If you asked me, and nobody does, I’d instinctively say probably not. Vegas has a reputation as “sin city,” which isn’t going to sit well with a good portion of the socially conservative Republican base. On the other hand, Vegas has Sheldon Adelson, the billionaire casino owner who does sit well with Republican fundraisers looking to rake in the cash for 2016.
Report from PageSix:
Las Vegas has a big advantage over the other five cities hoping to host the Republican National Convention in 2016: Sheldon Adelson.
Adelson — the owner of the Las Vegas Sands (which operates resorts and casinos all over the world, including the Venetian and the Palazzo in Vegas) — has a net worth of $40 billion, and he donated $100 million in 2012 to the campaigns of Newt Gingrich and then Mitt Romney.
“Sheldon is adamant that the GOP must go to Vegas,” said one source. Some GOPers fear that if Adelson doesn’t get his way, he’ll give a couple hundred million dollars to the Democrats just for spite.
The other five cities in contention are Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver and Kansas City.
Since we last visited this topic a few days ago, it appears Columbus, Ohio was booted off the list with the RNC citing transportation issues. That still leaves two Ohio cities, though neither of which contain a billionaire Republican donor that I’m aware of.
We’ll see what transpires but inevitably, money talks. I’d think, given 2008 and 2012, that Ohio would be a prime spot for Republicans to regain votes for 2016 but maybe that won’t matter when the checks get written.
