Right in Harry Reid’s Union controlled backyard.

Via LVRJ

The 2016 Republican National Convention will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center if the city wins the right to host the nationally televised event, which could be a $400 million-plus boon to Southern Nevada’s economy, the convention center confirmed Tuesday.

The Las Vegas Host Committee is proposing the convention center over two other potential sites — the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Thomas & Mack Center and an MGM Resorts International/AEG arena to be completed by the spring of 2016 — because of security issues, the Review-Journal has learned.

A large security perimeter is required for the political parties’ conventions. Holding the event at the convention center would be less disruptive for casinos because it’s about one mile from the north end of the Strip, or a four-minute drive. The MGM site could have affected five to 15 casino properties, shutting down parts of the famous Strip. The convention center security perimeter would require closing parts of Paradise Drive, Joe Brown Drive and Desert Inn Road.

The Las Vegas Host Committee, led by Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki, is submitting its updated bid to the Republican National Committee by a Wednesday deadline for cities to formally ask to host the GOP presidential nominating convention.

Las Vegas has emerged as a front-runner in the competition with other cities that have expressed interest, including Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Ohio, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Kansas City, Mo., Phoenix and Salt Lake City.

Krolicki said Tuesday he’s been pleased with national media coverage of Las Vegas’s bid. But he said the city still has to go through a long process of persuading the RNC’s Convention Site Selection Committee to pick the gaming capital as a finalist after making site visits and for the full Republican National Committee to select the winner as soon as this summer.

“It’s very comforting and flattering to read positive things about the potential for the convention to be held in Las Vegas,” Krolicki said. “But at the end of the day, it’s still up to a couple of dozen people,” he added, referring to the 12-member site selection panel and other RNC leaders involved in the decision-making process. “Until they make a decision, I take no comfort in this. Every city that decides to be fully engaged has an equal opportunity to come out on top.”

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