Welcome to Tampa Bay: Home of the 2012 Republican National Convention

Facts and FAQ

With approximately 13,000 – 15,000 members of the media in attendance, the RNC is the single largest media event in the world except for the Olympic Games.
The Host Committee has more than 15,000 hotel rooms booked for each night of the Convention and more than 75 event venues under contract.
The direct spending impact for the Convention will total approximately $175 – $200 million. This does not take into account the economic “multiplier” effect which can equate to 2.5 times the actual amount of hard dollars spent.
The amount of electricity, cabling and fiber connectively will likely be the most ever utilized for any event in the state of Florida.
The last time a Presidential Nominating Convention was held in Florida was 1972. In that year, both the Republican and Democrat National Committees held their Presidential Nominating Conventions in Miami Beach, Florida.
Approximately 350 full-size charter buses and more than 500 private vehicles will be utilized during the week of the Convention.
The largest lighting assembly ever hung for any event in the world was at the 1992 Republican National Convention in Houston, Texas.
In excess of 7,500 volunteers will be activated and deployed to assist during the week of the Convention.
The Convention is designated by the Department of Homeland Security as one of only four National Special Security Events (NSSE) to be held in 2012; other examples of potential NSSE events include G-8/G-20 Summits and the World Bank/IMF meetings.