City lands 2012 state convention

Democratic event worth $400,000
Benjamin Lanka | The Journal Gazette
A concerted effort by local Democrats will bring the state party’s convention to the Summit City in the summer of 2012.

Dan Parker, Indiana Democratic Party chairman, announced Tuesday the convention will be held June 15 to 17, 2012, at Grand Wayne Center downtown.

He said the efforts of Mayor Tom Henry and Carmen Darland, 3rd District Democratic Party chairwoman, were instrumental in bringing the event to a site other than Indianapolis for the first time since early last century.

“Fort Wayne’s effort on this was really remarkable,” Parker said after showing a handful of letters and e-mails he received from local Democrats and businesses supporting the effort.

Darland said the idea to hold the convention in Fort Wayne was hatched at a lunch with the mayor and his wife, Cindy, in February. It was presented to the state party in May, and a majority of the delegates of this year’s convention supported the idea of looking outside Indianapolis. Parker said Fort Wayne and Indianapolis were the only two cities to meet the group’s criteria, and Fort Wayne was chosen overwhelmingly in a vote Saturday.

Parker said the newly opened Courtyard by Marriott downtown was critical to the group’s requirement for hotel rooms within walking distance of the convention center. He added the support by Henry, a Democrat, was overwhelming. Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard is a Republican.

Henry said the event will bring state and local attention to Fort Wayne, as well as give thousands of people an opportunity to visit since the opening of much of Harrison Square. He said politics aside, the event will be a boon for the local economy.

“I would encourage the state Republican Party to consider us as well,” he said.

Dan O’Connell, director of Visit Fort Wayne, said the event will draw between 2,000 and 2,500 guests and pump up to $400,000 into the local economy. He said the community did not have to provide financial incentives to land the convention.

O’Connell said he already has begun discussions with the Fort Wayne TinCaps, Embassy Theatre and Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo to have special events for the guests.