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Texas Republicans lament far-away hotel assignment for national convention
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By CHRISTY HOPPE Austin Bureau
choppe@dallasnews.com
Published: 20 May 2012 11:27 PM
AUSTIN — GOP stalwarts in Texas have three major problems with their arrangements at the Republican National Convention in Florida: location, location, location.
Relegated to “the boonies” at a remote golf resort, state leaders face a logistical headache 25 miles from the Tampa convention hall. Worse, they said, it sends a message to the largest Republican state in the nation that, like convenience store wine for a birthday gift, it doesn’t count for much.
“If I weren’t state chairman, if I were a delegate, I probably wouldn’t go,” state GOP leader Steve Munisteri said of the late-August presidential nominating event.
It is a steep fall from grace. For years, having a Bush as either vice president or president meant the Lone Star State was pampered with prime hotels and choice seating.
Munisteri said the state’s political donors, volunteers and activists are being taken for granted. Others suspect Rick Perry’s failed presidential bid — and attacks on eventual nominee Mitt Romney — are bringing punishment upon the Texas GOP.
Convention lodging is more than a matter of inconvenience or prestige. The parties must figure out how to transport hundreds of delegates for four days of events, when cities are bulging with traffic and visitors. They have to arrange for meals and events, and distance often equals higher costs.
And like proximity to the corner office, four-star hotels near the hall and close-in floor seating are more than perks. They’re signs of which states carry heft, importance and political clout.
At least the situation is something that the state’s Republicans and Democrats can finally agree on. For years, Texas Democrats — with no hope of delivering the state for Bill Clinton, Al Gore, John Kerry or Barack Obama — have found themselves on the outskirts of conventions.
It’s been only recently that they’ve done better than airport hotels. This year they’ll actually be closer to their convention site in Charlotte, N.C. — 15 miles away — than the Republicans will be from theirs in Tampa. Both delegations are still in different counties from the convention halls.
“They’re used to the red carpet,” Dallas County Democratic Party Chairwoman Darlene Ewing said of the Republican delegates. “Well, come join us in the cheap seats, guys.”
Pecking order
The top spots at national conventions always have gone to the nominee’s home state. Also high on the list are the important swing states; lavishing attention is part of getting the party stalwarts active and motivated. Important states also get star treatment, and then, up in the rafters and out in the ’burbs, it’s usually the can’t-win-there-but-thank-you-for-coming states.
James Davis, a spokesman for Republican convention planners, discounted such calculations and said the hotel assignments were allotted based on the size of the delegation, price ranges, room availability and special needs.
“Texas is one of the larger delegations. And this was the first convention that we did not have to split a delegation into two hotels,” Davis said. “That’s important because a lot of delegations meet together and travel to the convention together.”
He said the Saddlebrook Resort, where the Texans will be, “is a great place. Our staff has had meetings there.”
Davis declined to address whether Texas was being slapped for considering a winner-take-all primary to boost Rick Santorum’s candidacy or because of the strained Perry-Romney relationship.
“We made the assignments based on not splitting the delegations and trying to meet their requirements,” he repeated.
Eric Opiela, who is charged with coordinating arrangements for the Texas delegation, said the site is a hardship. He likened the situation to attending a Dallas convention but “having our hotel Red Oak. That’s essentially what they’ve done to us.”
The only other delegation out that way is Louisiana’s.
“I don’t know what crime they committed to be out there with us,” Opiela said.
Because Saddlebrook is a golf resort, some of the hotel rooms are a half-mile from the resort’s meeting rooms, where breakfasts and other gatherings take place. That hike in August for some older delegates will be difficult, he said.
Opiela said one normally reliable corporate sponsor has declined to support the delegation this year, which he attributes to the inconvenience of the location. “What sponsor wants to be 30 miles away?” he said.
“I’m sure it’s a fabulous place from the pictures I’ve seen. But I’d be just as happy staying at the Holiday Inn if it were closer,” he said.
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