With the Democratic National Convention still one year away, details of the event have been predictably scant (minus the predicted ubiquitous presence of fiberglass donkeys, another enormous security fence and the more than $84 million needed to pull off the event.)
Billy Penn has new details on a couple of aspects, however, thanks to a 60-page agreement among DNC officials, the host committee and the city that was obtained through a Right-to-Know request.
Here are seven key points that can be found in the contract, the full version of which is below:
1. The locations
We can now identify 23 so-called “Special Event Venues” (not including the Wells Fargo Center and Philadelphia Convention Center) that the convention might utilize for the deluge of delegates, pols and lobbyists set to descend on Philly for three days next July:
- African American Art Museum (701 Arch St. 19106)
- Atwater Kent Museum (15 S. Seventh St. 19106)
- Belmont Mansion (2000 Belmont Mansion Drive, 19131)
- City Hall – Mayor’s Reception Hall and Conversation Hall (1401 John F Kennedy Blvd.)
- Marian Anderson Recreation Center (740 S. 17th St. 19146)
- Dilworth Plaza (1 S. 15th St. 19102)
- Franklin Square (200 6th St. 19102)
- Gustine Lake (4863 Ridge Ave. 19128)
- Lemon Hill (Kelly Drive and Lemon Hill Drive 19121)
- Lloyd Hall (1 Boathouse Row 19130)
- Martin Luther King Center (2101-35 Cecil B. Moore Ave. 19121)
- Mount Pleasant Mansion (Mount Pleasant Drive and Fountain Green Drive 19121)
- Mummers Museum (1100 S. Second St. 19147)
- Philadelphia Museum of Art (2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway 19130)
- Please Touch Museum (4231 Avenue of the Republic 19131)
- Rodin Museum (2154 Benjamin Franklin Parkway 19130)
- Strawberry Hill Mansion (Strawberry Mansion Bridge Drive 19121)
- The Carousel House (4300 Avenue of the Republic 19131)
- The Dell Music Center (2400 Strawberry Mansion Drive 19132)
- The Horticultural Center (100 N. Horticultural Drive 19131)
- The Mann Music Center (5201 Parkside Ave. 19131)
- The Philadelphia Zoo (3400 W. Girard Ave. 19104)
- Venice Island Performing Arts Recreation Center (1 Rector St. 19127)
Despite the city footing the bill for preparing these sites for DNC attendees, decisions on access to popular places such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art and Philadelphia Zoo will be at the sole discretion of DNC officials, according to the contract. So, what does this mean for residents and tourists during the event?
“Depending on the size and scope of the events, there may be times when venues are closed for private functions,” a DNC Host Committee spokesperson told Billy Penn. “As far as security [and its impact on the public] goes, we are too far out from the convention to make those determinations yet.”
2. Aramark will do the food
No surprise here. Philly food giant Aramark will exclusively provide food and beverage services for the Convention Center during the 2016 DNC, but the Democratic National Convention Committee is permitted to bring in outside food and drink into the staff office space that it will occupy during the convention.
As we’ve pointed out before, Aramark makes airplane and cafeteria food, but also provides sustenance to millions of U.S. prisoners — and they’ve got a bunch of lawsuits to show for it. More here.
3. Someone from the city has to be on call forever
The city is responsible for designating a “high-ranking law enforcement officer” to serve as the Security Liaison, meaning they’ll plan and supervise everything that has to do with keeping thousands of delegates and dignitaries safe for the time they’re in Philly.
No word yet on who that person is, but here’s the kicker: The city-designated officer (or officers) “shall be available on a 24-hour basis, 7 days a week, by cellular telephone, beginning February 27, 2016, through the conclusion of the convention.” Bless the soul who has to be available for five months straight.
4. Philly: You must do the live stream
It is literally written into the contract that the city must “make its best efforts” to broadcast and live stream the entire convention on the city-owned website as well as public access cable.
5. The DNC owns everything
The Democratic National Convention Committee exclusively owns pretty much any and all intellectual property associated with the convention, including copyright, trademark and other intellectual property rights. It also own rights to “all elements” of the production of the convention, designs and logos, visitor information for associated websites and anything else created under its purview.
There will be some sort of agreement to allow the city to use a convention design or logo — or elements of one — for use in promoting the city and the event.
6. No Northern Ireland or slavery things allowed
In the contract addendum, you can find a couple provisions that the city must follow from the DNC. One of them is that all non-city parties like the Convention Center and the Wells Fargo Center (including parent companies and distributors) confirm that they do not and will not have investments, operations or agreements in Northern Ireland.
Non-city parties must also complete paperwork that certifies they’ve searched all their records and their predecessor’s records and can identify any investments or profits made from slavery or slaveholder insurance during the slavery era. If they made any money off of slaves in the past, the parties must disclose that to the Convention Committee.
7. We probably won’t hear from the city on this
Billy Penn reached out to the mayor’s spokesman Mark McDonald for comment on the agreement and didn’t hear back. There’s a clause in the contract that stipulates that the city may not “directly or indirectly” communicate with anyone from the press regarding any aspect of the agreement without express prior written approval from the Democratic National Convention Committee.
It also notes that the city won’t be held liable for disclosure of records if they’re granted via Right to Know request because the city is a local agency subject to the law.
City of Philadelphia / Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority agreement for the 2016 DNC
