Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey supports effort to host national political convention, regardless of party

Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey said he supports efforts to bring either the Republican National Convention or Democratic National Convention to the city.

Pittsburgh is on a shortlist of cities being considered to host the Republican National Convention in 2024, according to a Politico.com report. Other finalists include Milwaukee, Nashville and Salt Lake City.

Gainey said VisitPittsburgh, the official tourism promotion agency for Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, approached city officials requesting a letter of support for an application it is submitting on behalf of Pittsburgh in a bid to host the 2024 convention.

VisitPittsburgh also is working on an application to host the Democratic National Convention, Gainey said.

The new mayor, a Democrat from Lincoln-Lemington, said the city is supporting bids for both. City Council, made up of all Democrats, had some mixed opinions.

City Council President Theresa Kail-Smith and Councilman Anthony Coghill told the Tribune-Review they felt businesses would welcome more people coming to the city, though they acknowledged potential logistical concerns regarding hotel capacity.

Councilman Ricky Burgess said he wouldn’t support bringing the Republican National Convention to the city. He said he believes the GOP opposes women, LGBTQIA people, African Americans and Muslims.

“We understand the concerns that some have expressed,” Gainey said. “Should the city be selected, we are confident in our ability to ensure successful operations for an event of this size and will engage with the RNC and Visit Pittsburgh in relation to their engagement with the city.”

Pennsylvania last hosted a national political convention in 2016, when the Democratic National Convention was held in Philadelphia. In 2000, Philadelphia hosted the Republican National Convention. Pittsburgh’s Lafayette Hall hosted the very first Republican political convention in the country in 1856.