Atlanta won't seek to host 2004 political conventions

ATLANTA - Atlanta has withdrawn itself from consideration for the 2004 national Democratic and Republican conventions. <br> <br> Mayor Shirley Franklin wrote Democratic Chairman Terry McAuliffe and GOP Chairman Marc Racicot that the hotels and convention facilities in the city are already booked for that summer. <br> <br> Atlanta, site of the 1988 Democratic Convention, was suggested as host for the 2004 event in January after McAuliffe named a 40-member committee including state Rep. Calvin Smyre of Columbus, chairman of the state Democratic Party to settle on a location. <br> <br> Last month, the Republican National Committee invited Atlanta and 23 other cities to submit proposals. <br> <br> ``We have worked hard with representatives of our state government and those who were involved with the 1988 convention to determine the prospects and possibly a plan for hosting a convention again in 2004,&#39;&#39; Franklin said in Wednesday&#39;s letters to McAuliffe and Racicot. <br> <br> ``Unfortunately, the facilities and hotels necessary to satisfy the requirements are already committed for the relevant time periods,&#39;&#39; she said.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/4/196127