New York City Mayor Eric Adams, joined by New York City, state, and federal elected officials, today launched the city’s bid to host the 2024 Democratic National Convention (DNC).
While making all major venues available for the convention, the bid proposes Madison Square Garden as the primary event site, with the Jacob K. Javits Center available to host different components of the event, allowing the entire convention — from venues and office space to hotels and media — to take place within a 20-minute walk. The bid will be formally submitted today ahead of the May 27th deadline tomorrow.
“This is the most diverse city in America and one that reflects the face of not only the democratic party, but the entire nation. There is no better place for the DNC to host their convention than New York City, which is why we are proud to submit our bid today for the 2024 convention,” said Mayor Adams. “New York City was epicenter of the pandemic, and now we’re leading the recovery. And the convention will pour hundreds of millions of additional dollars into our economy in a part of the city that was among the hardest hit. New York City is the biggest stage in the world, and we want to welcome the DNC here to celebrate democracy, freedom, and progress.”
“Today is an exciting day as leaders from our business, hospitality, civic, and cultural communities stand together ready to welcome the 2024 Democratic National Convention to New York City,” said Deputy Mayor for Economy and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer. “No city in the country is better positioned to support the complex needs of the convention or provide such a high-quality experience for delegates. We would be proud to welcome visitors from across the country to experience New York City’s unrivaled amenities, support our local businesses, and send a clear message that New York City is back and better than ever.”
Hosting the convention would provide a significant boost to New York City’s economy, directly benefiting many of the Midtown Manhattan small businesses that were particularly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. During the 2016 convention — the last in-person Democratic National Convention — Philadelphia reported $230.9 million in economic activity and over 54,000 visitors to the region, and city officials project that that number even larger numbers for 2024.
The proposal has received support from numerous entities across New York City’s public and private sectors, including over 40 formal letters of support from leaders in government, business, hospitality, cultural institutions, and labor, such as New York’s congressional delegation, New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, the New York City Hospitality Alliance, the Broadway League, and the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union.
More than 45,000 hotel rooms sit within a one-mile radius of the proposed convention sites. At the same time, the city has already secured commitments from 86 hotels to provide nearly 14,500 hotel rooms to delegates and other convention visitors. Madison Square Garden’s central location also places it just blocks away from major cultural institutions and national landmarks like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Broadway theaters, and Rockefeller Center, as well as the headquarters of major media networks and thousands of restaurants, bars, shops, and other small businesses.
The proposal also highlights the city’s extensive experience providing security for high-profile events and a range of convenient transportation options, including three national airports offering nonstop service to 2,000 cities in the United States and around the world and a rich public transit system with trains, buses, ferries, and quick-rental Citi Bike bicycles for travel in and around the city.
“New York City is primed and prepared to host the DNC for the 2024 convention, and we are eager to showcase everything the Big Apple has to offer,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Andrew Kimball. “The hundreds of millions of dollars generated by the convention would significantly help support the ongoing recovery for numerous businesses, retailers, hotels, restaurants, and more that suffered during the pandemic. The city has the spirit, energy, and resiliency to host the convention that shapes the future of democracy in our nation.”
“No other place hosts big events on a world stage like New York City, and we’re proud to be part of the efforts to welcome the 2024 Democratic National Convention,” said Fred Dixon, president and CEO, NYC & Company. “Hosting the DNC in 2024 would signal the business industry’s continued recovery and underscore New York City’s position as the events capital of the world.”
“New York City is the epicenter of innovation and perseverance that carried our country through the harshest days of the pandemic — and bringing the Democratic National Convention to our town will mark a new chapter in our road to recovery,” said New York City Department of Small Business Services Commissioner Kevin D. Kim. “Our small businesses are ready to welcome leaders from across the country to our streets to shop local, dine at our tables and counters, and enjoy all the city has to offer.”
“The Big Apple is the perfect place for America’s Democrats to host its next convention and supercharge our campaign to retain the White House and Congress,” said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. “New York has all the capacity, resources, and endless amenities to host a historic convention, and notably, New York has been the launching point for successful national campaigns for Democrats. I will work hand-in-glove with Mayor Adams and civic and business leaders to promote New York’s first-rate bid.”
“As the business, creative, and cultural capital of the world, New York offers the Democratic Party an incredible backdrop to showcase our ideas, our party members, and our nominee to the American people,” said U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. “Along with countless cultural attractions, restaurants, hotels, and entertainment, New York City has unparalleled infrastructure that will seamlessly transport DNC attendees from across the country, to and from destinations across New York City. The 2024 Democratic National Convention could not have a better location than New York City, and I look forward to working alongside our state and local leaders to bring it home.”
“New York is the nation’s hub for commerce and culture and is home to the finest event venues around the globe, including the world-class expanded Jacob Javits Center,” said New York Governor Kathy Hochul. “The 2024 Democratic National Convention would play a pivotal role in helping New York build back better than ever from the COVID pandemic — attracting visitors, supporting small businesses, and generating robust economic activity. I am proud to partner with Mayor Adams and my colleagues in city, state, and federal government to launch this bid and will continue working diligently to make this proposal a reality.”
“As the dean of New York’s congressional delegation, I am proud to offer my strong support of New York City’s bid to host the 2024 Democratic National Convention,” said U.S. Representative Jerrold Nadler. “New York City is the most dynamic and diverse city in the world. It offers the perfect backdrop to showcase the ideas of the Democratic Party’s platform, our party members, and our nominee to the American people. For months, New York was the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is now the epicenter of our nation’s economic recovery. Hosting the 2024 Democratic National Convention would provide a vital boon to the New York City metropolitan area’s small businesses still reeling from the pandemic. I look forward to working with the Democratic National Committee to bring the 2024 convention home to New York City.”
“I am thrilled that New York City is putting in a bid to host the 2024 DNC Convention,” said U.S. Representative Carolyn Maloney. “It has been 30 years since the DNC Convention was in New York City, and it’s time for it to come back. New York has shown resilience throughout the continuing COVID-19 crisis and is ready to lead once again to welcome our country’s political leaders back to this great city.”
“New York City is a gorgeous mosaic whose diversity has long fueled the Democratic Party,” said U.S. Representative Hakeem Jeffries. “From President Franklin Delano Roosevelt to Shirley Chisholm to Majority Leader Charles Schumer and many more, our city has also given some of its best to the party. I can think of no better place to host the 2024 DNC than right here in New York, and I thank Mayor Adams for leading this push.”
“When COVID-19 hit, New York City was the epicenter of the outbreak, and as the virus ravaged our communities, we stood strong and as a beacon of hope to the world that America is resilient,” said U.S. Representative Adriano Espaillat. “Mayor Adams has a vision for our city, and I’m proud to stand with him and our colleagues to reaffirm New York City as a place where dreams are made and where anything is possible, and I cannot think of a better location for the 2024 Democratic Convention to call home.”
“As the chair of the Committee on Economic Development, I am proud that the Economic Development Corporation along with Mayor Eric Adams have submitted New York City’s bid to host the Democratic National Conference in 2024,” said New York City Councilmember Amanda Farías, chair, Committee on Economic Development. “This announcement is a great way to both boost our local tourism economy and encourage conferences to come back to New York City. In the past few years, New York City was the epicenter of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic and historical protests for racial justice, as well as a leader in climate resiliency and our nation’s recovery. New York City is the world. Therefore, is only fitting that our political party hosts its conference in a city that continues to be a pioneer of innovation and a leader in Democratic political power. I’m excited to see the possibilities of what combining civic engagement and tourism does for the future success of our city.”
“New York is where the deepest roots of American hope, diversity, and enterprise lay,” said Jessica Lappin, president, Alliance for Downtown New York. “Our history of continual renewal and rebirth would set the stage to tell a compelling and indispensable part of the American story. No place is as eclectic and exciting as the Big Apple. We look forward to doing whatever we can to ensure that a 2024 Democratic Convention in New York City would be an enormous success.”
“The Garment District Alliance is proud to support Mayor Eric Adams in New York City’s submission to host the Democratic National Convention in Midtown Manhattan,” Barbara A. Blair, president, Garment District Alliance. “This area is truly the heart of New York City, one of the greatest cities in the world, and is the perfect backdrop as our nation’s Democratic leaders convene for the presidential nomination convention. We are hopeful that Midtown Manhattan is selected for this honor, and we hope to welcome everyone in 2024.”
“As one of the city’s central business districts just adjacent to JFK Airport and the Air Train, Downtown Jamaica is ready to warmly welcome all travelers and delegates who choose to visit our great city and the borough of Queens,” said Jennifer Furioli, executive director, Jamaica Center Business Improvement District.
“New York City is back, and there’s no better place for the Democratic National Convention to be hosted than here in the Big Apple,” said Andrew Rigie, executive director, New York City Hospitality Alliance. “Whether it’s our city’s event spaces, restaurants, nightlife, hotels, hospitality, and people who are passionate about politics, we’ve got the right recipe, and there’s no better place for the DNC to host their convention than New York City.”
“As an international hub of commerce and culture, the Javits Center is proud to join with Mayor Eric Adams to play an integral role in New York City’s bid to host the 2024 Democratic National Convention,” said Alan Steel, CEO, New York Convention Center Operating Corporation. “With amenities and attractions unlike any other location, New York City has served as a beacon of hope, opportunity, and innovation that can help us forge a path toward a stronger, safer, and more prosperous nation for all Americans.”
“New York City has so much to offer the delegates of the Democratic National Convention, and Times Square is ready and willing to welcome them to our hotels, theaters, and restaurants,” said Tom Harris, president, Times Square Alliance. “After the last two years, it’s time to show our nation that New York City is the premier place to visit and what better way to do that than to host this convention in the greatest city in the world.”
“New York and its citizens have shown remarkable resilience and national leadership over the past two and a half years — not just by rebuilding from the devastating impacts of the pandemic, but also by doing so with a renewed sense of equity and inclusion that is lighting a path for the entire country,” said Danny Meyer, CEO, Union Square Hospitality. “What a meaningful and powerful time to showcase that to the rest of the country!”
Photo credit: 1) A map of the hotels, amenities, and other landmarks in the neighborhood immediately surrounding Madison Square Garden, the primary venue in the city’s 2024 DNC bid (credit: New York City Mayor’s Office). 2) Democratic National Convention 2016.
