The Connector

Some people thought fundraising got off to a slow start. Do you agree?

JL I don’t think it got off to a slow start. The RNC made the announcement of St. Paul very early. Generally, the RNC doesn’t announce the site of the convention until the first of the year. We were selected in September of ’06, and didn’t really start negotiating the deal until January. We accomplished what we needed to do at that point. And then there is a lot of planning that goes into raising $58 million to $60 million. We were never behind in fundraising. We’re absolutely thrilled with the way the business community in Minneapolis–St. Paul and the whole region have come together to support what will be the biggest event that will ever happen in our lifetimes here.

In the post 9/11 world, national political conventions require massive security. In fact, Congress appropriated $50 million to each convention to cover increased security. Where and how will we see the effects of that?

JL The cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis meet regularly with the Secret Service and are coordinating very well. People are going to be surprised at how little these things will affect their daily lives. The convention takes place in the evenings, so St. Paul and Minneapolis will be open for business. Work won’t be that disrupted, especially in Minneapolis.