Chicago Touts $371 Million Impact From Democratic Convention

By Shruti Date Singh

October 17, 2024 at 3:36PM EDT

The stage is prepared at the United Center ahead of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, Illinois, US, on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression and other groups failed to show that a planned protest parade route near the Democratic National Convention starting Aug. 19 violates their First Amendment rights. Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg (Al Drago/Bloomberg)

(Bloomberg) -- The Democratic National Convention delivered a total economic impact of about $371 million for Chicago, according to the city’s marketing arm.

The third-largest US city hosted about 50,000 visitors for the convention from Aug. 19 to 22, when Vice President Kamala Harris was nominated as the Democratic party’s presidential candidate, said a report issued Thursday by Choose Chicago.

The direct spending, including dollars by visitors outside the main sites and the operational expenditures of the convention, reached about $221 million, according to the report that was prepared by research firm Tourism Economics. The total impact for the city also included nearly $150 million in indirect expenditures.

For months before the gathering, Chicago had been dogged by questions about whether 1968-style violence would flare up during the convention. The event, which generated $28.7 million in state and local tax revenue according to the report, ended up being relatively calm with peaceful protests taking place amid sunny weather.