LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Las Vegas has played host to thousands of conventions over the years, everything from CES to SEMA to the World of Concrete and MAGIC.
But the city has never hosted a political convention.
Senior political reporter Steve Sebelius talks to GOP leader Michael McDonald about the bid to bring a political convention to Las Vegas:
Its tourism rivals sure have: Chicago has hosted the most, with 26 conventions. Miami Beach hosted the Republicans and Democrats. New Orleans had a shot. So have San Francisco, San Diego, Tampa Bay, and L.A.
But Las Vegas? Shut out.
It's not been for lack of trying. Nevada Republican Party Chairman Michael McDonald — the party's longest serving leader — has been trying to snag a convention since 2016. Or even both conventions (they have been held in the same city six times in history, five of those times in the same convention venue).
"But when you look on paper, there is no better place to do a convention. We're the No. 1 capital of the world for conventions. No one does it like Las Vegas," McDonald said on Thursday. "We have the hotel space. We have the convention space. Where else would you do it?"
Dallas, possibly. But more on that in a second.
The convention we're talking about this year would be a mid-term convention, designed to boost the party's candidates for House and Senate seats, not a presidential nominating convention that happens every four years.
But that doesn't mean this couldn't be a dress rehearsal for the big time, sometime in the future. (2028 is already spoken for; Republicans will meet in Houston.)
"We'll make this a showpiece, and at that point, there is no Democrat, Republican. This is about shining in Las Vegas, and then we're at the politics after that," McDonald said. "This will be a shining point for Las Vegas. It'll help boost the economy; it'll also help boost the promotion of Las Vegas."
Republicans shouldn't worry that their chairman has gone soft, though. He's still a party man.
"It's going to be really big, because President Trump has a lot to run on right now," McDonald said. "And getting the message out where it's been, and making the American public understand where we were and where we are now is a great opportunity for everyone that's running in the midterms to key on and show success."
One of the barriers to Las Vegas: security. The U.S. Secret Service needs a couple of weeks to totally secure a venue, and few Las Vegas spots can afford to go dark for that long. McDonald says a summer date might be easier for those arrangements.
One thing that won't be a barrier: Nevada's "what happens here, stays here" reputation. Even religious denominations have held meetings in Las Vegas, and McDonald says he reminds people constantly that there are more churches in this city per capita than many other places with more staid reputations.
Now, about that bid from rival Dallas.
McDonald said Texas is putting a lot of money behind its bid, even if the Lone Star State has a lock on the nominating convention in two years. And Dallas has already hosted a convention, back in 1984, when Ronald Reagan was renominated for a second term.
But Las Vegas has some advantages, too. President Trump has a hotel here, co-owned with his friend Phil Ruffin. Trump won Nevada (and all the other swing states) in 2024, and his signature "No Tax on Tips" policy was rolled out here during the 2024 campaign.
Plus, there's McDonald, the hometown guy who grew up to be a friend of the president.
"President Trump loves Nevada. Loves Las Vegas," McDonald said. "I'm lobbying the president every day."
The Republican National Committee meets in May, and McDonald said he expects a decision before that, a decision that might finally put Nevada on the long list of cities that have hosted political conventions.
Do you have a question about Nevada politics? Steve Sebelius can get you an answer. You can email steve.sebelius@ktnv.com or "Ask Steve" using the link below.
