FORT WORTH — The Texas Republican Convention was a big deal for the City of Fort Worth. In terms of spending dollars, some say it was as big as Super Bowl XLV.
City leaders and those in the business community expected to cash in — especially when the convention wasn't in session.
Organizers estimated that as many as 15,000 people would come to Fort Worth, get hotel rooms, spend money at restaurants and various attractions.
For the general manager of the Omni Hotel downtown, the spending going on mimics that the world's biggest football game.
"Food and beverage numbers are comparable to Super Bowl week, which were record numbers for us," said Omni spokesman Dan Piotrowski.
The Omni is right across the street from the Convention Center, and with more than 600 rooms, remained at 100 percent capacity for much of the week.
We'll have to wait on final numbers from the Convention and Visitors Bureau, but preliminary estimates are that between $4.5 million and $5.5 million was pumped into the city's economy during this political event.
The GOP Convention is expected to return to Fort Worth in two years.
E-mail mmoore@wfaa.com
