GOP to have Convention at Twin Cities

I'm not sure how much it really means other than Democrats cannot have it there.

The four-day event will be held at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., a concert venue and the home of the National Hockey League's Minnesota Wild.

By picking the Twin Cities for 2008, the GOP will ensure plenty of news converge in media markets in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa — all battleground states in the 2004 election and ones expected to be competitive in the next presidential race.

The Democrats, who last met in Boston, will announce a decision later this fall. A spokesman said 11 sites expressed interest in having the party's convention, but only four completed the proposals. New Orleans later withdrew its bid, leaving Denver, New York City and Minneapolis-St. Paul.

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak has said that because of timing and logistics, the Twin Cities can't host both conventions. The two conventions are scheduled for consecutive weeks.