Panel Chooses New Orleans for GOP Parley
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WASHINGTON — A Republican Party selection committee today endorsed New Orleans, famed for its music, Mardi Gras and Creole cuisine, as the site of the party’s 1988 convention.
The full Republican National Committee will meet Friday to ratify the site selection committee’s 6-3 choice. New Orleans has never before been the site of a national political convention.
Party Chairman Frank J. Fahrenkopf Jr. said New Orleans was selected over Kansas City, Mo., because of its concentration of hotels near the Superdome, where the convention would be held, and because the arena can seat more than 70,000 people.
The selection committee chose between New Orleans and Kansas City after eliminating Atlanta because the Georgia city was unable to meet the minimum seating requirement of 17,000. Los Angeles had been in the early running but was eliminated.
The Democrats are likely to hold their convention in either Atlanta or Houston.
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