- Washington Free Beacon - https://freebeacon.com -

Denver Withdraws Bid to Host 2020 Democratic National Convention, Cites Scheduling Conflict

Denver has withdrawn its application from the shortlist to host the 2020 Democratic National Convention due to a scheduling conflict after the city was informed of the event's scheduled mid-July dates.

Amber Miller, a Denver city spokeswoman, said that the Democratic National Committee set the dates for the convention after the deadline for cities to submit their host bids and that Denver believed the timeline was more open-ended, the Denver Post reported Wednesday.

The DNC announced last week that the convention will be held from July 13-16, two weeks earlier than in 2016 in anticipation of a crowded and contentious primary.

When Miller and the city found out the dates were set in stone, Denver withdrew its application from the running. Miller emphasized that the decision to withdraw the bid was after the dates were scheduled and before the short list was released to the public.

"There are major commitments that cannot be moved without significant impact," Miller said.

Politico reported early Wednesday morning that Denver made the shortlist along with Houston, Miami Beach, and Milwaukee.

Denver previously hosted the Democratic National Convention back in 2008. The convention was held in Philadelphia in 2016.

DNC chairman Tom Perez said in a statement last week that the earlier scheduling for mid-July is to ensure that the nominating process is the "most transparent" in the Democratic Party's history.

"The Democratic Party is committed to organizing everywhere and holding the convention in mid-July allows us to continue our work doing exactly that," Perez said. "My priority is to ensure that the 2020 nominating process is the most open, fair, transparent and inclusive in our party's history."

"That is exactly why the DNC has started this process early and before we have a full slate of candidates running for president," Perez added. "This will not only allow for a unified party but will ensure that our nominee is in the strongest position to take on Donald Trump or whoever the Republican nominee may be."