Gov. Hochul, Mayor Adams continue push for DNC in NYC with Javits charm offensive

Gov. Hochul and Mayor Adams stepped up their charm offensive to bring the Democratic National Convention to New York City with a tour of the Javits Center on Thursday and the promise of a sampling of the city’s nightlife.

Hochul and Adams appeared with Democratic National Committee Chairman Jamie Harrison and delegates from the committee for the tour Thursday morning — and for the opportunity to sing the Big Apple’s praises.

“The symbolism of the national Democratic Committee selecting New York City for their 2024 location will be a symbol of a rebirth — of not just a community, but of the Democratic Party, as we remind people that the values of our party, the Democratic Party, are uniquely American values,” Hochul said. “We value our diversity. We welcome people from all over the world.”

Aside from the tour of the Javits Center — which would serve as a hub for some convention events if New York City is selected — Harrison and the committee’s delegates also planned to take in Madison Square Garden, which is being proposed as the main venue, as well as the city’s restaurants and the Broadway show, POTUS, which is playing at the Schubert Theatre.

“We’ve got some of the best hotels and restaurants right around Madison Square Garden. We’re gonna hang out tonight,” Adams said, laughing. “You know, I’m the nightlife mayor so I’m going to show them some of the product.”

The squiring around of party delegates is one part of the application process, which also requires a written proposal. So far, national Dems have toured venues in Houston, and after their visit to the Big Apple, they’re slated to check out Chicago and Atlanta, which have also applied to host the convention.

“What we do during these visits is we look under the hood, we kick the tires to try to make sure that we are picking the best city that represents the values of the Democratic Party,” Harrison said. “New York is one of the great cities that can tell that story.”

Representing the party’s values won’t be the only factor that Dems consider though. Harrison noted that the committee would be considering other, “technical” components, including available venues, ease of movement through public transportation and other factors.

Persuading them to bring the convention to New York would represent a significant economic coup for Adams and Hochul. It would translate into millions of dollars of revenue for the hotel and tourism industries and would contribute to a narrative that the two leaders have pushed for months now — that both the city and state have emerged from the trauma of COVID and are ready to return to come semblance of normalcy.

On Thursday, Adams estimated that having the convention in New York would bring between $20 million and $30 million in additional revenue to the city, its businesses and workers.

But obstacles remain. One is violent crime — especially on the city’s subways.

Adams pointed to his policy of removing subway homeless encampments and increased police presence as examples of how the city is “turning the corner” in that respect.

He noted that the encampment removal policy was implemented, in part, with attracting events like the DNC in mind.

“We knew we had to deal with the visual presence that our city was on a rebound and recovery,” Adams said. “We knew 2024 was coming, and we knew that when the curtain rises, it has to rise on New York. And we wanted people to know that our city is back.”

When asked about how street crime would affect the committee’s decision on choosing a city, Harrison said he didn’t think it would — for any of the cities the committee’s considering.

“We got a mayor who served in the police department,” Harrison said of Adams, who retired from the NYPD as a captain. “We have a governor who is tough on crime … All of these cities that we are visiting right now — I feel very confident that our visitors will be safe.”

After fielding several questions about crime, Adams pointed out — as he has in the past — that New York isn’t the only big city in the U.S. that’s witnessed spikes in crime in recent months. On Thursday, he pointed specifically to other cities vying for the convention as examples.

“My good friend, the Houston mayor, is dealing with some issues. All the big city mayors. Atlanta — Mayor Andre was sharing some of the issues he was having there,” Adams said, referring to Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. “All the cities that are being considered are dealing with similar issues that we’re dealing with here in New York.”