DNC Boost $120M Less Than Promised

The scene at the DNC about an hour after Hillary Clinton’s speech ended | Photo: Dan McQuade

The 2016 Democratic National Convention generated about $230.9 million for the city, according to the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau.

That’s about $120 million less than the $350 million total economic impact originally predicted by the convention’s chief executive, Rev. Leah Daughtry – but it’s still a boon for the city. 

Economic projections aren’t usually accurate. In fact, several parties weighed in on the DNC’s expected economic impact before the event, which was held at the Wells Fargo Center last July. The Philadelphia 2016 Host Committee’s prediction was a little more modest – $250 million to $300 million, according to Philly.com.

All in all, the DNC brought more than 54,000 visitors to the five-county Philly region – including 5,783 convention attendees. The event generated $132.9 million in direct convention-related spending, brought in $11.1 million in local and state taxes and $95.8 million in labor income, according to the PHLCVB’s annual report.

Guests reportedly booked about 80,400 hotel room nights and 6,600 Airbnb room nights during the convention, which contributed to a record-breaking year for Center City hotels, according to the bureau.

City spokesperson Lauren Hitt told Philly.com that the publicity the city attracted through the DNC will continue to pay off down the road. The PHLCVB calculated that Philly received 26.2 million national and international media impressions through the event, which brought 19,250 media members.

In addition, the host committee claims it was able to donate $400,000 worth of supplies and equipment to 25 local nonprofit organizations through its Community Impact Program.

For more information on the economic impact of the DNC, check out the PHLCVB’s annual report.

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