Hot in Cleveland

Dallas loses 2016 Republican National Convention bid to Cleveland

Dallas had proposed hosting the 2016 Republican National Convention at American Airlines Center.

Photo by Clay Coleman/American Airlines Center

It seems everything is coming up Cleveland these days. Just months after the Browns scooped up Johnny Manziel, Cleveland has beaten out Dallas yet again, this time for the 2016 Republican National Convention.

GOP chairman Reince Priebus announced the decision Tuesday morning on Fox News. Although Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings surprised everyone with a last-minute bid to host the convention, Dallas quickly emerged as a serious contender.

Big D made it through several rounds and was named a finalist in April, along with Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, Kansas City and Las Vegas. The field was narrowed to just Dallas and Cleveland in June.

In a statement, site selection chairwoman Enid Mickelsen pointed out that holding the event in Cleveland meant an earlier start on the campaign trail. Due to NHL and NBA playoff schedules, Dallas wouldn't be able to hold the convention at American Airlines Center until mid-July; Cleveland offered to relocate sporting events in June to accommodate the GOP.

I'm confident Cleveland is the right pick for our next national convention. Cleveland has demonstrated they have the commitment, energy and terrific facilities to help us deliver a history-making Republican convention. I extend my deepest gratitude to Dallas. Dallas is a world-class city with wonderful venues and fantastic people, and I'm certain they'll make a great host for our party in the future.

Dallas last hosted the Republican National Convention in 1984 when Ronald Reagan was the nominee. North Texas hosted both state conventions in 2014.

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Fun times in the city

Dallas swings a spot on new list of most fun cities in U.S. for 2024

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Dallas just wants to have fun, according to WalletHub's new ranking of the most fun cities in America in 2024.

The annual report ranked Dallas No. 31 out of 182 U.S. cities.

WalletHub's experts compared each city using 65 metrics to determine their level of "fun." Metrics were split among three main categories: entertainment and recreation, nightlife and parties, and cost.

According to the study's findings, Dallas was 24th nationally in the category for nightlife and parties, and ranked No. 39 in the "entertainment and recreation" category. That may be especially alluring for anyone who wants to explore the city's vast entertainment opportunities (especially during the holiday season), family-friendly recreational activities, top dining destinations, and more. Plus, Dallas is home to entertainment juggernauts like the State Fair of Texas and TopGolf.

Dallas performed poorly in the overall cost category, earning No. 114 out of all 182 cities. However, this category mostly compares flat costs rather than affordability based on local cost of living.

Potential new Dallasites should do their research before deciding to move here, rather than basing their decision on short trips and vacations alone. But we won't blame them for wanting to live in one of the best cities in the world.

"The top cities offer affordable options for year-round fun for their residents, which is good for residents’ wallets and their mental health," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo in the report.

Austin (No. 6) and Houston (No. 9) were the only Texas cities to earn a spot in the top 10 most fun U.S. cities list. Austin moved up one spot from last year, while Houston made a 10-place jump.

Other fun-filled Texas cities that made it in the top 100 are El Paso (No. 53), Fort Worth (No. 55), Plano (No. 78), Arlington (No. 79), and Corpus Christi (No. 99).

The top 10 most fun U.S. cities are:

No. 1 – Las Vegas, Nevada
No. 2 – Orlando, Florida
No. 3 – Miami, Florida
No. 4 – Atlanta, Georgia
No. 5 – New Orleans, Louisiana
No. 6 – Austin, Texas
No. 7 – San Francisco, California
No. 8 – Chicago, Illinois
No. 9 – Houston, Texas
No. 10 – New York City, New York

Cities were evaluated based on the number of attractions per capita, nightlife activities per capita, the average prices for eating at a restaurant or buying a movie ticket, and more. Data was sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau, The Trust for Public Land, and the Council for Community and Economic Research, among others.

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Hot in Cleveland

Dallas loses 2016 Republican National Convention bid to Cleveland

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