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GOP convention dream ends for Vegas and Cincinnati

By WTOP Staff

PHILIP ELLIOTT
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The odds of hosting the Republican Party’s next presidential convention have improved for Dallas, Denver, Cleveland and Kansas City, Missouri. Two other players, Las Vegas and Cincinnati, have folded.

The four remaining cities will be making in-city pitches to party officials looking for a host with ample meeting space, hotels and transportation to accommodate tens of thousands of visitors.

Another crucial requirement: deep pockets. The host city would have to pick up a tab as high as $60 million.

Dallas is seen as a leading contender, in part because of its coalition of wealthy donors, ties to the Bush family and an oil industry that could foot the bill. That city also has plenty of hotel and convention space to house the delegates and donors who flock to pep rally for the party faithful, along with the news media throng.

Dallas has also aggressively courted party officials. At a recent Republican National Committee meeting in Memphis, Tennessee, the Dallas organizers hosted a cocktail reception for delegates and offered them a chance to pose for pictures with Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders.

Cleveland also could emerge as strong contender. Although northeast Ohio is a strongly Democratic area, it remains in a perennial hard-fought presidential state and has sought to convince RNC members that the city on Lake Erie is more than a former steel town that has fallen on hard times.

And Denver has experience; it hosted the Democrats’ 2008 convention that nominated President Barack Obama and has a modern airport.

RNC officials are focused on each city’s hotel and transportation plans following a 2012 Tampa convention in which many participants were forced into hotels an hour from the convention site or onto long bus rides. Many RNC members are still smarting from that experience and have vowed not to repeat the logistical nightmare.

The RNC said Cincinnati bid officials cited issues with its arena in pulling back its proposal.

Las Vegas’ decision to end its bid on Thursday came as something of a surprise.

The desert city hired a raft of political consultants to woo RNC members and constituencies and was seen as a favorite. But organizers said scheduling problems were insurmountable and withdrew the bid before the RNC voted Thursday to narrow the field. The RNC wanted to have its convention in June, when much of Las Vegas’ meeting and convention space was already booked.

One RNC official said party officials viewed other cities as more eager to cater to the convention and accommodate organizers’ demands. Las Vegas, with its constant stream of other conventions, was seen as less aggressive in courting the RNC, given organizers would have to pick up the price tag if successful, he said.

The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss internal deliberations.

Some party officials worried that its reputation for excess could overshadow the event. Others were concerned about the influence of Republican mega-donor Sheldon Adelson. Among the world’s 10 richest people, the CEO of the Las Vegas Sands Corp. has spent tens of millions of dollars to help Republican candidates and causes, and he fully backed efforts to bring the convention to his backyard.

But RNC officials worried that Adelson’s deep pockets could have proved a liability for a party looking to broaden its appeal. One RNC official directly involved in picking the city said the site selection committee was looking for a broader donor base — not one or two billionaires — to pick up the tab.

Almost immediately, the RNC and Las Vegas alike began to prepare for a 2020 convention in Sin City.

“While the committee understands their decision, both cities made a compelling case for 2016 and would make excellent hosts should they pursue efforts to host a future RNC convention,” said RNC Site Selection Committee Chairwoman Enid Mickelsen of Utah.

Nevada GOP Chairman Michael McDonald said he was disappointed that the convention wasn’t coming to his state, “but I will get a convention somehow, some way.”

___

Peoples reported from Boston. Associated Press writer Michelle Rindels in Nevada contributed to this report.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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