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Republican National Convention
Tampa 2012
The August 2012 convention should be a business bonanza for Tampa and Florida.
Convention Tips
» HOTELS: Need a hotel room for the convention? Register now with the Committee on Arrangements. The Host Committee has reserved more than 15,000 rooms, and the Committee on Arrangements will begin making assignments next spring. E-mail housing@gopconvention2012.com.
» PLANS: If you're looking to have a wedding or a bar mitzvah around the time of the convention, you may want to reconsider. Many of the best venues will be unavailable. The Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, for instance, has already imposed a two-week blackout period during the convention so that the facility is available for convention festivities.
» FUNDRAISING: Marian Johnson, vice president of political strategy for the Florida Chamber of Commerce, says the campaign money chase will be especially challenging next year: "I would advise any state candidate now to raise your money in 2011 because nationally, with the Republican National Convention in Florida and then the national politics of the presidential race and redistricting, you're not going to be able to raise money next year."