Republicans' NY Convention Cruise Ship Plan Sinks

Republicans' NY Convention Cruise Ship Plan Sinks
Tue December 2, 2003 10:28 PM ET

By Bill Berkrot
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A plan to use a cruise ship as a floating hotel during the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York was scuttled on Tuesday by the liner's owner, Republican Mayor Michael Bloomberg said, after an outcry by city Democrats and hotel and restaurant groups.

"This evening I spoke to Colin Veitch, the President and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line and he informed me that NCL had determined that it would not be commercially viable to use the Norwegian Dawn as part of the Republican National Convention," Bloomberg said in a statement.

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, of Texas, had said he wanted to charter the Norwegian Dawn as a floating hotel and entertainment center for delegates descending on the city in August for the convention, which is expected to culminate with President Bush being nominated to seek a second term.

Proponents of the scheme had argued that the ship would be safer and more private than a Manhattan hotel.

But with New York's economy still struggling to recover from the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, critics said the plan would have deprived the city of millions of dollars that would instead be spent aboard a foreign ship. (snip/...)

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=3927636

On edit:



"Talk about big tents: Mrs. Worthington Scranton does the hula at a convention party" (Republican Convention Party, 1948)
http://www.time.com/time/daily/special/photo/con48/10.html

With all the problems the cruise ships are having with virii, the RNC convention could have been scuttled.

they can stand out on the street and smoke with the commoners, and look at the homeless. make them face the real world.

Please continue discussion within the original LBN thread on this topic, which can be found here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=249579

JudiLyn, it would be very helpful if you could post your Reuters link within the other thread.

Thanks!
VolcanoJen
DU Moderator