the local community.<ref>Gilbert Garcia, "Nirenberg draws rebuttal from RNC official", ''The San Antonio Express-News'', May 11, 2018, p. A2.</ref> Despite the city's refusal to host the RNC in 2020, San Antonio hosted the Republican Party of Texas state convention in June 2018.