Chicago to host Republican National Committee summer meeting

WASHINGTON—The Republican National Committee will hold its summer meeting in Chicago in August, with an agenda item ratifying Cleveland as the site of the 2016 presidential nominating convention.

The Chicago meeting will take place Aug. 6-9 at the Westin Hotel on Michigan Avenue.

The RNC announced on Monday that its site selection committee gave the nod to Cleveland to host the 2016 convention, contingent on successful final negotiations with the city. The full RNC will officially vote to award the convention to Cleveland at the Chicago event, but that vote is expected to be just a formality.

“It is going to be in Cleveland in 2016,” RNC chairman Reince Priebus said on FOX News “Happening Now.”

“The Republican National Committee has chosen Cleveland and we couldn’t be more excited. I think that it is a city that’s on the rise. We’re excited about it. They’re building the entire lakefront out. I’ve got to tell you, if you haven’t been to Cleveland lately it’s a real surprise how beautiful it is down by that lake and we’re excited about bringing the RNC to Cleveland in 2016,” he said.

The date of the 2016 convention is still uncertain, with the RNC aiming at late June or early July, depending in part if the Cavaliers get in the finals.

“We’ve picked two different start dates that our legal team is negotiating with Cleveland on. It’s either going to start on June 28th or it will start on July 18th. So as you go through all these contracts so people understand what goes into it, you have to obviously make sure you have enough hotel rooms. In the case of Cleveland you have to make sure you can get into this arena. Obviously if the Cavaliers are in the finals it makes it difficult for a June 28th start,” Priebus said.

This will be the last RNC meeting before the November elections; officials will “update our members on what’s happening out in the field for the midterms, all the things with the field program and our digital and data program,” said RNC spokesman Kirsten Kukowski.

The Chicago meeting is expected to draw about 300; the 168 members of the RNC, plus staff from local and national parties and activists. No word yet on the speakers.