• • • 718 WEST 5th ST AUSTIN, TEXAS 78701 47115 Valley Evening Monitor McAllen, Texas AN 1 8 1982 Dallas Picked for GOP Convention WASHINGTON — The Republican Party made it official today, choosing Dallas, Texas, as the site of its 1984 National Convention. Dallas, which had the blessing of President Reagan, was selected by a unamimous voice vote of the Republi- can National Committee. The exact dates for the convention were not set but it will be held during August 1984. Led by Mayor Jack Evans, a delega- tion of Dallas officials made a brief presentation to the National Commit- tee, promising that the huge Dallas Convention Center would provide ample facilities for the meeting, that about 29,000 hotel rooms would be available in Dallas and neighboring Fort Worth, and that the people of the city would go all out to welcome the Republicans. Selection of a convention site for 1984 was about one year earlier than nor- mal. The party made little mystery about the selection — its press office sent out a schedule for the RNC meeting with the following comment: "Note to Dal- las media: a vote is expected on the recommendation before noon." GOP national chairman Richard Richards, asked about the matter at a National Press Club appearance Thurs- day, said Dallas would have better facilities for the media than any con- vention city in recent years. The GOP action two full years ahead of the convention was unusual because the selection process normally doesn't even begin in earnest until the year before the presidential election. The political parties traditionally wait to select a convention site until the presidential field has begun to shape up to avoid giving any of the contenders for a contested nomination an advan- tage by holding it in his home city or state. The Republicans obviously expect Californian Ronald Reagan to be the only candidate for their nomination in 1984. But if he did decline to seek a second term, the selection of a Texas city might be interpreted as an advan- tage for Vice President George Bush, who comes from Houston. But selection of a convention site also is a political reward, and Reagan has been very close to Texas Gov. William Clements, whose campaign kickoff din- ner the president attended earlier this week. In the past, the parties have tried to whip up spirited competition among cities seeking the conventions, playing off their bids to squeeze out the maxi- mum benefits — free use of meeting halls, quarters for convention officials and other local services such as secur- ity and transportation services. But since 1976, the federal govern- ment has given the major parties several million dollars each to finance their conventions, in an effort to end their reliance on corporations and other special interests to help defray the costs of the gatherings. That would not be a problem for the Republicans, who have been able to raise enough money from the public to finance their candidates and have plenty left over for such party functions as conventions. The Democrats, on the other hand, are chronically short of money, and probably will try to get as many cities as possible to compete for their 1984 convention, even with the federal sub- sidy. Democratic National Committee Chairman Charles Manatt, visiting De- troit this week, said his party would name a site selection committee in July and expressed the hope that the Motor City would be -one of the possible very strong contenders" for 1984. )4. TIE