More Obama officials bound for Denver
Officials say report of $6 million cost overrun is wrong
By David Montero, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published July 7, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.
Updated July 7, 2008 at 10:02 a.m.
Brian Lehmann © The Rocky
The Pepsi Center will be the site of the Democratic National Convention, but there is speculation that the presumed presidential nominee wants to give his acceptance speech at Invesco Field.
More officials with the Barack Obama campaign were en route to Denver on Sunday to oversee planning for the Democratic National Convention amid published reports of cost overruns and planning problems.
Obama spokesman Nick Shapiro said Matthew Nugen, the campaign's convention coordinator, already is on the ground in Denver where "part of his role will be to look over the budget." Shapiro said the campaign officials - some sources report 10 - will deal exclusively with convention planning.
"I do think there is hard work to be done, and we will get it done," Shapiro said.
The budget issue arose when a published report in the New York Times cited unnamed sources complaining about costs of $6 million beyond the budget and a series of unnecessary delays in getting contracts out to begin work on building out the Pepsi Center for the convention. The Democratic National Convention Committee denies those claims.
The DNCC officially takes over the Pepsi Center today. Earlier today it confirmed that the final night of the convention actually will occur at Invesco Field.
But the DNCC, the mayor and key officials with the Denver 2008 Host Committee said they had no idea where that figure or the report of contract delays came from.
Mike Dino, chief executive officer of the host committee, said it could be related to earlier published reports where he believed they would need between $5 and $10 million more than what the contract between the host committee and the DNCC dictated.
"If you look at the contract, you know there is more to be raised than the $40.6 million," he said. "I don't know if you call them cost overruns. The reality is the contract seems to artificially define what you are really raising money for and what you still have to raise money for beyond what the DNCC wants you to raise money for."
For example, the contract calls for additional security costs of $1.5 million, another $1.5 million for reimbursement of Pepsi Center suite holders and $900,000 in host committee costs. None of that is under the $40.6 million umbrella.
The contract also requires almost $10 million of in-kind services. However, whatever is not raised must be paid for in cash. The contract also doesn't anticipate potential additional costs of a move to Invesco Field.
Failing to meet goals
Money has been an issue for the host committee. In June, it failed to meet the $40.6 million goal by more than $11 million. But host committee officials raising funds for the convention said the drawn-out primary fight between Hillary Clinton and Obama kept some donors from giving while they awaited the outcome.
Mayor John Hickenlooper said he encountered that as recently as last weekend while soliciting funds for the convention while in Miami at the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
along with Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean - took issue with The New York Times story on almost all of its key points.
In a statement signed by Dean and DNCC Chief Executive Officer Leah Daughtry, they blasted the story and claimed five false items in the story.
"The New York Times asserts that this is a Democratic convention effort 'marred by costly setbacks.' That is false," the statement read. "In fact we are ahead of the game. Anyone who has ever worked on a national political convention would tell you as much. This is a well managed convention."
Natalie Wyeth, spokeswoman for the DNCC, also said the charges that major contracts for the build-out of the Pepsi Center were late is wrong.
In fact, the largest construction contract, awarded to Linda Alvarado of Denver-based Alvarado Construction, was announced in February. Wyeth said all major build-out contracts are in place now.
"We brought our construction management team - Linda Alvarado and her team - on board in February," Wyeth said. "We have a contract with them that has been executed with the construction of the Pepsi Center."
She would not speculate, however, on how that contract would be affected or altered if Obama moved his nominating speech to Invesco Field the final night of the convention. That move was made official this morning.
Wyeth also bristled at the accusations that DNCC officials - which now number upward of 130 staff - occupied a lavish downtown office space with big screen televisions. The latter accusation was later removed by The New York Times when Wyeth explained that the TVs were in-kind donations.
"We would never have spent money on televisions like that," Wyeth said.
Catering already cut
Money has been a sensitive topic as the convention, Aug 25-28, draws closer. When it was announced recently that about two dozen delegate parties were trimmed to one party, it drew the ire of some caterers.
Caterers were bitter that they spent days if not weeks putting together bids for a slew of parties only to find out through published reports that the parties were scrapped to save money.
Three Tomatoes Catering believed it had eight of the parties in the bag.
"That was a big disappointment to us," said Joanne Katz, co-owner of the company.
Still, Three Tomatoes has landed several high-profile private parties during convention week, including one party for the New York delegates.
"We're still hopeful we're going to be completely booked that week," Katz said.
Staff writer Julie Poppen contributed to this report
Post your comment
Registration is required. Click here to create your free user account, or login below.
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.
Featured
-
Broncos Game Action
Click for more game action photos from Invesco field.
-
2008 Race for the Cure
The 16th Annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.
-
Rocky Multimedia
The news comes alive in our videos and slide shows. Catch up on today's events.
-
A dream fulfilled
A Rocky Mountain News and MediaStorm production
-
Presidential Elections
See how Colorado counties have voted through the years.
-
County election profiles
A look at how residents in each Colorado county may vote.
-
A Dozen on Denver
Connie Willis is the featured author this week in 'A Dozen on Denver'
-
Rocky Truth Patrol
Reporters Laura Frank and Katie Kerwin McCrimmon hunt for truth in politics.
-
Peak Picks
Submit your fall foliage photos to our contest and vote on other submissions.
July 7, 2008
1:14 a.m.
Suggest removal
clyde writes:
This kind of money is a drop in the bucket for the "Messiah". Let Obama put a few bucks into the coffer. After all, he gave Hillary $2300. Typical snake-oil salesman to not want to risk a penny of his own money. Let the rubes pay for it.
July 7, 2008
4:10 a.m.
Suggest removal
LOUIE writes:
Seems the news about the DNC's financial situation just keep getting worse. I bet the taxpayer will end up with a bill, regardless of the mayor promises. I wonder what costs the protesters will bring to our city. I hope the financial news improves, for some reason I think the taxpayer is in for a ride.
July 7, 2008
5:59 a.m.
Suggest removal
Mike846 writes:
This convention is going to be a disaster in every way, not the least of which will be the monetary end of it. And none of the expense, NONE OF IT, is coming from the National Democratic Party; half is supposedly coming from Denver ($50 million)and half from the Federal Government (another $50 million). Hickenlooper has lost control, if indeed he ever had it, and Denver is going to be the laughing stock of the nation on national TV. You bet the taxpayer is in for the ride, Louie. The usual Democrat Party answer to everything: MORE TAXES. What a farce. Mike
July 7, 2008
6:26 a.m.
Suggest removal
Jim_in_Erie writes:
"I don't know if you call them cost overruns. The reality is the contract seems to artificially define what you are really raising money for and what you still have to raise money for beyond what the DNCC wants you to raise money for."
Wow!
One of the most convoluted statements I've seen in a while.
The whole DNCC statement reads like something from the Wizard of Oz....."pay no attention to the man behind the curtain."
So glad I don't live anywhere near Denver proper. It's going to be 'interesting'.
Not to mention expensive to lots of people, self included, who thought it a very bad idea in the first place.
July 7, 2008
6:58 a.m.
Suggest removal
jason45 writes:
Move the convention to Africa.........
July 7, 2008
7:02 a.m.
Suggest removal
indpdtone writes:
This is just a prelude to the economics that Obama and the far left will bring to the country. Clearly hipocritical to spend outrageous amounts of money on parties, furniture and such, then as "artstarzz" suggests "let the taxpayer foot the bill." Typical liberals. They should have watched the Independent party, they did it right.
Well we got 4 years of this "do as I say, not as I do" rules.
Way to go liberals, that's the way to show how we manage our budgets!
July 7, 2008
7:12 a.m.
Suggest removal
7_ogNiOj writes:
At least the Feds aren't short changing our city on its militarization efforts.
July 7, 2008
7:13 a.m.
Suggest removal
vudumom writes:
The good thing about all this is the people in Colorado get to see history being made and get an early taste of what it will be like dealing with Democratic fiscal policies.
The bad thing is the only people who will see the mess the Democrats leave behind is Coloradoan's. The Global and National press isn't going to show the mess leading up or the mess after they are gone.
July 7, 2008
7:18 a.m.
Suggest removal
LatkaGravitz writes:
artstarzz writes:
"The republicans peanut gallery is trying to make a mountain out of a mow hill"
The correct phrase is, "mole hill" - the small mound of dirt displaced by a mole digging just slightly beneath the turf.
I agree about the mortgage companies - shouldn't have bailed them out - nor should we do it again. We'll also wind up paying for the convention. There will also be some economic benefit to Denver, for sure - how much? We don't know yet. If delegations wait to come to town only for their vote, then leave (like Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, and other delegations have talked about doing) - we won't benefit at all.
How this is some sort of Republican conspiracy to make the Democrats look bad I just can't fathom. I think the Democrats are doing a fine job of that on their own. No help needed.
July 7, 2008
7:28 a.m.
Suggest removal
dilligaf writes:
Why don't all you cons all pack your bags and go to the GOP convention in Minnesota. I'm sure everything up there is going peachy cream. Of course they have no money problems because big oil and all there other rich crooks are paying their bills. Quit your damn crying. Man this gets old. Build a bridge and get over it. You all must have a crystal ball. Can you all give me the numbers to the power ball this week.
July 7, 2008
7:30 a.m.
Suggest removal
danirobi writes:
Move the Convention to Cuba, or North Korea. Obama will be welcome there...
July 7, 2008
7:34 a.m.
Suggest removal
MarineGrunt writes:
WOW... a little bad news about the Demo's and some folks take an IMMEDIATE defense stance.
LOL.. I wonder why that is.
Ignore artstarrzz, nothing more then a mouth piece who knows NOTHING about its candidate othern then what it reads on the internet. And it's only source for data is Obama's web site. Cause we all know you can trust a person running for office...
July 7, 2008
7:38 a.m.
Suggest removal
MarineGrunt writes:
dill post is JUST as stupid!
You two will take any chance to slam the GOP or anyone else, but when some news about the Demo's comes out... all you hear is "Shut up. Go to Minnesota. You can't read the future, but Obama WILL save this Country. I know he will, his web site says so. Oh, evidence OTHER then his web site... THE GOP IS THE DEVIL! Smoke and mirrors"
Ooohhh.. did the wittly fweeler get hurt? Can dish it out but when it comes back.. the 4 yr old in both of you shows up. Very funny...
July 7, 2008
8:40 a.m.
Suggest removal
Alive writes:
What a pathetic mess the Denver city officials have made of this. We still look like a cow town to the rest of the country. There is not one ounce of leadership or courage running this city. They check the political wind before they do anything and STILL manage to screw it up.
Nice job amateurs.
July 7, 2008
9:16 a.m.
Suggest removal
HSTOWEL writes:
Boston is still paying for the DNC hosted in that city. Why in the world did Hick & Pooper want this mess in Denver? The taxpayers will end up paying for this party and the business owners will end up paying for the mess that thousands of morons descending on the city will make while conducting their protests. It's hard to believe the people of Denver elected these clowns.
July 7, 2008
9:18 a.m.
Suggest removal
Shadow writes:
artstarzz finally said something correct. Yes it is the republican voter not the elected RINO's who are complaigning. It was the liberal lead legislature that forced through the bailout for the morgage companies. An effort to help out the individual congressperson and senator who recieved vip treatments and now are running from their reponsibilities on the loans.
It is the republican voter who sees throught the smoke and mirrors on this convention debacle. A very important question was raised that is being glossed over. If this is the NATIONAL DNC event then why is not the National DNC pitching in money for it. Why are they expecting the state DNC and the federal government to foot the bill on this.
The attitude comes across as follows: I am having a party at your house , remeber you have to provide the food, the beer, the entertainmnet, while I stand in the spotlight and enjoy all who show up.
This problem is not a conservative/liberal, or a democrat/republican division of ideas. It is more of an elitist attitude coming from those who are running the party and events. You will provide me with what I want, when I want it.
The addidtion of adding Invesco field to the mix as a last minute and last night event changes alot. Security, traffic control, media coverage, just to start the list. What about the protestors too. Wiull they be provided a forum for their voices at Invesco?
If the DNC wants to use Invesco , fine go ahead. Just do not expect the Denver or Colorado taxpayer to pick up the majority of the bill. I think that this is what is mostly being said.
July 7, 2008
9:42 a.m.
Suggest removal
rickg19611 writes:
"Three Tomatoes Catering" deserved to end up holding the empty bag. They chose to get involved with crooks (aka Democrats) and can't start whining now that they learned they were lied to. They were stupid enough to swallow the lies of Democrat fatcats, so now they can reap what they've sown.
July 7, 2008
11:01 a.m.
Suggest removal
jay writes:
"It is the republican voter who sees throught the smoke and mirrors"
yeah...cause you guys have been so right over the last 8 years.