Rawlings In D.C. To Pitch Dallas To RNC

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings is heading to the nation's capital on Friday along with boosters from the City of Dallas, hoping to convince the Republican National Committee to bring the 2016 convention to the Big D. It has been 30 years since the RNC was held in North Texas.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW DALLAS RNC 2016 WEBSITE

Back then, there was no American Airlines Center. But if the group in Washington is successful, the home of the Dallas Mavericks and the Dallas Stars could also be home to the next Republican convention.

WATCH: DALLAS' VIDEO PITCH TO HOST RNC

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However, if Dallas does get the RNC in 2016, it would come at a price. Host cities must commit up to $60 million. And now, the GOP chairman said that the host city would also be required to plug an $18 million hole caused by budget cuts. Rawlings said that he is not concerned about the money.

That is because the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau predicted that the Republican convention would pump about $200 million in to the local economy.

"We have a broad donor base and it's a great place to have a convention," Rawlings stated before departing. "We're going to be talking about all the benefits. We'll talk about money some, but we're going to be talking about a lot of the benefits."

After the sales pitch on Friday, the RNC selection committee will make site visits. Rawlings hopes that the American Airlines Center in Dallas is on their itinerary. The convention city will be voted on by the entire Republican National Committee in either late summer or early fall. Three finalists will be announced in August.

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