The last time Denver hosted the Democratic National Convention, a not-yet-gray Barack Obama stood before 80,000 people in a stadium pulsating with excitement and chants of “yes we can” as he accepted his party’s nomination for president of the United States.
Twenty years later, Denver’s city leaders want to recreate that moment: the thousands of eager visitors, the national focus on the Mile High City, the event that sparked a decade of Democratic political successes.
Mayor Mike Johnston’s office is preparing a bid to host the 2028 Democratic National Convention, according to a letter from Colorado’s Democratic members of Congress provided to The Denver Post by one of the signatories’ offices.
Presidential nominating conventions, which happen every four years, are where Democratic and Republican party delegates formally select their presidential candidates.
If Denver is successful, it could mean a major economic boost for a city still struggling to rebuild its downtown after the COVID-19 pandemic and years of construction on 16th Street. When Chicago held the event in 2024, it brought in an estimated $200 million in spending, according to the Chicago Tribune.
The 2008 convention created a regional benefit of about $400 million in today’s dollars for the Denver area, then-Mayor John Hickenlooper estimated at the time.
The event would also have costs, however. Thousands of new people all pouring into Denver at once would strain the city’s resources, including its infrastructure and law enforcement. The 2008 convention brought protests and a heavy police presence.
Delegate Albert Lewis from Hawaii cheers for Bill Clinton at the Pepsi Center during the third day of the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2008, in Denver, Colo. (Denver Post file photo by Craig F. Walker)CBS News Chicago found that the Windy City spent at least $75 million in federal dollars to strengthen its fire and police forces, and on construction.
Denver’s own budget has been strained this past year as stagnating sales tax revenue triggered layoffs and spending cuts.
So far, Johnston’s office isn’t providing details on the city’s bid, with spokesman Jon Ewing saying only: “We are honored to be in consideration to host the Democratic National Convention.”
But a letter of support from the state’s Democratic members of Congress to party chair Ken Martin confirms that the city plans to submit a bid.
“We would be honored to welcome the Democratic National Convention back to Colorado in 2028 and to share the incredible amenities, hospitality and spirit of our thriving state,” according to the letter dated Dec. 17. “We encourage you to give the bid submitted by the City and County of Denver your full and fair consideration consistent with all applicable laws and regulations.”
Denver’s DNC pitch
It’s unclear exactly what Denver’s leaders will include in their proposal, but the delegates’ letter and input from political experts provide some clues into what officials may highlight.
The package is likely to present some practical necessities — like possible hotel, security and venue options — and an appeal to a grander political narrative about how Denver represents the future of the Democratic Party.
Colorado has become a Democratic stronghold in recent election cycles, a major change from its swing-state status in 2008. As national Democrats search for a new path to political success, returning to the place that launched the Obama coalition may offer a strong symbol. Colorado’s Democratic representatives in Congress nodded to that in their letter, calling Obama’s nomination “one of the most iconic moments in convention history.”
Barack Obama addresses nearly 80,000 people on the final day of the 2008 Democratic National Convention on Aug. 28, 2008, at Invesco Field at Mile High in Denver. (File photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)Part of what made Obama’s acceptance speech so notable was that it took place at Empower Field at Mile High, then called Invesco Field. Typically, nominating conventions are held in smaller, enclosed arenas. The last-minute change to the massive stadium created a unique, rockstar-like atmosphere that Democrats haven’t replicated since. While Obama’s campaign attempted to hold another open-air acceptance in 2012, weather delays forced eventgoers inside.
The Congressional delegation also pointed to the convenience of most parts of the country having direct flights into Denver International Airport and the city’s A-Line commuter rail from the airport to Union Station.
“Beyond the city, Colorado’s natural beauty offers extraordinary opportunities for attendees who may wish to extend their stay,” they wrote.
Shad Murib, the chair of the Colorado Democratic Party, also declined to share details on the city’s application but confirmed that the party is working with Johnston’s office on it. In a statement, he nodded to recent election results that show Colorado voters are only getting more Democratic despite the opposite happening in many parts of the country.
“In 2024 and 2025, Colorado showed the nation how Democrats can win in rural and red areas alike with community-oriented candidates, year-round organizing and an across-the-board focus on saving people money and strengthening freedoms,” he said in a written statement. “That’s what it’s going to take to win back Congress and the White House.”
What national Democrats may consider
In the past, the Democratic National Committee has oscillated between hosting the event in swing states and safe Democratic areas. The last convention, in 2024, was held in Chicago, a deep blue city in a deep blue state. The 2020 convention was meant to be in Milwaukee — in the swing state of Wisconsin — before officials opted for a mostly virtual convention due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This would be less about trying to win over the state for the Democrats but could still be bringing attention to political organization in the Mountain West,” said Seth Masket, a professor of political science at the University of Denver.
Some of the other cities known to be submitting bids for the convention are New Orleans and San Antonio. Those could become new rivals for Denver as the process heats up. In past election cycles, city leaders who were finalists for the event lobbed insults at one another, disparaging one another from across the country for a chance at the prestigious selection.
Masket said in the end, the party’s choices are often “surprisingly opaque.”
“I would think the city (Denver) would be very competitive with this,” Masket said. “It’s also pretty vague how the party makes this decision in the end and what features they actually end up being most persuaded by.”
The Democratic National Committee didn’t respond to a request for comment by this story’s deadline.
Federico Peña celebrates the pledging of Colorado’s delegates to Barack Obama on the floor of the Pepsi Center during the second day of the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday, August 27, 2008 in Denver, Colo. (File photo by RJ Sangosti / The Denver Post)Masket remembers the 2008 convention being a “very vibrant time to be in the city.” That would be good news for Johnston, who has made vibrancy his biggest tagline for Denver’s goals and who plans to run for a second term in 2027.
“Every sort of storefront and restaurant is kind of at its best and just showing people and trying to attract people. It’s crowded but it’s an exciting time,” Masket said.
The event would put Denver in the national spotlight, giving people from across the country a look at the city’s mountainous skyline and revamped downtown.
“It’s very good advertising,” Masket said. “It’s an expensive thing, but it is good promotion for the city.”
The timeline for when the national committee will choose the location hasn’t been announced, but the 2024 location was selected about a year and a half before the convention.
In an unusually early announcement, the Republican National Committee in 2023 announced that it had selected Houston for its 2028 convention.
Another factor that could come into play is that Denver has already hosted the event for Democrats twice before, first in 1908 and again in 2008. Several other cities have held the convention multiple times. It has been in Chicago 12 times, Baltimore nine times and New York five times.
While some of those cities re-hosted more than two decades apart, the event was in New York City in 1976, 1980 and 1992. That means it wouldn’t be unprecedented for Democrats to choose Denver again 20 years later.
“It’s not far-fetched at all,” Masket said.
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